QuickBooks Payroll Bulletin

Important Dates and Tasks for W-2s

As year-end nears, Intuit QuickBooks Assisted Payroll is here to help you prepare and print your W-2s, so you can distribute them to your employees by the Feb. 2, 2009, deadline. You'll want to keep in mind the following dates and tasks to keep the W-2 process moving smoothly:

Remember important dates for year-end.
Choose your W-2 print option (Intuit Print Service or Self-Print).
Order paper if you choose Self-Print.

Remember Important Dates for Year-End

Remembering the following dates will help you through the preparation, printing, and distribution of your W-2s:

Dec. 31, 2008: Deadline to change your W-2 print option in the Payroll Tax Center.
Jan. 5, 2009: Date that applicable W-2 processing fees will be charged if you selected the Intuit Print Service print option for W-2s; be sure to fund your payroll account. Specific pricing for your company is displayed in the Payroll Tax Center when you select the Change W-2 printing option link.
Jan. 10, 2009: Date that W-2s will be available in the Payroll Tax Center for viewing—and printing if you selected the Self-Print option for W-2s.
Jan. 26, 2009: Date that W-2s should arrive at your company legal address if you selected the Intuit Print Service print option for W-2s.
Feb. 2, 2009: Deadline to supply each employee a completed Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement.

After Jan. 10, 2009, you will be able to view your employee W-2s in the Payroll Tax Center via a secure link in QuickBooks.

To access the Payroll Tax Center:

From the Employees menu, select Payroll Center.
Select the View/Download Tax Forms or View/Print Forms & W-2s button near the bottom right side of the page.
Enter your payroll PIN when prompted.

Choose Your W-2 Print Option

You may choose to self-print employee W-2s on your own printer, or you can have Intuit print and mail them to you for distribution to your employees. Regardless of which option you select, Assisted Payroll always prepares and files your W-2s with the Social Security Administration.

The following table highlights the options for printing W-2s.

Option	Print Responsibility	Processing Fee	W-2 Fee(s)	W-2 Paper Costs	Availability
Self-Print	You print on W-2 paper. Order it here. Prefer to order by phone? Call (800) 433-8810. To ensure you receive the correct W-2 paper, order item 278.	$0	$0	Starts at $16.99 plus tax and shipping for 10 sheets	Available for printing on Jan. 10
Intuit W-2 Print Service	Intuit prints and mails W-2s to your company legal address.	No more than $40*	No more than $4.25 per W-2*	$0	Arrival by Jan. 26
* Specific pricing for Intuit Print Service is available by clicking Change W-2 printing option when reviewing your W-2 print options in QuickBooks.

What Do I Need to Do?

Select your W-2 print option before Dec. 31, 2008. Once you have decided on your W-2 print option, confirm that selection within QuickBooks. See the section To Select Your W-2 Print Option for instructions. Intuit Print Service is the standard option for most customers.

If you have selected Self-Print for W-2s, order your paper as soon as possible, but we recommend no later than mid-December 2008. This will ensure timely delivery using the ground shipping option, so you are ready to print W-2s on Jan. 10 when they become available. See the section Order Paper If You Choose Self-Print for detailed instructions.

To Select Your W-2 Print Option

To select your W-2 print option, follow these instructions:

From the Employees menu, select Payroll Center.
Select the View/Download Tax Forms or View/Print Forms & W-2s button near the bottom right side of the page.
Enter your payroll PIN when prompted.
Click the W-2s tab.
Select the Change W-2 printing option link and follow the directions provided onscreen.

For additional information on W-2s, visit http://www.payroll.com/support/assisted/clientpacket.html.

Visit www.payroll.com/support/assisted/filedtaxforms.html for more information about accessing copies of your filed payroll tax forms through your QuickBooks software. Or, watch a short instructional video.

Order Paper If You Choose Self-Print

The Social Security Administration (SSA) requires that employee W-2s be printed on perforated paper and that instructions be provided with the W-2s.

QuickBooks Assisted Payroll requires 8-1/2 by 11-inch, four-section paper. This paper has three equally spaced horizontal perforations, instructions on the back, and is referred to by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as an 8-part form. Office supply stores may refer to this type of paper as "W-2 blank front, 4-up" paper.

The correct forms and envelopes look like this:

The correct perforated paper, with the W-2 instructions on the back and matching envelopes, may be purchased from Intuit.

To order the correct W-2 paper:

Online

Go to www.payroll.com/assisted/W2paper.
Select your version of QuickBooks.
Select Assisted Payroll.
Choose the quantity of forms and envelopes you want.
Estimate the total number of employees you will have paid during the relevant calendar year. Include any terminated employees and any that you plan to hire during that calendar year. You may wish to order a few extra sheets for reprints or in case of mistakes.
Continue to the shopping cart.
Complete the checkout process.
Enter special offer code C43611 at checkout to get free ground shipping.

Phone

Call (800) 433-8810.
Order Item Number: 278 - 4 UP W-2 Paper and Envelopes.
Order the quantity of forms and envelopes you want.
Estimate the total number of employees you will have paid during the relevant calendar year. Include any terminated employees and any that you plan to hire during that calendar year. You may wish to order a few extra sheets for reprints or in case of mistakes.
Mention special offer code C43611 to get free ground shipping.