Federal W-2 Form

With tax season in full swing, there are always a few taxpayers scrambling for their Federal W-2 forms at the last minute.

Employees should have received their Federal W-2 forms no later than February 1, 2007. Employers are required, by law, to provide employees with an accurate W-2 form by this date, even if the form had to be amended.

Any employee who did not receive a W-2, or requested one from their employer and did not receive it by February 15, 2007, should contact the IRS immediately. The IRS will intervene with the employer and enforce the policy that all employees must receive a W-2 form.

It is not uncommon for an employee to run into an issue receiving their W-2 if they left the company prior to the close of 2006. In the case of an employee who no longer works for the company, the W-2 must be mailed. It still has to be received by the February 1 deadline. If the employee has relocated, and has not provided their former employer with their new address, the W-2 cannot be delivered. Sometimes, even though an employee may inform their previous employer of their new location, the information may not have been updated in the payroll system, where the W-2s are generated.

It is always prudent to remember, if you leave a company prior to December 31, check to make sure your contact information is accurate, not only in your employee file, but also with the payroll department.

Employees can now receive W-2s electronically. Some employers are offering this option in an effort to cut down on the number of undelivered W-2s. You must sign a consent form in order to receive your form online or via email. You still have the option of receiving a paper copy (in addition to accessing the information online) if you request one. By law, your employer must comply if you make the request.