Whom to Contact

In the Northwest states (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington), contact the Employer Services Liaison Officer if you have questions about W-2 wage reporting issues. Assistance is available for questions about reporting wage data electronically via our web page or on paper W-2 forms. We also can help you with other wage and employment issues, such as Social Security Number Verification and obtaining copies of previously filed wage reports. Contact us by e-mail at SEA.ESLO@ssa.gov, telephone at 206-615-2133, or FAX at 833-655-0538.

Annual W-2 Wage Reporting

The Social Security Administration receives, and processes, over 250 million W-2 reports each year. W-2 data can be submitted electronically, or on paper Forms W-2. These links give you comprehensive information on submitting your W-2 data, regarding of the method that you select. Still have questions? Contact us!

Employee Name & Social Security Number

The employee's name and SSN reported on the W-2 must match the information contained in Social Security's records to ensure that the worker gets proper credit for the wages paid. Social Security offers a free verification service to employers allowing them to confirm the SSN provided by the employee. For a quick reference on employee name and SSN issues, pick up "Critical Links".

Reconciliation

Social Security and IRS match the annual W-2 and 941 totals to ensure that the correct information has been reported. If the figures disagree, the employer is contacted to explain the difference. Before submitting your W-2s and completing the fourth quarter 941, balance the wage and tax figures. Correct any errors before the reports are sent to SSA and IRS. If you receive a notice that the numbers are out of balance, please respond timely. Need help? Contact us!

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) exclusively handles employment tax issues.  Please call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 or visit the IRS Tax Information For Businesses website if you have employment tax questions.

IRS Tax Videos

Are you a business, tax professional, or government with payroll and tax questions? Check out the IRS Video Portal for a wide range of topics. Check here periodically for free webinars Save money and avoid errors. In today’s challenging times, you must have the information and tools to help you handle your wage and tax reporting responsibilities efficiently and accurately. Periodically, the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration and Small Business Administration present FREE Webinars on the latest employment tax developments. Representatives from SSA and IRS present information on the following topics:

  • Electronic filing of W-2s
  • New SSN assignment rules and verifying employee SSNs online
  • Verifying SSNs/EINs for information return (1099) filing
  • IRS employment tax updates
  • Navigating the IRS and SSA web sites to find information payroll professionals need

Enrolled Agents and RTRPs are entitled to up to two CE Credits; other payroll and tax professionals may qualify depending on the requirements of their organizations. Register with your accurate PTIN (P plus 8 digits) to receive credit from the IRS Return Preparer Office.