W 2 forms
will the IRS send me one set, or do I have to go & buy them?
They send me all the quarterly forms, but we have not yet recieved any W2 or W4 forms
Hi Magnolia,
You can call the IRS for these forms and they will send them to you but it's probably easier to go to an office supply store and purchase them. Remember, they have to be in the mail by Jan.31, 2001 as well as any 1099's you may have. The purchase of these items are negligible but tax deductable for next year.
Re: W 2 forms New for 2001 returns, I believe: If you are a small business with less than 10 employees, you (or, to be precise, one of your employees) can file copy A of the W-2s electronically directly with the SSA, and your deadline is extended from February 28 to April 1. You still have to handle the employee copies (B, C, and 2) and possibly the state copy (1) as normal. (California doesn't require the state copy, so I wouldn't know -- but the SSA has a list of states that will or will not accept the electronically filed copy A as their copy 1. If you have a state income tax, you should check directly with your appropriate state agency.) You can probably keep your copy (D) in electronic form.
Re: W 2 forms
You can get the PDF version from the IRS site, but you can't actually use it. It's forbidden for some reason.
You can fax the IRS or use their order forms, and they will send you the forms.
However, they always send the dot matrix printer forms. Honestly, does anyone in the world still use dot matrix printers? Only the IRS would still keep sending those out as a default.
So we carefully trim the tab off, feed all six sheets or whatever (two W-2s per page) through our ink jet or laser jet printers, and then send two W-2s to print at a time (six copies each, I think) right from Quick Books.
Then you still have to print the W-3.
And, the government never sends the envelopes you'll need for the W-2s or W-3s. At least that's been my experience.
Re: W 2 forms
You can go to www.quill.com or www.nebs.com and order laser printer ones.
The reason you can't use the ones from the IRS's website is that the IRS requires they be printed (the copies you send to the Social Security Administration anyway) MUST be printed in "drop out red" ink. That is, the pre-printed forms are RED so that the red doesn't scan when they scan them into their computers and it's easier for them to process. The ones from the IRS's website, I believe, print out black-lined, thus are not the drop out red ink.
Yes, the ones you get by calling the IRS at 1-800-TaxForms are dot matrix, and free. But the ones you can get from Quill or Nebs are about $7 or $8 and they are drop out Red, and you can order kits with the envelopes too for just a couple dollars more. I order a pack of about 100 W2s, 25 W3s, 250 1099-MISC and 20 1096's along with a $30 LaserLink software and prepare W2s for the small office companies, with 1-15 employees, all the month of January. These are laser forms and the software will generate all the ones I want and allow me to do multiple companies.
And for envelopes? Nothing in the world says you can't FOLD the W2s! I just fold them in half, stuff them into regular envelopes and address them to the employees... or hand them out in the next pay checks. No special envelopes needed.
Quote:And for envelopes? Nothing in the world says you can't FOLD the W2s! I just fold them in half, stuff them into regular envelopes and address them to the employees... or hand them out in the next pay checks. No special envelopes needed.
The copies send to SSA are required to be mailed flat, if you don't file electronically.
Re: W 2 forms
Yes, the drop-out-red ones that go to the SSA MUST be sent in flat... I was talking about the ones you give to the employees, their Fed, State and file copies, not the ones to SSA.
Re: W 2 forms
No offense taken! Just clarifying what I meant.
Now.... it's quitting time and I'm heading home to the hot tub!
*wonders if there's any way she can convince the IRS that for my mental health this time of year it's necessary and let me deduct the hot tub as required medically related expense?*
Email This To a Friend
Topic Commands
Click to receive email notification of replies 
Click to stop receiving email notification of replies 
![[Blue Ribbon Campaign icon]](http://br.eff.org/br.gif)
I'm jealous! 