At a Glance
Form W-2 reports wages paid to employees and the taxes withheld from their paychecks during the year. Employers must provide W-2 forms to each employee and file copies with the Social Security Administration. The form shows federal and state income tax withheld, Social Security and Medicare taxes, and other payroll deductions. Employers may also need to file Form W-3 as a transmittal summary when paper filing.
Frequently Asked Questions on Form W-2
What is IRS Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement 2026?
Form W-2 is used to collect wage and salary information to be reported to the federal government. The information on this form helps employees to report income when completing Form 1040 on their personal tax returns.
Every employer should complete a Form W-2 for each employee that has worked for them during the year. This form should be filed with the Social Security Administration and sent to the employees.
Who Needs to File W-2 with the SSA?
All employers must report wage and salary information for all of their employees during the previous year. An employee is defined by the IRS as a worker who is employed by the company and whose work is controlled and directed by the company.
Does an Independent Contractor get a W-2?
The short answer is no. An independent contractor shouldn’t expect to receive a Form W-2. Instead, they should receive a 1099. A 1099 has a completely separate set of rules that do not apply to the answers found here.
Check out our short W-2 vs 1099 Questionnaire to see how to classify workers.
What are the Boxes for Form W-2?
Employer Information
Complete the Employer Details section. This includes:
- Name
- EIN
- Employer Type
- Address
Employee Information
Complete the Employee Details section. This includes:
- Name
- SSN
- Address
- Contact Details
Employee Amount Boxes
Local Tax Information: Local, City, or other Income Tax Withheld
Ready to start e-filing with BoomTax? Review Form W-2 instructions or begin your filing today.
What are the 2026 deadlines for Form W-2?
-
January 31st, 2026
Recipient Copies/Paper/E-file
Form W-2 must be distributed by the employer to the recipient on or before January 31st
Form W-2 must be mailed or E-Filed to the SSA on or before January 31st
Note: The deadline is typically the next business day if the deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday.
What is the Penalty for Missing Form W-2 Deadline for 2026?
Failing to file Form W-2 by the deadline or meeting the deadline but providing incorrect recipient information can result in IRS penalties ranging from $60 to $680, depending on how late the form is submitted.
The IRS has increased these amounts for the 2026 filing year.
After the deadline but within 30 days
$60 per form
up to$239,000 per year (smaller businesses)
$683,000 per year
After 31 days - August 1st
$130 per form
up to$683,000 per year (smaller businesses)
$2,049,000 per year
After August 1st, or not at all
$340 per form
up to$1,366,000 per year (smaller businesses)
$4,098,500 per year
Intentionally Not Filing
$680 per form
no maximum penalty
W-2 penalties may be subject to the following:
- Furnishing incorrect information on a return
- Failure to provide the required information
- Late filing of returns
- Paper filing when required to file electronically (E-file W-2 if you have 10 or more information returns)
- Not sending in corrections
- Select the correct form
- Invalid TIN
- Not sending employee copies promptly
Discover more about IRS penalties by visiting the penalties breakdown.
What are the copies of Form W-2?
According to IRS guidelines, employers must provide their employees with three copies: B, C, and 2. A total list of W-2 copies and their function include:
Copy A
Copy to file with the SSA (if paper filing).
Copy 1
Copy to file with the State, City, or Local Tax Department.
Copy B
Copy to be filed With Employee's FEDERAL Tax Return.
Copy C
Copy for employee records.
Copy 2
Copy for employee’s State, City, or Local Income Tax Return.
Copy D
Copy for employer records.
How do I request an extension for submitting Form W2?
Since 2016, the Form W2 extension for filing with the SSA is no longer automatically granted. Instead, a 30-day extension is only allowed under specific circumstances. To request this extension, submit Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns, as a paper filing and mail in the form to the address listed.
When filing Form 8809, provide a comprehensive explanation for the extension request and sign under penalties of perjury. Discover more about Form W2 Extensions.
E-filing vs. Paper Filing
- Immediate real-time IRS updates
- File 1000s of forms easily at once
- Validates 1000s of IRS rules
- Can help with questions in real-time in the chat
Paper Filing
- It can take weeks to hear a status update
- Requires unique red ink form
- Prone to human error
- No expert to help with questions
Note: SSA recommends that payers utilize the e-file option over paper filing for faster processing and immediate updates.
What is Form W-3?
IRS Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, is only required when the employer is opting to paper file. A Form W-3 is a transmittal or cover sheet that comes before the stack of W-2 forms. It provides the SSA with a summary of the information being filed. Employers should never file a Form W-3 by itself; it should always be accompanied by the corresponding Form W-2.
The form includes information about the filer, the total number of forms, and totals of all of the wages, withholding, and other amounts being filed.
For more information, check out this Essential W-3 Guide for 2026.
Author
Ryan Casarez
Software Engineer at BoomTax
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Specializes in IRS compliance technology and building secure, efficient tax reporting solutions.
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BoomTax and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors prior to engaging in any transaction.
