IRS Issues Form Specifications

Part III. Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous

26 CFR 1.6049.00-00: Returns Relating to Payments of Interest

(Also: 1.3406.07-00 Exceptions to Backup Withholding)

                       TABLE OF CONTENTS

.01 The purpose of this revenue procedure is to state the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) regarding the preparation and use of substitute forms for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, and Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, for wages paid during the 2015 calendar year.

.02 For purposes of this revenue procedure, substitute Form W-2 (Copy A) and substitute Form W-3 are forms that are not printed by the IRS. Copy A or any other copies of a substitute Form W-2 or a substitute Form W-3 must conform to the specifications in this revenue procedure to be acceptable to the IRS and the SSA. No IRS office is authorized to allow deviations from this revenue procedure. Preparers should also refer to the 2015 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3 for details on how to complete these forms. See Section 3.4, for information on obtaining the official IRS forms and instructions. See Sections 2.3 and 2.4, for requirements for the copies of substitute forms furnished to employees and for electronic delivery of recipient statements.

.03 For purposes of this revenue procedure, the official IRS-printed red dropout ink Forms W-2(Copy A) and W-3, and their exact substitutes, are referred to as "red-ink." The SSA-approved black-and-white Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 are referred to as "substitute black-and-white Copy A" and "substitute black-and-white W-3" forms.

Any questions about the red-ink Form W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3 and the substitute employee statements should be emailed to Substituteforms@irs.gov. Please enter "Substitute Forms" on the subject line. Or send your questions to:

.04 Some Forms W-2 that include logos, slogans, and advertisements (including advertisements for tax preparation software) may be confused with questionable Forms W-2. An employee may not recognize the importance of the employee copy for tax reporting purposes due to the use of logos, slogans, and advertisements. Thus, the IRS has determined that logos, slogans, and advertising will not be allowed on Copy A of Forms W-2, Forms W-3, or any employee copies reporting wages paid during the 2010 calendar year, and thereafter, with the following exceptions:

• Forms may include the exact name of the employer or agent, primary trade name, trademark, service mark, or symbol of the employer or agent.

• Forms may include an embossment or watermark on the information return (and copies) that is a representation of the name, a primary trade name, trademark, service mark, or symbol of the employer or agent.

• Presentation may be in any typeface, font, stylized fashion, or print color normally used by the employer or agent, and used in a non-intrusive manner.

• These items must not materially interfere with the ability of the recipient to recognize, understand, and use the tax information on the employee copies.

• Corrected information on information returns and employee copies that was shown on Forms W-2 for amounts paid before January 1, 2011, is an exception.

The information return and employee copies must clearly identify the employer's name associated with its employer identification number.

Logos and slogans, may be used on permissible enclosures, such as a check or account statement, other than information returns and payee copies.

Forms W-2 and W-3 are subject to annual review and possible change. This revenue procedure may be revised to state other requirements of the IRS and the SSA regarding the preparation and use of substitute forms for Form W-2 and Form W-3 for wages paid during the 2015 calendar year, at a future date. If you have comments about the restrictions on including logos, slogans, and advertising on information returns and employee copies, send or email your comments to: Internal Revenue Service, Attn: Substitute Forms Program, SE:W:CAR:MP:P:TP, 5000 Ellin Road, C6-440, Lanham, MD 20706, or Substituteforms@irs.gov.

.05 The Internal Revenue Service/Information Returns Branch (IRS/I.R.B.) maintains a centralized customer service call site to answer questions related to information returns (Forms W-2, W-3, W-2c, W-3c, 1099 series, 1096, etc.). You can reach the call site at 1-866-455-7438 (toll-free) or 304-263-8700 (not a toll-free number). Persons with a hearing or speech disability with access to Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) can call 304-579-4827 (not a toll-free number). You may also email questions to mccirp@irs.gov. Do not submit employee information via email, because electronic mail is not secure and the information may be compromised.

IRS/I.R.B. does not process information returns which are filed on paper forms. IRS/I.R.B. does not process Forms W-2 (Copy A). Forms W-2 (Copy A) prepared on paper or electronically must be filed with the SSA. IRS/I.R.B. does, however, process waiver requests (Form 8508) and extension of time to file requests (Form 8809) for Forms W-2 (Copy A) and requests for an extension of time to furnish the employee copies of Form W-2. See Publication 1220, Specifications for Electronic Filing of Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498, and W-2G, for information on waivers and extensions of time.

.06 The following form instructions and publications provide more detailed filing procedures for certain information returns:

• General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3, (Including Forms W-2AS, W-2CM, W-2GU, W-2VI, W-3SS, W-2c, and W-3c).

• Publication 1223, General Rules and Specifications for Substitute Forms W-2c and W-3c.

.01 Editorial changes. We made editorial changes. Redundancies were eliminated as much as possible.

Section 1.3 -- General Rules for Paper Forms W-2 and W-3

.01 Employers not filing electronically must file paper Forms W-2 (Copy A) along with Form W-3 with the SSA by using either the official IRS form or a substitute form that exactly meets the specifications shown in Parts 2 and 3 of this revenue procedure.

Note. www.cnmidof.net http//www.hacienda.gobierno.pr. Substitute territorial forms (W-2AS, W-2GU, W-2VI, W-3SS) should also conform to the specifications as outlined in this revenue procedure. These forms require the form designation ("W-2AS," "W-2GU," "W-2VI") on Copy A to be in black ink. If you are an employer in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, you must contact Department of Finance, Division of Revenue and Taxation, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, P.O. Box 5234 CHRB, Saipan, MP 96950 or www.cnmidof.net to get Form W-2CM and instructions for completing and filing the form. For information on Forms 499R-2/W-2PR, use this website: http://www.hacienda.gobierno.pr.

Employers who file with the SSA electronically or on paper may design their own statements to furnish to employees. These employee statements designed by employers must comply with the requirements shown in Parts 2 and 3.

.02 Red-ink substitute forms that completely conform to the specifications contained in this revenue procedure may be privately printed without prior approval from the IRS or the SSA. Only the substitute black-and-white Copy A and W-3 forms need to be submitted to the SSA for approval, prior to their use (see Section 2.2).

.03 As in the past, SSA-approved black-and-white Copy A and Form W-3 may be generated using a printer by following all guidelines and specifications (also see Section 2.2). In general, regardless of the method of entering data, using black ink on Forms W-2 and W-3 provides better readability for processing by scanning equipment. Colors other than black are not easily read by the scanner and may result in delays or errors in the processing of Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3. The printing of the data should be centered within the boxes. The size of the variable data must be printed in a font no smaller than 10-point.

Note. With the exception of the identifying number, the year, the form number for Form W-3,and the corner register marks, the preprinted form layout for the red-ink Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 must be in Flint J-6983 red OCR dropout ink or an exact match.

.04 Substitute forms filed with the SSA and substitute copies furnished to employees that do not conform to these specifications are unacceptable. Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 filed with the SSA that do not conform may be returned. In addition, penalties may be assessed for not complying with the form specifications.

.05 Substitute red-ink forms should not be submitted to either the IRS or the SSA for specific approval. If you are uncertain of any specification and want clarification, do the following.

.07 Forms W-2 and W-3 are subject to annual review and possible change. Therefore, employers are cautioned against overstocking supplies of privately-printed substitutes.

.08 Separate instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3 are provided in the 2015 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3. Form W-3 should be used only to transmit paper Forms W-2 (Copy A). Form W-3 is a single sheet including only essential filing information. Be sure to make a copy of your completed Form W-3 for your records. You can order current year official IRS Forms W-2, W-2AS, W-2GU, W-2VI, W-3, and W-3SS, and the 2015 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3, online at http://www.IRS.gov/Businesses. Click on the Online Ordering for Information Returns and Employer Returns link. The IRS provides only cutsheet sets of Forms W-2 and cutsheets of Form W-3.

.09 Because substitute Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 are machine-imaged and scanned by the SSA, the forms must meet the same specifications as the official IRS Forms W-2 and W-3 (as shown in the exhibits).

Section 1.4 -- General Rules for Filing Forms W-2 (Copy A) Electronically

.01 Employers must file Forms W-2 (Copy A) with the SSA electronically if they are required to file 250 or more for a calendar year unless the IRS grants a waiver. For details, get the 2015 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3. The SSA publication EFW2, Specifications for Filing Forms W-2 Electronically, contains specifications and procedures for electronic filing of Form W-2 information with the SSA. Employers are cautioned to obtain the most recent revision of EFW2 (and supplements) due to any subsequent changes in specifications and procedures.

.02 You may obtain a copy of the EFW2 by:

Accessing the SSA website at: www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/pub.htm. Enter "EFW2" in the search box.

.03 Electronic filers do not file a paper Form W-3. See the SSA publication EFW2 for guidance on transmitting Form W-2 (Copy A) information to SSA electronically.

.04 Employers filing fewer than 250 Forms W-2 are encouraged to electronically file Forms W-2 (Copy A) with the SSA. Doing so will enhance the timeliness and accuracy of forms processing. You may visit the SSA's employer website at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer. This helpful site has links to Business Services Online (BSO) and tutorials on registering and using BSO to file your Forms W-2.

.05 Employers who do not comply with the electronic filing requirements for Form W-2 (Copy A) and who are not granted a waiver by the IRS may be subject to penalties. Employers who file Form W-2 information with the SSA electronically must not send the same data to the SSA on paper Forms W-2 (Copy A). Any duplicate reporting may subject filers to unnecessary contacts by the SSA or the IRS.

.01 The official IRS-printed red dropout ink Form W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 and their exact substitutes are referred to as red-ink in this revenue procedure. Employers may file substitute Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 with the SSA. The substitute forms must be exact replicas of the official IRS forms with respect to layout and content because they will be read by scanner equipment.

Note. Even the slightest deviation can result in incorrect scanning, and may affect money amounts reported for employees.

.02 Paper used for cutsheets and continuous-pinfed forms for substitute Form W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3 that are to be filed with the SSA must be white 100% bleached chemical wood, 18-20 pound paper only, optical character recognition (OCR) bond produced in accordance with the following specifications:

.03 All printing of red-ink substitute Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 must be in Flint red OCR dropout ink except as specified below. The following must be printed in nonrespective black ink:

• Identifying number "22222" or "33333" at the top of the forms.

• Tax year at the bottom of the forms.

• The four (4) corner register marks on the forms.

• The form identification number ("W-3") at the bottom of Form W-3.

• All the instructions below Form W-3 beginning with "Send this entire page. . . ." line to the bottom of Form W-3.

.05 The official red-ink Form W-3 and Form W-2 (Copy A) are 7.5 inches wide. Employers filing Forms W-2 (Copy A) with the SSA on paper must also file a Form W-3. Form W-3 must be the same width (7.5 inches) as the Form W-2. One Form W-3 is printed on a standard-size, 8.5 x 11-inch page. Two official Forms W-2 (Copy A) are contained on a single 8.5 x 11-inch page (exclusive of any snap-stubs).

.06 The top, left, and right margins for the Form W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3 are .5 inches (1/2 inch).All margins must be free of printing except for the words "DO NOT STAPLE" on red-ink Form W-3. The space between the two Forms W-2 (Copy A) is 1.33 inches.

.07 The identifying numbers are "22222" for Form W-2 (Copies A (and 1)) and "33333" for Form W-3. No printing should appear anywhere near the identifying numbers.

Note. The identifying number must be printed in nonrespective black ink in OCR-A font of 10characters per inch.

.08 The depth of the individual scannable image on a page must be the same as that on the official IRS forms. The depth from the top line to the bottom line of an individual Form W-2 (Copy A) must be 4.17 inches and the depth from the top line to the bottom line of Form W-3 must be 4.67 inches.

.09 Continuous-pinfed Forms W-2 (Copy A) must be separated into 11-inch deep pages. The pinfed strips must be removed when Forms W-2 (Copy A) are filed with the SSA. The two Forms W-2 (Copy A) on the 11-inch page must not be separated (only the pages are to be separated (burst)). The words "Do Not Cut, Fold, or Staple Forms on This Page" must be printed twice between the two Forms W-2 (Copy A) in Flint red OCR dropout ink. All other copies (Copies 1, B, C, 2, and D) must be able to be distinguished and separated into individual forms.

.10 Box 12 of Form W-2 (Copy A) contains four entry boxes -- 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d. Do not make more than one entry per box. Enter your first code in box 12a (for example, enter Code D in box 12a, not 12d, if it is your first entry). If more than four items need to be reported in box 12, use a second Form W-2 to report the additional items (see "Multiple forms" in the 2015 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3). Do not report the same federal tax data to the SSA on more than one Form W-2 (Copy A). However, repeat the identifying information (employee's name, address, and SSN; employer's name, address, and EIN) on each additional form.

.11 The checkboxes in box 13 of Form W-2 (Copy A) must be .14 inches each; the space before thefirst checkbox is .20 inches; the spacing on each remaining side of the 3 checkboxes is .36 inches (see Exhibit A). The checkboxes in box b of Form W-3 must also be .14 inches.

Note. More than 50% of an applicable checkbox must be covered by an "X."

.12 All substitute Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 in the red-ink format must have the tax year, form number, and form title printed on the bottom face of each form using type identical to that of the official IRS form. The red-ink substitute Form W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3 must have the form producer's EIN entered directly to the left of "Department of the Treasury," in red.

.13 The words "For Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see the separate instructions."must be printed in Flint red OCR dropout ink in the same location as on the official Form W-2 (Copy A). The words "For Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see the separate instructions." must be printed at the bottom of the page of Form W-3 in black ink.

.14 The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Number must be printed on substitute Forms W-3and W-2 (on each ply) in the same location as on the official IRS forms.

.15 All substitute Forms W-3 must include the instructions that are printed on the same sheet below the official IRS form.

.16 The back of substitute Form W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3 must be free of all printing.

.17 All copies must be clearly legible. Fading must be minimized to assure legibility.

.18 Chemical transfer paper is permitted for Form W-2 (Copy A) only if the following standards are met:

• Only chemically-backed paper is acceptable for Form W-2 (Copy A). Front and back chemically-treated paper cannot be processed properly by scanning equipment.

• Chemically-transferred images must be black.

• Carbon-coated forms are not permitted.

Section 2.2 -- Specifications for Substitute Black-and-White Copy A and W-3 Forms Filed with the SSA

.01 The SSA-approved substitute black-and-white Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 are referred to as substitute black-and-white Copy A and W-3. Specifications for the substitute black-and-white Copy A and W-3 are similar to the red-ink forms (Section 2.1) except for the items that follow (see Exhibits E and F). Exhibits are samples only and must not be downloaded to meet tax obligations.

•  

  1. Forms must be printed on 8.5 x 11-inch single-sheet paper only. There must be two Forms W-2 (Copy A) printed on a page. There must be no horizontal perforations between the two Forms W-2 (Copy A) on each page.

  2. All forms and data must be printed in nonrespective black ink only.

  3. The data and forms must be programmed to print simultaneously. Forms cannot be produced separately from wage data entries.

  4. The forms must not contain corner register marks.

  5. The forms must not contain any shaded areas, including those boxes that are entirely shaded on the red-ink forms.

  6. Identifying numbers on both Form W-2 ("22222") and Form W-3 ("33333") must be preprinted in 14-point Arial bold font or a close approximation.

  7. The form numbers ("W-2" and "W-3") must be in 18-point Arial font or a close approximation. The tax year (for example, "2015") on Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 must be in 20-point Arial font or a close approximation.

  8. No part of the box titles or the data printed on the forms may touch any of the vertical or horizontal lines, nor should any of the data intermingle with the box titles. The data should be centered in the boxes.

  9. Do not print any information in the margins of the substitute black-and-white Copy A and W-3 forms (for example, do not print "DO NOT STAPLE" in the top margin of Form W-3).

  10. The word "Code" must not appear in box 12 on Form W-2 (Copy A).

  11. A 4-digit vendor code preceded by four zeros and a slash (for example, 0000/9876) must appear in 12-point Arial font, or a close approximation, under the tax year in place of the Cat. No. on Form W-2 (Copy A) and in the bottom right corner of the "For Official Use Only" box at the bottom of Form W-3. Do not display the form producer's EIN to the left of "Department of the Treasury." The vendor code will be used to identify the form producer.

  12. Do not print Catalog Numbers (Cat. No.) on either Form W-2 (Copy A) or Form W-3.

  13. Do not print the checkboxes in:

• Box 13 of Form W-2 (Copy A). The "X" should be programmed to be printed and centered directly below the applicable box title.

• 14. Do not print dollar signs. If there are no money amounts being reported, the entire field should be left blank.

  15. The space between the two Forms W-2 (Copy A) is 1.33 inches.

.03 You will be required to send one set of blank and one set of dummy-data substitute black-and-white Copy A and W-3 forms for approval. Sample data entries should be filled in to the maximum length for each box entry, preferably using numeric data or alpha data, depending upon the type required to be entered. Include in your submission the name, telephone number, fax number, and email address of a contact person who can answer questions regarding your sample forms.

.04 To receive approval, you may first contact the SSA atcopy.a.forms@ssa.gov to obtain a template and further instructions in PDF or Excel format. You may also send your 2015 sample substitute black-and-white Copy A and W-3 forms to:

.05 The 4-digit vendor code preceded by four zeros and a slash (0000/9876) must be preprinted on the sample substitute black-and-white Copy A and W-3 forms. Forms not containing a vendor code will be rejected and will not be submitted for testing or approval. If you have a valid vendor code provided to you through the National Association of Computerized Tax Processors, you should use that code. If you do not have a valid vendor code, contact the Social Security Administration at copy.a.forms@ssa.gov to obtain an SSA-issued code. (Additional information on vendor codes maybe obtained from the SSA or the National Association of Computerized Tax Processors (NACTP) via email at president@nactp.org.)

Note. Vendor codes from the NACTP are required by those companies producing the W-2 family of forms as part of a product for resale to be used by multiple employers and payroll professionals. Employers developing Forms W-2 or W-3 to be used only for their individual company require a vendor code issued by Social Security Administration.

.06 If you use forms produced by a vendor and have questions concerning approval, do not send the forms to the SSA for approval. Instead, you may contact the software vendor to obtain a copy of SSA's dated approval notice supplied to that vendor.

.07 In response to feedback from the user community, the SSA (and the IRS) have added a 2-D bar coded version for the substitute Form W-2 and Form W-3 to the list of acceptable submission formats. This version is an optional alternative to the non-barcoded substitute Forms W-2 and W-3. Both versions are fully supported by the SSA. At this time, neither the IRS nor the SSA mandates the use of 2-D barcoded substitute forms.

Note. The data contained in the barcode must not differ from the data displayed on the form. If they differ, the data in the barcode will be ignored and the data displayed on the form will be considered the submission. This also occurs when the barcode is not read correctly. The information on the form needs to be manually keyed into the database.

To get the barcode information:

• See the SSA's BSO website at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/bso,

• Get the PDF version of the specifications at copy.a.forms@ssa.gov,

• Download the "TY 14 Substitute W3/W2 2-D Barcoding Standards" from http://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/subBarCodeStd.pdf.

Note. Rules in Section 2.3 apply only to employee copies of Form W-2 (Copies B, C, and 2). Printers are cautioned that the paper filers who send Forms W-2 (Copy A) to the SSA must follow the requirements in Sections 2.1 and/or 2.2 above.

.01 All employers (including those who file electronically) must furnish employees with at least two copies of Form W-2 (three or more for employees required to file a state, city, or local income tax return). The following rules are guidelines for preparing employee copies.

The dimensions of these copies (Copies B, C, and 2), but not Copy A, may differ from the dimensions of the official IRS form to allow space for reporting additional information, including additional entries such as withholding for health insurance, union dues, bonds, or charity in box 14. The limitation of a maximum of four items in box 12 of Form W-2 applies only to Copy A, which is filed with the SSA.

Note. Payee statements (Copies B, C, and 2 of Form W-2) may be furnished electronically if employees give their consent (as described in Treasury Regulations Section 31.6051-1(j)). See also Publication 15-A, Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide.

.02 The minimum dimensions for employee copies only (not Copy A) of Form W-2 should be2.67 inches deep by 4.25 inches wide. The maximum dimensions should be no more than 6.5 inches deep by no more than 8.5 inches wide.

Note. The maximum and minimum size specifications in this document are for tax year 2015 only and may change in future years.

.03 Either horizontal or vertical format is permitted (see Exhibit D).

.04 The paper for all copies must be white and printed in black ink. The substitute Copy B,which employees are instructed to attach to their federal income tax returns, should be at least 9-pound paper (basis 17 x 22-500). Other copies furnished to employees should also be at least 9-pound paper (basis 17 x 22-500) unless a state, city, or local government provides other specifications.

.05 Employee copies of Form W-2 (Copies B, C, and 2), including those that are printed on a single sheet of paper, must be easily separated. The best method of separation is to provide perforations between the individual copies. Each copy should be easily distinguished what-ever method of separation is used.

Note. Perforation does not apply to printouts of copies of Forms W-2 that are furnished electronically to employees (as described in Treasury Regulations Section 31.6051-1(j)). However, these employees should be cautioned to carefully separate the copies of Form W-2. See Publication 15-A, Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide, for information on electronically furnishing Forms W-2 to employees.

.06 Interleaved carbon and chemical transfer paper employee copies must be clearly legible. Fading must be minimized to assure legibility.

.07 The electronic tax logo on the IRS official employee copies is not required on any of the substitute form copies. To avoid confusion and questions by employees, employers are encouraged to delete the identifying number ("22222") from the employee copies of Form W-2.

.08 All substitute employee copies must contain boxes, box numbers, and box titles that match the official IRS Form W-2. Boxes that do not apply can be deleted. However, certain core boxes must be included. The placement, numbering, and size of this information is specified as follows:

• The core boxes must be printed in the exact order shown on the official IRS form. The items and box numbers that constitute the core data are:

• Box 1 -- Wages, tips, other compensation,

  Box 2 -- Federal income tax withheld,

  Box 3 -- Social security wages,

  Box 4 -- Social security tax withheld,

  Box 5 -- Medicare wages and tips, and

  Box 6 -- Medicare tax withheld.

• The core data boxes (1 through 6) must be placed in the upper right of the form. Substitute vertical-format copies may have the core data across the top of the form. Boxes or other information will definitely not be permitted to the right of the core data.

• The form title, number, or copy designation (B, C, or 2) may be at the top of the form. Also, a reversed or blocked-out area to accommodate a postal permit number or other postal considerations is allowed in the upper right.

• Boxes 1 through 6 must each be a minimum of 1 1/8 inches wide x 1/4 inch deep.

• Other required boxes are:

•  

  a) Employee's social security number,

  b) Employer identification number (EIN),

  c) Employer's name, address, and ZIP code,

  e) Employee's name, and

  f) Employee's address and ZIP code.

Note. Box d ("Control number") is not required.

.09 All copies of Form W-2 furnished to employees must clearly show the form number, the form title,and the tax year prominently displayed together in one area of the form. The title of Form W-2 is "Wage and Tax Statement." It is recommended (but not required) that this be located on the bottom left of substitute Forms W-2. The reference to the "Department of the Treasury -- Internal Revenue Service" must be on all copies of substitute Forms W-2 furnished to employees. It is recommended (but not required) that this be located on the bottom right of Form W-2.

.10 If the substitute employee copies are labeled, the forms must contain the applicable description:

• "Copy B, To Be Filed With Employee's FEDERAL Tax Return."

• "Copy C, For EMPLOYEE'S RECORDS."

• "Copy 2, To Be Filed With Employee's State, City, or Local Income Tax Return."

.11 The tax year (for example, 2015) must be clearly printed on all copies of substitute Form W-2. It is recommended (but not required) that this information be in the middle at the bottom of the Form W-2. The use of 24-pt. OCR-A font is recommended (but not required).

.12 Boxes 1 and 2 (if applicable) on Copy B must be outlined in bold 2-point rule or highlighted in some manner to distinguish them. If "Allocated tips" are being reported, it is recommended (but not required) that box 8 also be outlined. If reported, "Social security tips" (box 7) must be shown separately from "Social security wages" (box 3).

Note. Boxes 8 and 9 may be omitted if not applicable.

.13 If employers are required to withhold and report state or local income tax, the applicable boxes are also considered core information and must be placed at the bottom of the form. State information is included in:

• Box 15 (State, Employer's state ID number)

• Box 16 (State wages, tips, etc.)

• Box 17 (State income tax)

• Box 18 (Local wages, tips, etc.)

• Box 19 (Local income tax)

• Box 20 (Locality name)

.15 Employers may enter more than four codes in box 12 of substitute Copies B, C, and 2 (and 1 and D) of Form W-2, but each entry must use Codes A-EE (see the 2015 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3).

.16 If an employer has employees in any of the three categories in box 13, all checkbox headings must be shown and the proper checkmark made, when applicable.

.17 Employers may use box 14 for any other information that they wish to give to their employees. Each item must be labeled. (See the instructions for box 14 in the 2015 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3.)

.18 The front of Copy C of a substitute Form W-2 must contain the note "This information is being furnished to the Internal Revenue Service. If you are required to file a tax return, a negligence penalty or other sanction may be imposed on you if this income is taxable and you fail to report it."

.19 Instructions similar to those contained on the back of Copies B, C, and 2 of the official IRS Form W-2 must be provided to each employee. An employer may modify or delete instructions that do not apply to its employees. (For example, remove Railroad Retirement Tier 1 and Tier 2 compensation information for nonrailroad employees or information about dependent care benefits that the employer does not provide.)

.20 Employers must notify their employees who have no income tax withheld that they may be able to claim a tax refund because of the earned income credit (EIC). They will meet this notification requirement if they furnish a substitute Form W-2 with the EIC notice on the back of Copy B, IRS Notice 797, Possible Federal Tax Refund Due to the Earned Income Credit (EIC), or on their own statement containing the same wording. They may also change the font on Copies B, C, and 2 so that the EIC notification and Form W-2 instructions fit differently. For more information about notification requirements, see Notice 1015, "Have You Told Your Employees About the Earned Income Credit (EIC)?"

Note. An employer does not have to notify any employee who claimed exemption from withholding on Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, for the calendar year.

Section 2.4 -- Electronic Delivery of Form W-2 and W-2c Recipient Statements

.01 If you are required to furnish a written statement (Copy B or an acceptable substitute) to a recipient, then you may furnish the statement electronically instead of on paper. This includes furnishing the statement to recipients of Forms W-2 and W-2c.

If you meet the requirements listed below, you are treated as furnishing the statement timely.

.02 The recipient must consent in the affirmative and not have withdrawn the consent before the statement is furnished. The consent by the recipient must be made electronically in a way that shows that he or she can access the statement in the electronic format in which it will be furnished.

You must notify the recipient of any hardware or software changes prior to furnishing the statement. A new consent to receive the statement electronically is required after the new hardware or software is put into service.

Prior to furnishing the statement electronically, the employer must provide to the employee a clear and conspicuous disclosure statement containing each of the disclosures described in Regulations Section 31.6051-1 or Publication 15-A.

• If the recipient does not consent to receive the statement electronically, a paper copy will be provided.

• The scope and duration of the consent. For example, whether the consent applies to every year the statement is furnished or only until January 31 immediately following the date of the consent.

• How to obtain a paper copy after giving consent.

• How to withdraw the consent. The consent may be withdrawn at any time by furnishing the withdrawal in writing (electronically or on paper) to the person whose name appears on the statement. Confirmation of the withdrawal also will be in writing (electronically or on paper).

• Notice of termination. The notice must state under what conditions the statements will no longer be furnished to the recipient.

• Procedures to update the recipient's information.

• A description of the hardware and software required to access, print and retain a statement, and a date the statement will no longer be available on the website.

• Ensure the electronic format contains all the required information and complies with the guidelines in this document.

• If posting the statement on a website, post it for the recipient to access on or before the January 31 due date through October 15 of that year.

• Inform the recipient, in person, electronically or by mail, of the posting and how to access and print the statement.

.01 If electronic media is not used for filing with the SSA, the substitute copies of Forms W-2 (either red-ink or substitute black-and-white forms) should be assembled in the same order as the official IRS Forms W-2. Copy A should be first, followed sequentially by perforated sets (Copies 1, B, C, 2, and D).

.02 The substitute form to be filed by the employer with the SSA must carry the designation"Copy A."

Note. Electronic filers do not submit either red-ink or substitute black-and-white paper Form W-2(Copy A) or Form W-3 to the SSA.

.03 Substitute forms (red-ink or substitute black-and-white Copy A or W-3) do not require a copy to be retained by employers (Copy D of Form W-2). However, employers must retain copies of the Forms W-2 filed with SSA or have the ability to reconstruct the data for at least four years. Employers must be able to generate a facsimile of Form W-2 (Copy A), in case of loss.

.04 Except for copies in the official assembly, no additional copies that may be prepared by employers should be placed ahead of Form W-2 (Copy C) "For EMPLOYEE'S RECORDS."

.05 You must provide instructions similar to those contained on the back of Copies B, C, and 2 of the official IRS Form W-2 to each employee. You may print them on the back of the substitute Copies B, C, and 2 or provide them to employees on a separate statement. You do not need to use the back of Copy 2. If you do not use Copy 2, you may include all the information that appears on the back of the official Copies B, C, and 2 on the back of your substitute Copies B and C only. As an example, you may use the "Note" on the back of the official Copy C as the dividing point between the text for your substitute Copies B and C. Do not print these instructions on the back of Copy 1. Any Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3 that are filed with the SSA must have no printing on the reverse side.

Section 3.2 -- Instructions for Employers

.01 Only originals of Form W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3 may be filed with the SSA. Carbon copies and photocopies are unacceptable.

.02 Employers should type or machine-print data entries on plain paper forms whenever possible. Ensure good quality by using a high-quality type face, inserting data in the middle of blocks that are well separated from other printing and guidelines, and taking any other measures that will guarantee clear, sharp images. Black ink must be used with no script type, inverted font, italics, or dual-case alpha characters.

Note. 12-point Courier font is preferred by the SSA.

.03 Form W-2 (Copy A) requires decimal entries for wage data. Dollar signs should not be printed with money amounts on the Forms W-2 (Copy A) and W-3.

.04 The employer must provide a machine-scannable Form W-2 (Copy A). The employer must also provide employee copies (Copies B, C, and 2) that are legible and able to be photocopied (by the employee). Do not print any data in the top margin of the payee copies of the forms.

.05 Any printing in box d (Control number) on Form W-2 or box a on Form W-3 may not touch any vertical or horizontal lines and should be centered in the box.

.06 The filer's employer identification number (EIN) must be entered in box b of Form W-2 and box e of Form W-3. The EIN entered on Form(s) W-2 (box b) and Form W-3 (box e) must be the same as on Forms 941, 941-SS, 943, 944, CT-1, Schedule H (Form 1040), or any other corresponding forms filed with the IRS. Be sure to use EIN format (00-0000000) rather than SSN format (000-00-0000).

.07 The employer's name, address, and EIN may be preprinted.

Section 3.3 -- OMB Requirements for Both Red-Ink and Black-and-White Copy A and W-3 Substitute Forms

.01 The Paperwork Reduction Act (the Act) of 1995 (Public Law 104-13) requires the following:

• The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approves all IRS tax forms that are subject to the Act.

• Each IRS form contains (in or near the upper right corner) the OMB approval number, if assigned. (The official OMB numbers may be found on the official IRS printed forms and are also shown on the forms in Exhibits A, B, C, E, and F.)

• Each IRS form (or its instructions) states:

•  

  1. Why the IRS needs the information,

  2. How it will be used, and

  3. Whether or not the information is required to be furnished to the IRS.

.03 The OMB requirements for substitute IRS Form W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3 are the following.

• Any substitute form or substitute statement to a recipient must show the OMB number as it appears on the official IRS form.

• The OMB number (1545-0008) must appear exactly as shown on the official IRS form.

• For any copy of Form W-2 other than Copy A, the OMB number must use one of the following formats:

•  

  1. OMB No. 1545-xxxx (preferred) or

  2. OMB # 1545-xxxx (acceptable).

Section 3.4 -- Order Forms and Instructions

.01 You can order IRS Forms W-2, Forms W-3, the General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3, and other tax material, online at IRS.gov. Click on the Forms and Pubs link and then the Order Forms and Pubs link or by clicking on www.IRS.gov/Businesses and then the Online Ordering for Information Returns and Employer Returns link.

.02 Copies of Form W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3 downloaded from IRS.gov cannot be used for filing with the SSA. These copies of Forms W-2 and W-3 are for information purposes only.

Section 3.5 -- Effect on Other Documents

.01 Publication 1141, Revised 11-2014, is superseded.

Section 3.6 -- Exhibits