For Employers and Businesses Who Submit W-2 Forms
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Welcome to W-2 News, the electronic newsletter for employers who submit W-2s to Social Security.

Issue 2011-02
December 16, 2011

Prior Issues

Don't wait until the last minute. Start filing early since BSO experiences delays when there is a high volume especially at the end of each month.

Specifications for Filing Forms W-2 and W-2c Electronically (EFW2/EFW2C)

Use W2Online for up to 50 W-2s

If you use W-2 Online, you can now submit up to 50 W-2s per report instead of 20. All W-2s in a report must be for employees under the same Employer Identification Number. The limit for corrections using W-2C Online remains at 5 W-2Cs. www.ssa.gov/employer

Prior Year W-2s in W2Online

If you have any W-2s to submit for tax year 2010, you can now submit them electronically through W-2 Online. Social Security will add an additional year, over the next several years. Eventually, you will be able to use W-2 Online to prepare and submit the current years plus three prior years. You can already use W-2C Online to submit corrections for the current year plus three prior years. www.ssa.gov/employer

Streamlined Status Applications

When you check the status of your files in Business Services Online, you will notice that we made changes to streamline the application to make it easier for you to find your status information. www.ssa.gov/employer

Dates to Remember

December 5, 2011	Business Services Online is available for accepting tax year 2011 files and W2 Online inputs.
January 1, 2012	Update payroll system to reflect the 2012 wage base rates. Visit www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/factsheets/colafacts2012.htm
January 31, 2012	Deadline for supplying W-2s to employees.
February 29, 2012	Deadline for filing paper W-2s.
March 31, 2012	Deadline for filing electronic W-2s.

Forgot your password -- just answer these questions to reset your password

When you registered to use Business Services Online, Social Security asked you questions in case you forget your password. Answering these questions will allow you to self-select a new password and gain access to online services immediately. You do not have to wait for Social Security to send you a new password by mail. User Reminders

Use AccuWage to Test Your Wage Reports before Filing with Social Security

AccuWage is Social Security's free software that allows you to test your wage reports before you upload them to Social Security. Using one of two versions, Visual Basic and Java, you need to download and install AccuWage software on your PC and specify the directory where your W2REPORT file is located. AccuWage reads the file and informs you of any errors it detects. Knowing what errors exists, and fixing them before you submit your file can save time and headache eliminating the need for W-2Cs/W-3Cs.

In addition to the AccuWage software, Social Security also offers AccuW2C, which is also free. This software checks W-2C wage reports before uploading them to Social Security. For more information about AccuWage and AccuW2C, visit the AccuWage Information and Software or our Troubleshooting webpage should you experience downloading problems.

Business Services Online (BSO) Videos and Tutorial

We have two videos to show you how to register for Business Services Online (BSO) and use W-2 Online.

• How to Register for Business Services Online (Video)
• How to File W-2s Online (Video)

We also offer a detailed tutorial that introduces our free BSO services. Go to www.ssa.gov/employer to see these and more.

Help Plan for Retirement

Remember to tell your coworkers, family and friends about the free resources available to them on the Social Security website at www.socialsecurity.gov. Social Security's online Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator is a great financial planning tool that gives an immediate and personalized estimate of your Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, age 66, age 70 or any point in between.

When it's time to retire, apply online for retirement benefits from your PC in as little as 15 minutes at www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/about.htm. There's no need to drive to your local Social Security office or wait for an appointment. In most cases, after you click the "Sign Now" button and submit the application electronically, that's it. There are no forms to sign, and usually no additional documents are required. Social Security will contact you directly if more information is needed.

If you are uncertain about when to retire, you can check out the online fact sheet, "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10147.html.

Answers on the Run

These days, people seem busier than ever. Thanks to smart phones and mobile devices, we're able to stay in the know even when we're on the run. Any time you have a question about Social Security, it's easy to get a quick answer using our mobile-friendly Frequently Asked Questions page. Just go to www.socialsecurity.gov/faq. from your mobile device. Turn that delayed flight or wait in a grocery store line into productive time and get answers to your Social Security and wage reporting questions.

Social Security is on Facebook, Twitter and You-Tube

If you use social media, we'd like you to connect with us! Facebook is a great way to stay informed about Social Security and let us know what it means to you. What better place than Facebook to join Social Security's network and stay in the know.

Social Security has started "tweeting". Social Security news and information is in easy digestible, 140 character bits! Whether you're a fan of Facebook or you tend toward Twitter, we hope these electronic avenues will help us reach more people who can benefit from our online information and services.

Follow us on Facebook and select Like.

Follow us on Twitter and select Follow Social Security.

Visit Social Security's website and look for the Facebook and Twitter icons. While you're there, take a look at the icon that links to our YouTube page where you can watch Social Security videos, including public service announcements featuring rock and roll icon Chubby Checker academy award winning actress Patty Duke and Star Trek's George Takei.

Learn More Online

Social Security Number Randomization Frequently Asked Questions.

Contact the Experts

Find a Social Security Regional Employer Services Officer to help with complicated questions about submitting W-2s/W-3s.