Social Security’s Electronic Wage Reporting (Forms W-2)

Employer Website

www.socialsecurity.gov/employer

Social Security’s employer website, www.socialsecurity.gov/employer, is your first stop for information on W-2s, electronic filing, verifying Social Security numbers, free software, technical specifications and much more.

Business Services Online (BSO) welcome page

www.socialsecurity.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm

Registration is required to use BSO. Companies can use BSO to register for a User Identification (User ID) number and password and submit wage reports over the Internet.

A User ID is a personal ID, not a company ID. Each person who files W-2 reports electronically must have a User ID.

Third parties

If you are a tax preparer, accountant, payroll agent, or you process W-2s on another company’s Employer Identification Number, you can file on behalf of your clients using BSO. You only need one User ID (even if you represent more than one company).
For more details, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/cpaFilers.htm.

Registration

www.socialsecurity.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm

From the registration link, you also can update your registration information, change your password or deactivate a User ID.

BSO can be used to

• Upload a wage report file formatted according to Social Security’s electronic filing specifications—an option ideal for any size filer;
• Complete up to 20 W-2s on your computer, electronically submit them to Social Security and print copies suitable for distribution to your employees;
• Complete up to five W-2cs on your computer, electronically submit them to Social Security
  and print copies suitable for distribution to
  your employees;
• View the current status of your previously submitted wage reports;
• Tell us that you have received a resubmission
  notice; and
• Verify names and Social Security numbers.

Learn how to

Vendor list

The vendor list site at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/vendor.htm offers a list of companies that provide electronic W-2 reporting products or services. This site also has instructions for adding your company
to the list for free.

Note: Social Security in no way implies endorsement of the products
or services offered by these vendors.

Verify names and Social Security numbers

our records of names and Social Security numbers with Social Security’s records before you prepare and submit W-2s. Making sure names and Social Security numbers entered on the W-2 match our records is important because unmatched records can result in additional processing costs for you and uncredited earnings for your employees.

Under Social Security, uncredited earnings and amounts paid can affect future eligibility.
There are two Internet options to verify names and Social Security numbers:

• Verify up to 10 names and Social Security numbers (per screen) online and receive immediate results; or
• Upload batch files of up to 250,000 names and Social Security num-
  bers and receive results the next business day.

Wage reporting services

Social Security’s BSO system is for registered users only. Employers may use the service to:

• Upload a wage report file formatted according to Social Security’s Magnetic Media Reporting and Electronic Filing specifications. This option is ideal for any size filer;
• Complete up to 20 W-2s at one time right on your computer, electronically submit them to Social Security and print copies suitable for distribution to your employees;
• View the current status of your previously submitted wage report; and
• Tell us that you have received a resubmission notice.

Contact the experts

Employer Services Liaison Officers are experts in all aspects of W-2 reporting and can provide one-on-one W-2 reporting assistance. For the expert in your area, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/wage_reporting_specialists.htm.

Atlanta – AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
www.socialsecurity.gov/atlanta/Southeast/wr/index.htm

Boston – CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT
www.socialsecurity.gov/boston/WageReport.htm

Chicago – IL, IN, OH, MI, MN, WI
www.socialsecrity.gov/chicago/
wage.htm

Dallas – AR, TX, LA, OK, NM
www.socialsecurity.gov/dallas/
dalwr.htm

Denver – CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY
www.socialsecurity.gov/denver/
wage.htm

Kansas City – IA, KS, MO, NE
www.socialsecurity.gov/kc/
kc_wage.htm

New York – NJ, NY, PR, VI
www.socialsecurity.gov/ny/
services-employer.htm

Philadelphia – DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV
www.socialsecurity.gov/phila/
wage.htm

San Francisco – AZ, CA, GU, HI, NV, AS, NMI
www.socialsecurity.gov/sf/w2/
index.html

Seattle – AK, ID, OR, WA
www.socialsecurity.gov/seattle/employer.htm

For general contact information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/
empcontacts.htm.