IRS Reminds Employers of W-2, W-3 Tax Deadline

The IRS reminds employers of the Feb. 1. 2021 deadline to file W-2 forms and other wage statements with the Social Security Administration.

Feb. 1 is also the deadline that W-2 forms are due to employees.

By law, employers must file W-2 forms and W-3 forms with the SSA by Jan. 31 each year.

But since Jan. 31 falls on a Sunday this year, the deadline was moved to the next business day, Feb. 1.

The IRS advises employers that preparing for the deadline now can help avoid problems later, such as verifying or updating employee information including:

• Names
• Addresses
• Social Security numbers
• Individual taxpayer identification numbers

Account Information

Employers should check as soon as possible that their account information is current and active with the SSA, and employers should order paper W-2 forms if needed.

There are no automatic extensions on the deadline to file W-2 forms.

The IRS only allows extensions for specific reasons.

For more information, employers should read the instructions for the 8809 form, which is an application for more time to file information returns.

Employers should note that two other forms—the 1099 form for miscellaneous income, and the 1099-NEC form for non-employee compensation—are also due to recipients by Feb. 1, with few exceptions.

Filing

Other due dates around the 1099 form are listed here.

The IRS reminds employers that filing wage statements on time and without mistakes helps themselves and the agency.

An employer who files early or on time avoids penalties while allowing the IRS time to verify the income that taxpayers report on their returns, which helps prevent fraud, the agency said.

The fastest and most accurate way to file these forms is through IRS e-file.

By law, certain filers who file 250 or more information returns in any calendar year are required to file electronically.