How to Register to Receive Your W-2 Electronically
The steady stream of mailed letters, from correspondence to bank statements, has slowly been dissipating in the name of convenience and conscious environmentalism. And W-2 forms are no exception. Registering to receive your W-2 electronically speeds up the tax-filing process as you can view and print your W-2 before it is mailed. It also avoids lost letters, address changes and misplaced W-2s.
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Instructions
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Determine if your company participates in the government's electronic W-2 program, allows employees to access their W-2 through its network or contracts with a third-party company. A company's participation is currently voluntary, and you will have to contact your human resources department or business owner to inquire if you can access your W-2 online. Most larger companies provide electronic W-2s through its company website. Many small business contract this out to third-party pay companies.
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Fill out the online form to gain access to your W-2. You will need your company's name, your Social Security number, full name, email address and date of birth. You will have to sign up for an account that will require a login name and password. Once you're logged in you can view, download and print your W-2.
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Wait for your electronic W-2 to be sent to your email. An email notification will be sent to you stating that your electronic W-2 is available to view. The government requires that all W-2s be delivered no later than Jan. 31, and this applies to electronic W-2s as well. But electronic ones are usually delivered one week before a mailed one would have arrived.
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Log in to your online account. From this account you can view, download and print your W-2 form.
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Access your electronic W-2 for future purposes. Your W-2 will be accessible online for you to view for a certain amount of time after it has been electronically mailed -- the amount of time is determined by each company.
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Tips & Warnings
Print a paper copy of your W-2 for your personal files as computer databases can become corrupted or hacked.
Once registered for electronic W-2 forms, companies will not mail out a hard copy, so ensure that you will have Internet access to file your taxes.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit tax forms image by Chad McDermott from Fotolia.com
