W-2 forms contain information about the wages and salaries that are paid to employees by their employers. These forms are required by employees when they prepare their tax returns. You should send paper copies of your W-2s to your employees as they are an important part of your year-end process. If you want to manually file your W-2s with the IRS, you can print them or send them to your employees. W-2s are a part of your year-end tasks for the employer and employees alike.
Using this guide, you’ll learn how to print W-2 forms in QuickBooks Desktop and Online according to their requirements.
Table of Contents
What is a W-2 Tax Form?
In every country, every earning citizen has to pay an income tax, which acts as a benefactor sum that the government takes from the citizens and then uses for the development of the state or country. It is, however, your employer’s responsibility to deduct the amount from your pay check when you are an employee and file your taxes on your behalf. Employers therefore need to provide a detailed account of how much of an employee’s wages is deducted for tax purposes. This is done through W-2 forms.
Why is it important to withhold tax?
An employer is required to deduct certain amounts from employee salaries to pay taxes. However, at the end of each month, the amount deducted is transferred to the IRS. The employee is not always aware that his employer takes a certain amount from his paycheck and files his federal taxes every month.
The W-2 form helps you to calculate the accurate amount at the end of the year when you’re calculating your returns.
How to Print W2 Forms in QuickBooks Desktop?
For the printing, please follow the steps:
Step 1: Print W-2 Forms in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Assisted
Below are the steps to print W2 forms in QuickBooks Payroll Assisted:
- First, click Open W-2 Form.
- After that, select the Employees menu from the QuickBooks dashboard, and then click Payroll Center.
- Click on the File Forms tab.
- Then, choose between Print or View Forms and W2s.
- After that, submit the Payroll PIN and click the OK button.
- Now, select the W2s tab and choose the year and number of employees (All or Individual Employees).
- After that, click on the Save/Open button shown in the window.
- Select a valid reason before you print the W2 form.
- After that, open the file on Adobe Reader and click the Print button.
Read this: How to Print Multiple Invoices in QuickBooks
Step 2: Print W-2 Forms in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced and Standard
Below are the steps to print W2 forms in QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced and Standard:
- First, update QuickBooks and the Payroll Tax Table to print W2 forms.
- From the Employee dropdown menu, select Payroll Tax Forms and W-2s and Process Payroll Forms.
- On the File Forms tab, you get a list of forms. Select Annual Form W2/W3 – Wage and Tax Statement Transmittal
- Click the Create Form button
- Now browse to Process W2s
- Select All Employees or Employee’s Last Name to file batch-wise
- Go to Select Filing Period in the Year field, select the year in the concern
- Click OK
- In the Select Employees for Form W2/W3 dialogue box, select the names of the employees for the form to be printed. For all of them to be selected, you can click the Mark All tab.
- Click Print/E-file button
- Follow the instructions on the Print window that you get
- Close the window when done.
Requirements When Print in QuickBooks Desktop
The things you take care of or require are as follows:
- Check to see if QuickBooks Desktop is compatible with your version.
- To use QuickBooks Payroll Enhanced or Standard, you must have an active subscription.
- You must have the latest payroll tax table.
- Forms for W-2 must be printed on black paper using black ink.
- The form must be compatible with the QuickBooks Payroll version.
- Forms must be printed on blank paper, preprinted forms, or laser-printed perforated paper.
- Preprinted forms are recommended for inkjet printers.
How to Print W2 Forms in QuickBooks Online?
Below are the steps to print W2 forms in QuickBooks, follow these steps:
- First, go to the Taxes tab in QuickBooks Online.
- After that, click on the Payroll Tax section.
- Then, click on the Annual Form option.
- Now, click on the Annual Form on all employees or specific employees name.
- Next, select the W-2 form with B, C, and 2 copies.
- Also, select the Time menu and choose the correct date range.
- After that, click on the View option for the printable form.
- Now, click on the printer icon to print the W-2 form.
Requirements When Print in QuickBooks Online
- 4-up horizontal blank perforated paper is required when printing employee W2s forms.
- Verify that your account has an active QuickBooks Online Payroll subscription.
- Use black ink to print the W2 forms.
Submit Your W-2s Forms in QuickBooks
- On the Process W-2s page, select All Employees or Employee’s Last Name (choose From and To) to file by batch.
- Click on OK after entering the year of the form that you are filing in the Select Filing Period section.
- In the Select Employees for Form W-2/W-3 window, select the employees for whom you are filing. To select all employees displayed, select Mark All.
- You have to click on the E-File Federal Forms.
- Your company’s phone number and email address must be entered on the login screen before clicking Submit.
How to Create and Review W-2 Forms in QuickBooks Desktop?
- First, go to Employees, then Payroll Tax Forms and W-2s.
- Process Payroll Forms is the next step.
- Then, select Create Form in the File Forms section and select Annual Form W-2/W-3- Wage and Tax Statement/Transmittal.
- Scroll down the list to find the form option by using the scroll bar.
- The form may be inactive if you cannot see it in the list.
- From the drop-down menu, select Make a New Form Active.
- Once you have selected the W-2 form, select the State drop-down arrow and then the Federal drop-down arrow.
- Next, click Add Form after selecting the W-2 form.
- In the File Forms section, you can now select the W-2 form.
Select the type of paper for the item to print in the Print W-2 forms window.
- You can choose from three types of paper: perforated, blank, or preprint.
- You then need to select who you are printing for.
- To print an item, click on the section, select an item to print, then select and follow the steps as follows: –
For Employer:
- W-2 – Copy D: for your records, 2 per page.
- Employer filing instructions for a W-2 form.
For Government
- W-2 – Copy 1: for your State or Local Tax Department, 2 per page.
- W-2 – Copy A: for the SSA, 2 per page.
In the case of blank paper or perforated paper
- 4 Per page: copies B, 2, 2, C.
- 3 Per page: copies B, 2, C.
- Employee filing instructions: Mandatory if not printed on paper.
In the case of Preprinted forms
- W-2 – Copy C: for employee records, 2 per page.
- W-2 – Copy B: for employee’s Federal Tax return, 2 per page.
- Copy 2 of W-2: for your State or Local Tax Department, 2 per page.
- Employee filing instructions: Required if not already printed on paper.
To export the form to your PDF reader and start printing
- You have to do a print test if you are using the preprinted forms.
- Then click on the option Print PDF.
- In the end, start with the process of printing from the PDF reader.
- Then you are done.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q 1: What are the benefits of a W2?
Ans: If employees submit their W2 forms on time, they are entitled to certain benefits, such as minimum pay, medical leave, overtime, etc.
Q 2: What is a W2 – 1099 form?
Ans: The W2 1099 form is issued by contractors for the reporting of their financial resources to the IRS.
Q 3: Does QuickBooks mail W2 forms?
Ans: QuickBooks indeed sends your W2 forms both pressure-sealed and in a secure window envelope.
Q 4: How do I prepare W-2 for employees on QuickBooks desktop?
Ans: W-2 preparation
- Open your QuickBooks Desktop company file.
- From the Reports menu, choose Employees & Payroll.
- Then, More Payroll Reports in Excel.
- Select Tax Form Worksheets.
- In the Excel window, click Enable Content.
- Select Annual W-2/W-3. Then, the period date.
- Click Create Report.
