Social Security

Overview

WHAT IS BUSINESS SERVICES ONLINE?

Business Services Online offers Internet services for businesses and employers who exchange information with Social Security. This handbook focuses on wage reporting by employers as well as third-party submitters.

As a registered Business Services Online user who selected wage reporting suite of services during registration, you are able to:

• Create/Resume Forms W-2/W-3 Online,
  
  
• Create/Resume Forms W-2c/W-3c Online,
  
  
• Save Submitted Reports to Your Computer,
  
  
• Submit/Resubmit a Formatted Wage File,
  
  
• Submit a Special Wage Payments File,
  
  
• View Submission Status to check report status, errors, and notice information for previously submitted wage reports,
  
  
• View Wage Report Status to check report status or view errors for reports submitted for your company by a third party, and
  
  
• Acknowledge Notice and/or Request Extension to acknowledge receiving a Resubmission Notice and/or request a one-time 15-day extension of the deadline.
  

Select User Registration Handbookto view a Portable Document Format (PDF) version of the Business Services Online Integrated Registration Services (IRES) User Registration Handbook. Select Wage Reporting Handbook to view a PDF version of the Wage Reporting Handbook.

NEW FOR TAX YEAR 2011

The following are new for Tax Year 2011:

• The deadline for submitting wage reports using the current version of Electronic Wage Reporting (EWR) applications is November 30th.
  
  
• W-2 Online:
  • Accepts wage reports for Reconciliation (RECON) purpose;
  • Accepts prior year (TY10 only) W-2s in addition to the current year W-2s;
  • Number of Form W-2s per report allowed is increased from 20 to 50;
  • Alerts are added to the post-able fields containing over $10 million. Management Information (MI) on these alerts is also captured.
  
  
• Status applications are upgraded according to User-Centered Design (UCD) standard to align with the changes made to the Submission Status query in Tax Year 2010 (TY10);
  
  
• Internet to Intranet (I2I) code is merged into EWR Status common code for ease of code maintenance.
  
  

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

SECURITY

128-BIT ENCRYPTION

To determine whether your browser supports 128-bit encryption, select Help/About from your browser menu. Most browsers will display the phrase "128-bit encryption" or "128-bit cipher strength." If you are unsure whether your browser supports 128-bit encryption, contact the software company that developed the browser.

COOKIES

To work with Business Services Online, your browser must be set to accept cookies. This is the default setting for most browsers. If you receive a request to store a file on your computer, select "Yes"  Business Services Online cookies is deleted when you close your browser.

E-MAIL

E-mail to or from Social Security does not provide security features. Please do not include private information, such as your Social Security Number, in e-mail messages.

PRIVACY ACT AND PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT NOTICE

We ask for the information on Forms W-2, W-3, W-2c and W-3c to carry out the Internal Revenue laws of the United States. We need it to figure and collect the right amount of tax. Section 6051 and its regulations require you to furnish wage and tax statements to employees and to the Social Security Administration. Section 6109 requires you to provide your employer identification number. Routine uses of this information include giving it to the Department of Justice for civil and criminal litigation, and to cities, states, and the District of Columbia for use in administering their tax law. If you fail to provide this information in a timely manner, you may be subject to penalties.

You are not required to provide the information requested on a form that is subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a form or its instructions must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any Internal Revenue law. Generally, tax returns and return information are confidential, as required by section 6103.

DATES & TIMES

Business Services Online normally operates during the following hours, including holidays, and may be available at other times as well:

PASSWORDS

Passwords will expire after 90 days. If your password expires, you will be prompted to change your password when you log in.

DECEMBER 2011

Wage reporting applications will not be available from November 30, 2011 until December 05, 2011. The last day to submit Forms W-2 or W-2c Online using the current version is November 30, 2011.

BEGINNING DECEMBER 05, 2011

Business Services Online will begin accepting Tax Year 2011 submissions on December 05, 2011.

Business Services Online may experience delays in processing submissions due to high submission volume. Please check the Business Services Online Internet Web site for updated information regarding potential delays in processing your submission.

MARCH 31, 2012

The Internal Revenue Service will consider electronic annual wage reports for Tax Year 2011 to be late if they are submitted after March 31, 2012.

Getting Access

HOW TO REGISTER

You must register in order to use Business Services Online. Every Business Services Online user must register personally. You may not register on behalf of another person.

Business Services Online uses the Integrated Registration Services (IRES) for user registration and to control access to Business Services Online functions. To register, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm and click on the Register button.

Do not use your browser's Back, Forward, or Refresh buttons while you are completing the registration form. This could clear the information in the form.

For information about registering for Business Services Online using IRES, see the User Registration Handbook.

If you provide an e-mail address when you register, Social Security will be able to send you W-2 News, which is an electronic newsletter that provides important wage and tax reporting updates.

WAGE REPORTING SERVICES FOR EMPLOYERS

The following wage reporting services are available under Social Security Services Suite for Employers:

Report Wages to Social Security

• Create, save, resume, print, and submit Forms W-2 and W-2c Online,
  
  
• Submit/Resubmit wage files that are prepared in the Electronic Filing (EF) format,
  
  
• Check report status, errors, and notice information for previously submitted wage reports,
  
  
• Check report status or view errors for reports submitted for your company by a third party, and
  
  
• Acknowledge resubmission notice if Social Security notified you of errors in your submission that need to be fixed and/or request a one-time extension for resubmission.

View Name and Social Security Number Errors

This service includes access to all the information about the uploaded formatted wage files and wage reports. Access to this service involves a more rigorous process and requires pre-authorization from your employer. If access is requested, your employer will be notified via first class mail, usually within 2 weeks. The notice will include an activation code which is needed to activate your request to:

• Review the status of uploaded formatted wage files and wage reports submitted by or for your company,
  
  
• Review the errors, including Name/Social Security Number mismatches, found by Social Security in wage files submitted by or for your company, and
  
  
• Review error notices, including Name/ Social Security Number Mismatch notices, sent by Social Security about wage files submitted by or for your company.

You can also get a copy of the Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS) Handbook at SSNVS Handbook.

ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE

It is important to keep your Business Services Online IRES Account information up to date. If you no longer require a service, you may deactivate some or all of your access. You also should add, update, or remove your Employer information whenever a change occurs. If your IRES User ID is disclosed to an unauthorized person, you will need to deactivate it to ensure the security of the information you provide to Social Security. It is also important to Change Your Password frequently. For more information about account maintenance, see the User Registration Handbook.

Using The Services

Use the following chart to determine the method that would work best for your situation:

Media	Paper	Upload Formatted Wage File	Forms W-2/W-3 Online	Forms W-2c/W-3c Online
Number of W-2s	Up to 249	1 million	Maximum of 50 per submission
Number of W-2cs	Up to 249	500,000		Maximum of 5 per submission
Social Security Processing Speed	Slower	Faster	Faster	Faster
Tax Year (TY)	1978-present	1978-present	Current year and one prior year	On and before April 15th of the current year: 4 tax years; After April 15th of the current year: 3 tax years
Print employee and employer copies of W-2s/W-2cs from file you created on the Social Security Web site	No	No	Yes	Yes
Notify you of name/SSN mismatches	By letter if certain criteria are met	By letter / E-mail if certain criteria are met	Online instantly	Online instantly
Save W-2s/W-2cs you created on the Social Security Web site	NA	NA	Yes	Yes
Use for territorial reports	Yes	Yes	Yes (with limitations)	Yes (with limitations)
Requires a software program	No	Yes	No	No
Receive instant receipt from Social Security for your file	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

FORMS W-2/W-3 ONLINE

Under the Forms W-2/W-3 Online tab on the Electronic Wage Reporting home (EWR Home) page, you can:

• Select the Create/Resume Forms W-2/W-3 Online link to:
  
  
  • Enter Forms W-2 for Tax Year 2010 or Tax Year 2011;
    
    
  • Create, save, print, and submit up to 50 Forms W-2 per submission on the Internet with a limit of 50 saved reports. A Form W-3 is created for each W-2 Online report, even if the multiple reports are for the same Employer Identification Number (EIN); and
    
    
  • Resume working with unsubmitted Forms W-2/W-3 Reports.


• Select the Save Submitted Report(s) to Your Computer link to download a printable final PDF version of a wage report created and submitted using Forms W-2/W-3 Online. The reports are available for download for only 30 days from the date of submission.

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 5.0 or higher recommended) to view and print your Forms W-2 and Form W-3. For a free copy of Acrobat Reader go to www.adobe.com.

Note: Using Forms W-2/W-3 Online does not relieve employers of the obligation to provide annual wage statements to employees and state/local jurisdictions. According to IRS, Forms W-2 for Tax Year 2011 must be distributed to employees before February 1, 2012.

STATE AND LOCAL DATA

You may enter state and local data on the Enter W-2 Information page so that this information is included on the Forms W-2 that you can print and distribute to employees. The state and local totals on the W-3 Preview for this Submission page reflect a straight summation of the state and local data you entered on the Forms W-2. If you use this form for reporting to your state and your state has different rules for reporting these totals, you may enter your own totals using your state's rules without affecting the amounts on the Forms W-2. Social Security will not examine or use the state or local information and will not forward it to any state or local entity.

RESTRICTIONS

The following restrictions apply to all W-2 reports, including those filed on paper:

• Agent Indicator Codes may not be filed using Forms W-2.
  
  
• Self-employed individuals who are not paid wages by a church or religious organization should not file using Forms W-2. Self-employment income and applicable taxes must be reported on the Internal Revenue Service Form Schedule SE. Please see "Contact the Internal Revenue Service" under the Help For W-2 Filing tab for any questions about self-employment income and tax reporting.

The following restrictions apply specifically to Forms W-2/W-3 Online:

• Do not use Forms W-2/W-3 Online if you are filing for a tax year other than 2010 and 2011.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2/W-3 Online if you are attempting to correct Forms W-2 which have already been submitted. Use Forms W-2c/W-3c Online instead.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2/W-3 Online if you are filing for wages earned in Puerto Rico or the Northern Mariana Islands.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2/W-3 Online if you are filing for Self-Employed income that is not from a church or a religious organization.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2/W-3 Online if you are filing for Agent Indicator Codes.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2/W-3 Online if you are submitting "Third-party sick pay recap Forms W-2 and W-3" described in part 6 of Internal Revenue Service publication 15-A.
  
  
• You may enter up to 20 Forms W-2 per report on the Internet with a limit of 50 saved/unsubmitted reports at any point in time.

CREATE W-2/W-3 ONLINE

To make your wage reporting experience as simple as possible, organize your wage information before using Forms W-2/W-3 Online. You may download the instructions for completing Forms W-2/W-3 Online from the IRS web site at www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html.

To start creating form(s) W-2/W-3, select the Create/Resume Forms W-2/W-3 Online link under the Forms W-2/W-3 Online tab on the EWR Home page to begin working with Forms W-2/W-3 Online application. This will open the Unsubmitted Reports page if there is at least one unsubmitted report saved; otherwise, the Before You Create Your Form(s) W-2/W-3 page will be opened.

Before You Create Your Form(s) W-2/W-3 Page

• Select a Tax Year.
  
  
• Select an answer for the question of "For whom are filing?"
  
  
• Select the type of W-2 Form (Regular or Territorial).
  
  
• Select the check box if you have received a Reconciliation letter.
  
  
• Check for exceptions on the Before You Create Your Form(s) W-2/W-3 page. If any of the uncommon situations apply, select the Cancel button to go to the EWR Home page or select the check box and the Continue button to go to the W-2 Online Restrictions page; otherwise, select the Continue button to go to the Employer Information for this Wage Report page.

Employer Information for this Wage Report Page

• Enter/review the employer information for this wage report. If you are filing for your own company's employees, the information on the file with Social Security will be shown on this screen. The fields on this page correspond to boxes on the paper Form W-2 and Form W-3 and should be completed the same way. Contact the Internal Revenue Service if you need assistance with providing this information.
  
  
• Verify the contact information for this submission.
  
  
• Provide other information such as Other EIN Used, Establishment Number, and W-3 Control ID if applicable.
  
  
• Select the Kind of Payer that best describe your situation.
  
  Note:
  1) If you registered without an EIN and want to file for your own company's employees, you must obtain an EIN from the Internal Revenue Service, deactivate your User ID, and re-register;
  
  2) You may return to this page at any time while using Forms W-2/W-3 Online, but you cannot change your selection for Kind of Payer.
  
  
• Select the Kind of Employer that best describe your situation and indicate whether it is for the Third-Party Sick Pay.
  
  
• Select the Continue button to go to the Enter W-2 Information page.

Enter W-2 Information Page

• Provide the information requested. The fields on this page correspond to boxes on the paper Form W-2 and should be completed the same way. Contact the Internal Revenue Service if you need assistance with providing this information.
  
  
• If you are reporting wages earned in American Samoa, on the Enter W-2AS Information page, box 8, box 9 and box 10 are grayed out.
  
  
• If you are reporting wages earned in Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands, on the Enter W-2GU Information page and Enter W-2VI Information page, box 8 and box 10 are grayed out.
  
  
• The boxes for state information on all territorial W-2s are grayed out.
  
  
• When you are ready to create next W-2, select the Save and Start Next W-2 button. This will save your information and open another Enter W-2 Information page.
  
  
• If more than four codes in Box 12 must be entered, select the Save and Start Next W-2 button to enter the additional Box 12 codes in a new W-2 form. The new W-2 will count towards the limit of 20 Forms W-2 per report.
  
  
• When you have finished entering Forms W-2, select the Save and Go to W-2 List button. This will save your information and open the W-2 List for this Submission page.

W-2 List for this Submission Page

• Select the Edit, Delete or employee name links to view, edit, or delete the corresponding Form W-2.
  
  
• Select the Save and Quit button if you want to exit Forms W-2/W-3 Online without finalizing and submitting your report. Your employer information and Forms W-2 will be saved for 120 days. This is not an extension of the filing deadline.
  
  
• Select the Edit Employer Information button to change the employer information you entered on the Employer Information for this Wage Report page.
  
  
• Select the Start a New W-2 button to create another Form W-2.
  
  
• Select the Continue to W-3 Preview button when you have finished entering Forms W-2. This will open the W-3 Preview for this Submission page.

W-3 Preview for this Submission Page

The W-3 Preview for this Submission page is a summary of Forms W-2 you entered. You can not edit any information displayed on this page other than the Box 14 and state information. The state and local totals reflect a straight summation of the state and local data you entered on the Forms W-2. If you use this form for reporting to your state and your state has different rules for reporting these totals, you may enter your own totals using your state's rules without affecting the amounts on the Forms W-2. Social Security will not examine or use this information and will not forward it to any state or local entity.

The corresponding page for territorial reports is called W-3SS Preview for this Submission. On the W-3SS Preview for this Submission page: 1) box 8 and box 10 are grayed out; 2) box 15 Type of Form is added; and 3) boxes for state information are not displayed.

• Select the Save and Quit button if you want to exit Forms W-2/W-3 Online without submitting your report.
  
  
• Select the Return to W-2 List button to view, edit, or delete Form(s) W-2.
  
  
• Select the Continue button to go to the Review Unsubmitted Form(s) W-2/W-3 page.
  
  

Print Unsubmitted Form(s) W-2/W-3 for Review Page

• Select the unsubmitted W-2/W-3 link in the blue box to view or print your Forms W-2 and Form W-3 before submitting your report.
  
  
• Select the Save and Quit button if you want to exit Forms W-2/W-3 Online without submitting your report.
  
  
• Select the Return to W-2 List button to go to the W-2 List for this Submission page.
  
  
• Select the Continue button to go to the Sign and Submit page.
  
  

Sign and Submit Page

When you are ready to submit your report, read the legal statements on the Sign and Submit page and, if you agree with these statements, select the check box and the Submit this Wage Report button. This will cause your report to be submitted to Social Security and take you to the Confirmation Receipt—Your File Was Received page.

Note: Please do not mail paper copies of the forms to Social Security. By using Form(s) W-2/W-3 Online application to submit your W-2s and W-3, you have already provided the forms to Social Security.

Confirmation Receipt--Your File Was Received Page

After you submit your W-2/W-3 Online report, we recommend you print the Confirmation Receipt--Your File was Received page for your records. The Confirmation Receipt--Your File Was Received page includes the Wage File Identifier (WFID), employer name, employer EIN, tax year, payer type, and received date and time, etc. You will need the WFID to check the status of your submission.

• Select Print This Page button to print the Confirmation Receipt.
  
  
• Select Go to Save Official PDF button to go to the Save PDF page.

Save PDF Page

• Select the Adobe file name in the blue box to view or save your submitted Forms W-2 and Form W-3 on your computer. You will need Acrobat Reader to view or save the Adobe file. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you can download it from www.adobe.com and install it on your computer. Employers are required by law to keep copies of Forms W-2/W-3 for four years.
  
  
• Select EWR Home button to go to the EWR Home page.
  
  
• Select View Unsubmitted Reports button to go to the Unsubmitted Reports page. (The View Unsubmitted Reports button will be displayed only when there are unsubmitted reports.)
  
  
• Select Start a New Wage Report button to start creating new Forms W-2/W-3.

Note: You can also download a printable final PDF version of a wage report by selecting the Save Submitted Report(s)S to Your Computer on the EWR Home page. The submitted reports are available for download for only 30 days from the date of submission.

COMMUNICATION DISRUPTIONS

If a communication disruption occurs while you are creating a W-2/W-3 Online report, information that you had finalized by selecting the Save and Start New W-2 button, the Save and Go to W-2 List button, and the Continue button will be saved.

RESUMING WORK WITH UNSUBMITTED REPORTS

You can resume working with the unsubmitted reports by selecting the Create/Resume Forms W-2/W-3 Online link on the EWR Home page to go to the Unsubmitted Reports page. Social Security will delete any unsubmitted reports that are not updated within 120 days. You may have up to 50 saved reports. This is the maximum number of saved/unsubmitted reports allowed at any point in time. When you have reached the 50 saved report limit, you will not have the option to Start a New Report on the Unsubmitted Reports page. You must complete and submit at least one of the 50 saved reports before you will be given the option to Start a New Report.

FORMS W-2C/W-3C ONLINE

Forms W-2c/W-3c Online allows users to file online corrections to previously submitted Forms W-2 regardless of the original form of submission. Under the Forms W-2c/W-3c Online tab on the Electronic Wage Reporting home (EWR Home) page, you can:

• Select theCreate/Resume Forms W-2c/W-3c Online link to:
  
  
  • Enter Forms W-2c for current tax year and prior tax year corrections. Forms W-2c/W-3c Online allows user to correct W-2 forms submitted in the past 3 years, 3 months and 15 days.
    
    
  • Create, save, print, and submit up to 5 Forms W-2c per submission with a limit of 50 saved/unsubmitted reports. A Form W-3c is created for each W-2c Online report, even if the multiple submissions are for the same Employer Identification Number (EIN).
    
    
  • Resume working with unsubmitted Forms W-2c/W-3c.
  
  
• Select the Save Submitted Report(s) to Your Computer link to download a printable final PDF version of a wage report corrections created and submitted using Forms W-2c/W-3c Online. The reports are available for download for only 30 days from the date of submission.

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 5.0 or higher recommended) to view and print your Forms W-2c/W-3c. For a free copy of Acrobat Reader, go to www.adobe.com.

Note: Using Forms W-2c/W-3c Online does not relieve employers of the obligation to provide corrected annual wage statements to employees and state/local jurisdictions. Forms W-2c for any tax year must be distributed to employees as soon as they are available.

STATE AND LOCAL DATA

You may enter state and local data on the Enter W-2c Information page so that this information is included on the Forms W-2c that you can print and distribute to employees. Social Security will not examine or use this information and will not forward it to any state or local entity.

RESTRICTIONS

The following restrictions apply to all W-2c reports, including those filed on paper:

• Previous W-2s in which both the Name and SSN fields were blank may not be corrected.
  
  
• Agent Indicator Codes may not be corrected.
  
  
• You must verify your W-2 report has moved to Complete status before attempting to file a correction. If your W-2 report has not moved to Complete status, call Social Security Employer Reporting Assistance number 1-800-772-6270.
  
  
• Self-employed individuals may not file correction reports.
  
  
• Do not use W-2c Online if you are attempting to correct address information. Please complete IRS Form 8822.

The following restrictions apply specifically to Forms W-2c/W-3c Online:

• Do not use Forms W-2c/W-3c Online if you are filing Forms W-2. Use Forms W-2/W-3 Online instead.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2c/W-3c Online if you are filing a correction on a previous correction.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2c/W-3c Online if you are filing for wages earned in Puerto Rico.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2c/W-3c Online if you are filing for Self-Employed income that is not from a church or a religious organization.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2c/W-3c Online if you are filing for Agent Indicator Codes.
  
  
• Do not use Forms W-2c/W-3c Online if you are submitting "Third-party sick pay recap Forms W-2 and W-3" described in part 6 of Internal Revenue Service publication 15-A.
  
  
• You may enter up to 5 Forms W-2c per report on the Internet with a limit of 50 saved/unsubmitted reports at any point in time.

CREATE W-2C/W-3C ONLINE

To make your wage reporting experience as simple as possible, organize your wage information before using Forms W-2c/W-3c Online. You may download the instructions for completing Forms W-2c/W-3c Online from the IRS web site at www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html.

To start creating form(s) W-2c/W-3c, select the Create/Resume Forms W-2c/W-3c Online link under the Forms W-2c/W-3c Online tab on the EWR Home page to begin working with Forms W-2c/W-3c Online application. This will open the Unsubmitted Reports page if there is at least one unsubmitted report saved; otherwise, the Before You Create Your Form(s) W-2c/W-3c page will be opened.

Before You Create Your Form(s) W-2c/W-3c Page

• Select an answer for the question of "For which tax year is this wage report being corrected?"
  
  
• Select an answer for the question of "for whom are you filing?"
  
  
• Check for exceptions on the Before You Create Your Form(s) W-2c/W-3c page. If any of the uncommon situations apply, select the Cancel button to go to the EWR Home page or select the check box and the Continue button to go to the W-2c Online Restrictions page; otherwise, select the Continue button to go to the Employer Information for this Wage Report Correction page.

Employer Information for this Wage Report Correction Page

• Enter/review the employer information for this wage report correction. If you are filing for your own company's employees, the information on the file with Social Security will be shown on this screen. The fields on this page correspond to boxes on the paper Form W-2c and Form W-3c and should be completed the same way. Contact the Internal Revenue Service if you need assistance with providing this information.
  
  
• Verify the contact information for this submission.
  
  
• Provide other information such as Establishment Number and Employer State ID Number if applicable.
  
  
• Select the Kind of Payer that best describe your situation.
  
  Note:
  1) If you registered without an EIN and want to file for your own company's employees, you must obtain an EIN from the Internal Revenue Service, deactivate your User ID, and re-register;
  
  2) You may return to this page at any time while using Forms W-2c/W-3c Online, but you cannot change your selection for Kind of Payer.
  
  
• Select the Kind of Employer that best describe your situation and indicate whether it is for the Third-Party Sick Pay.
  
  
• Select the Continue button to go to the Enter W-2c Information page.

Enter W-2c Information Page

Provide the information requested. The fields on this page correspond to the same boxes on the paper Form W-2c and should be completed the same way. Contact the Internal Revenue Service if you need assistance with providing this information. The following are specific instructions for completing the Form W-2c:

• A name, SSN, or money correction is required to create a W-2c.
  
  
• The entire original name must be entered as it appeared on the previous Form W-2.
  
  
• The correct SSN, Name, City, State/Province, Country, and Zip/Postal Code are required to create a W-2c.
  
  
• If the SSN was incorrect on the previous W-2 form, the correct SSN must be entered in Box b and the incorrect SSN entered in Box h.
  
  
• Changes to Boxes 14 through 20 only will not be permitted. A name, SSN, money correction, or a correction to a Box 13 checkbox in Boxes 1 through 13 must also be made in order to use W-2c Online.
  
  
• You may enter data in Boxes 15 through 20 so this information is included on the individual Forms W-2c that you can print and distribute to employees. Social Security will not examine this information, total it on the Form W-3c, or furnish it to the state or local entity. However, this information may be manually entered on the W-3c Preview for this Submission page before submitting or printing.
  
  
• Medicare Qualified Government Employment (MQGE) filers must complete the Previously Reported and Corrected Information fields for Box 5 and Box 6 if data for either Box 3 or Box 7 is entered.
  
  
• If you are correcting a box that was left blank on the original W-2, enter an amount of zero ($0.00) for "Previously Reported".
  
  
• When you are ready to create next W-2c, select the Save and Start Next W-2c button. This will save your information and open another Enter W-2c Information page.
  
  
• If more than four codes in Box 12 must be entered, select the Save and Start Next W-2c button to enter the additional Box 12 codes in a new W-2c form. The new W-2c will count towards the limit of 5 Forms W-2c per report.
  
  
• When you have finished entering Forms W-2c, select the Save and Go to W-2c List button. This will save your information and open the W-2c List for this Submission page.

W-2c List for this Submission Page

• Select the Edit, Delete or employee name links to view, edit, or delete the corresponding Form W-2c.
  
  
• Select the Save and Quit button if you want to exit Forms W-2c/W-3c Online without finalizing and submitting your report. Your employer information and Forms W-2c will be saved for 120 days. This is not an extension of the filing deadline.
  
  
• Select the Edit Employer Information button to change the employer information you entered on the Employer Information for this Wage Report page.
  
  
• Select the Start a New W-2c button to create another Form W-2c.
  
  
• Select the Continue to W-3c Preview button when you have finished entering Forms W-2c. This will open the W-3c Preview for this Submission page.

W-3c Preview for this Submission Page

The W-3c Preview for this Submission page is a summary of Forms W-2c you entered. You can not edit any information displayed on this page other than the Box 14 and state information. Social Security will not examine or use any state/local information and will not forward it to any state or local entity.

• Select the Save and Quit button if you want to exit Forms W-2c/W-3c Online without submitting your report.
  
  
• Select the Return to W-2c List button to view, edit, or delete Form(s) W-2c.
  
  
• Select the Continue button to go to the Review Unsubmitted Form(s) W-2c/W-3c page.

Print Unsubmitted Form(s) W-2c/W-3c for Review Page

• Select the unsubmitted W-2c/W-3c link in the blue box to view or print your Forms W-2c and Form W-3c before submitting your report.
  
  
• Select the Save and Quit button if you want to exit Forms W-2c/W-3c Online without submitting your report.
  
  
• Select the Return to W-2c List button to go to the W-2c List for this Submission page.
  
  
• Select the Continue button to go to the Sign and Submit page.

Sign and Submit Page

When you are ready to submit your report, read the legal statements on the Sign and Submit page and, if you agree with these statements, select the check box and the Submit this Wage Report correction button. This will cause your report to be submitted to Social Security and take you to the Confirmation Receipt--Your File Was Received page.

Note: Please do not mail paper copies of the forms to Social Security. By using Form(s) W-2c/W-3c Online to submit your W-2cs and W-3c, you have already provided the forms to Social Security.

Confirmation Receipt--Your File Was Received Page

After you submit your W-2c/W-3c Online report, we recommend you print the Confirmation Receipt--Your File Was Received page for your records. The Confirmation Receipt--Your File Was Received page includes the Wage File Identifier (WFID), employer name, employer EIN, tax year, payer type, and received date and time, etc. You will need the WFID to check the status of your submission.

• Select Print This Page button to print the Confirmation Receipt.
  
  
• Select Go to Save Official PDF button to go to the Save PDF page.

Save PDF Page

• Select the Adobe file name in the blue box to view or save your submitted Forms W-2c and Form W-3c on your computer. You will need Acrobat Reader to view or save the Adobe file. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you can download it from www.adobe.com. and install it on your computer. Employers are required by law to keep copies of Forms W-2c/W-3c for four years.
  
  
• Select EWR Home button to go to the EWR Home page.
  
  
• Select View Unsubmitted Reports button to go to the Unsubmitted Reports page. (The View Unsubmitted Reports button will be displayed only when there are unsubmitted reports.)
  
  
• Select Start a New Wage Report button to start creating new Forms W-2c/W-3c.

Note: You can also download a printable final PDF version of a wage report by selecting the Save Submitted Report(s) to Your Computer on the EWR Home page. The submitted reports are available for download for only 30 days from the date of submission.

COMMUNICATION DISRUPTIONS

If a communication disruption occurs while you are creating a W-2c/W-3c Online report, information that you had finalized by selecting the Save and Start New W-2c button, the Save and Go to W-2c List button, and the Continue button will be saved.

RESUMING WORK WITH UNSUBMITTED REPORTS

You can resume working with the unsubmitted reports by selecting the Create/Resume Forms W-2c/W-3c Online link on the EWR Home page to go to the Unsubmitted Reports page. Social Security will delete any unsubmitted reports that are not updated within 120 days. You may have up to 50 saved reports. This is the maximum number of saved/unsubmitted reports allowed at any point in time. When you have reached the 50 saved report limit, you will not have the option to Start a New Report on the Unsubmitted Reports page. You must complete and submit at least one of the 50 saved reports before you will be given the option to Start a New Report.

UPLOAD FORMATTED WAGE FILE

Under the Upload Formatted Wage File tab on the Electronic Wage Reporting home (EWR Home) page, you can:

• Select the Submit/Resubmit a Formatted Wage File link to submit an appropriately formatted electronic file containing annual wage data or resubmit a formatted file that was returned to you for correction.
  
  
• Select the Submit a Special Wage Payments File link to submit an electronic file that contains special wage payment data as defined in Internal Revenue Service Publication 957.

Note: If you are using Forms W-2/W-3 Online or Forms W-2c/W-3c Online to submit your wage data, you should not attempt to submit the resulting files using Upload Formatted Wage File application. Wage files created through Forms W-2/W-3 Online or Forms W-2c/W-3c Online must be submitted through Forms W-2/W-3 Online or Forms W-2c/W-3c Online.

Note:If you are notified by Social Security to resubmit a file that contained more than one employer report, correct only the reports for which the employer report information display shows a "Return" in the Report Status column. You must correct all reports showing a "Return" status, but do not make changes to reports that are listed as "Complete". Any changes made to "Complete" reports will result in serious tax consequences for both employees and the employer, as the earnings will be added to the W-2 data originally filed under that EIN. As long as you make no other changes to the "Complete" reports, those earnings will be identified as duplicate and will not be added to the earnings from the original submission.

BEFORE YOU START PAGE

Selecting the Submit/Resubmit a Formatted Wage File link under the Upload Formatted Wage File tab on the EWR Home page will take you to the Before You Start page. You should already have a file in EFW2 format generated by your payroll system. Before sending it, you should:

• Make sure your files are in the correct format:
  
  
  • For original W-2 files, use Specifications for Filing Forms W-2 Electronically for Tax Year 2011 (EFW2). If you prefer that Social Security mail you a copy of the specifications, call the Employer Reporting Assistance number at 1-800-772-6270 and ask them to mail you a copy.
    
    
  • For correction W-2c files, use Specifications for Filing Forms W-2c Electronically for Tax Year 2011 (EFW2C). You can also call the Employer Reporting Assistance number at 1-800-772-6270 to request a mailed copy.
    
    
  • Social Security's AccuWage and AccuW2c software can check your W-2 and W-2c wage files before you submit them. These programs alert you to errors that could cause your submission to be returned. AccuWage is for use with Form W-2 (original) files, and AccuW2c is for use with Form W-2c (correction) files. To download AccuWage and AccuW2c, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/accuwage.
    
    
  • Resubmission files should be in the same format as the original submission. If you are using commercial wage reporting software, check the software documentation or contact the manufacturer to verify the software uses the EFW2 or EFW2C formats.
    
    
  • Do not repeat the employer record for each W-2 / W-2c. If your organization files on behalf of multiple employers, include no more than 1 million RW records or 50,000 RE records per submission, or no more than 500,000 RCW records or 25,000 RCE records per submission. Following these guidelines will help to ensure that your wage data is processed in a timely manner.
    
    
  • Each file you submit using Upload Formatted Wage File application must include the entire submission, starting with an RA / RCA record and ending with an RF / RCF record. For information about submission record types see EFW2 and EFW2C.
    
    
  • Data files must be in ASCII format. To convert a file to ASCII, instruct the communications software on your mainframe or mid-range computer to perform the conversion when downloading the file to your personal computer. Business Services Online does not support mainframe-to-mainframe data transfer.
    
    
  • Additional software for use in annual wage reporting is available from commercial vendors. For information about providers of commercial wage reporting software, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/vendor.htm.
  
  
  
• Zip Your File: Zip you file will reduce transmission time by up to 80 percent, you may use PKZip, WinZip, or another PKZip compatible compression program to compress W-2/W-2c wage files before submitting them.

  Note: W-2 and W-2c wage files may contain multiple wage reports; however, do not compress more than one file together.

WHAT'S IN THE FILE PAGE

Once you have prepared your wage file for submission, select Continue button on the Before You Start page to go to the What's in the File page:

• Choose New W-2s/W-3s for Tax year 2011 or previous tax year (EFW2) to submit a new W-2 wage file.
  
  
• Choose New W-2cs/W-3cs to correct mistakes on previously processed W-2 forms (EFW2C) to submit a new W-2c wage file. You should choose this option if your previously submitted wage report processed completely, but you need to make a change to the reported information. New W-2c submissions will be accepted for Tax Year 2011 and prior years.
  
  
• Choose Resubmission to correct errors that prevented SSA from processing a previously submitted file ONLY if you have received a Resubmission Notice from Social Security and are resubmitting your corrected EFW2 or EFW2C file. Refer to the notice for the Wage File Identifier (WFID) and receipt year. The receipt year is the year that Social Security began processing your original submission.

  Note: If the Employer Identification Number (EIN) listed in the RA record of the original submission is different than the EIN that you provided when you registered, you will not be able to use Business Services Online to resubmit the file. For help, call the Employer Reporting Assistance number at 1-800-772-6270.

• Select the check box for "Have you received a Reconciliation letter?" only if you received a letter from Social Security saying that the money amounts reported to the IRS (941) did not match the amounts reported to Social Security (W-3) and you are submitting the file to correct this.
  
  
• Select the Continue button to go to the Submit Your File page.
  
  

SUBMIT YOUR FILE PAGE

Use the Browse button to locate the file you want to submit and then select the Submit button to send your file to Social Security. When the file has been transferred successfully, a confirmation page will be displayed.

CONFIRMATION--YOUR FILE WAS SUBMITTED PAGE

The confirmation page includes Receipt Date, Wage File Identifier (WFID), Employer Identification Number (EIN), Your File Name, File Size, and Assigned File Name. You will need the WFID to check the status of your submission and processing status. Please Save or print the confirmation page for your records.

Note: The file size displayed on the confirmation page should match the size of your original file. To determine the size of your original file in Windows Explorer, right-click on the filename (or tab to it and press Shift + F10) and select Properties. If the sizes do not match, call the Business Services Online Technical Assistance number at 1-888-772-2970.

COMMUNICATION DISRUPTIONS

If a communication disruption occurs while you are submitting a W-2/W-2c wage file, log in again and select the View Submission Status link from the EWR Home page to determine whether the file transfer was successful. If the submission is not displayed, you will have to submit it again. Select the same submission type (New W-2, New W-2c, or Resubmission) that you initially selected.

SUBMIT A SPECIAL WAGE PAYMENTS FILE

Business Services Online now accepts Special Wage Payment submissions. To submit a Special Wage Payments file, select the Submit a Special Wage Payments File link under the Upload Formatted Wage File tab on the Electronic Wage Reporting home (EWR Home) page. Make sure your files are in the correct format. The file format for Special Wage Payments is described in Publication 957

Zip your file if you have a large file (e.g., greater than 10MB) or a slow connection. The transmission will be faster if the file is zipped (compressed). Winzip, PKZip, and the Windows XP file compression utility are examples of acceptable compression tools. To submit your file:

• Select your file by using the Browse button on the "Submit Your Special Wage Payments File" page. Then, select the Submit button.
  
  
• When the file has been transferred successfully, Business Services Online will display the Special Wage Payments File Submission Confirmation page that includes the Date, Time, File Size, Confirmation Number, and Your File Name. The Confirmation Number is assigned to the submission for tracking purposes. Save or print the confirmation page for your records.

Note:The file size displayed on the submission confirmation should match the size of your original file. To determine the size of your original file in Windows Explorer, right-click on the filename (or tab to it and press Shift + F10) and select Properties. If the sizes do not match, call the Business Services Online Technical Assistance number at 1-888-772-2970.

VIEW SUBMISSION STATUS

Submission information will be available in one to six weeks after you submit online. It is not available for paper submissions. You may check status, errors, and notice information for previously submitted wage reports by selecting the View Submission Status link on the EWR Home page. The View Submission Status link will take you to the Submission Search page.

SUBMISSION SEARCH PAGE

• The system will allow you to Search By Date or Search By WFID. By default the Search By Date tab will be displayed. If you are looking for the status of a specific WFID, select the Search By WFID tab.
  
  
• Select the drop-down list to specify a receipt year. The receipt year is the year that Social Security began processing your original submission. For resubmissions made after December 03, 2011, choose Receipt Year 2012. Social Security will process these submissions in 2012. The Receipt Year for a resubmission can be found on your original resubmission notice.
  
  
• If you search by date, you need to select a value from the "Show the first 500 submissions for" field.
  
  
• If you search by WFID, You may specify up to five submissions by entering the Wage File Identifier (WFID) for each submission. If you do not enter one or more WFIDs, all submissions will be displayed for the receipt year that you selected.
  
  
• Select the Continue button to go to the Submission Results page.

SEARCH RESULTS PAGE

The following information is displayed for each identified submission:

• WFID The Wage File Identifier that Social Security assigned to the submission for tracking purposes.
  
  
• Version A sequential number used to distinguish multiple submissions for the same WFID. Multiple versions are the results of corrected files that were resubmitted because the earlier file had critical errors.
  
  
• Status The following statuses are possible:
  
  
  • Received: Social Security has received your submission.
    
    
  • In Process: Social Security is processing your submission. Some submissions may take longer to process.
    
    
  • Complete: Social Security was able to complete processing your submission.
    
    
  • Duplicate: All of the reports in your submission were previously processed by Social Security.
    
    
  • Return: Social Security has returned your file for resubmission.
    
    
  • Delete: Your submission has been deleted. If you have a question concerning this submission, please contact Social Security.
  
  
• Receipt Date The date that Social Security received the submission. If more than one version of the submission was received, the receipt date for the original submission is displayed.
  
  
• Status Date The date the submission assumed the indicated status.
  
  
• Details A Submission Details link is displayed in this column for every submission. Select this link to view the filing method, number of Forms W-3 or W-3c contained in the submission, and the original filename.
  
  
• Resubmission Notice If Social Security asked you to correct your W-2 data and resubmit it, a View Notice link will be displayed in this column. Select this link to view your resubmission notice.
  
  

SUBMISSION PAGE

The following information is displayed for each identified submission:

• Overview section includes File Name, Submission Method, and Submission Type.
  
  
• Current Status section includes Submission Status and Status Date.
  
  
• Reports section includes the number of Total Reports and the number of reports according to the report status.

REPORT PAGE

You can filter the total reports according to the Report Range, Report EIN or the Report Status on this page. You can also view W-3 Details by selecting the W-3 Details link.

ERRORS PAGE

This page lists all the errors in the selected Report.

ERROR DETAILS PAGE

This page displays the description of a selected error.

VIEW EMPLOYER REPORT STATUS

Employer Report Status application allows you to check status and errors of the reports submitted for your company by a third party. The Employer Report Status application is only available for users who are not self-employed and have one of the following roles:

• View File/Wage Report Status, Errors, and Error Notices, or
  
  
• View Name and Social Security Number Errors.

EMPLOYER REPORT SELECTION PAGE

Select the View Report Status link on the EWR Home page will take you to the Employer Report Selection page.

• Use the drop-down list to specify the tax year for which you wish to view employer report information. The tax year is the year in which the wages were earned. Report information is not available for reports submitted prior to 2002.
  
  
• Employer reports that have not yet been processed cannot be displayed.
  
  
• Money amounts displayed reflect how Social Security originally processed a report. Processed money totals may not reflect posted amounts due to corrections to wage reports, item correction based on employee evidence, or an adjustment of duplicate earnings data.
  
  
• This information should not be used for reconciliation or tax liability purposes.
  
  
• This information should not be used as the basis for a Form W-2c report.
  
  
• After you have specified a tax year, select the Continue button to display your Search Results page.

SEARCH RESULTS PAGE

The following information is displayed for each identified report:

• Status The current processing status for the report. Select the status link in this column for an explanation of status codes.
  
  
• Receipt Date The date that Social Security received the report.
  
  
• Status Date The date the report obtained the status.
  
  
• Report Type A Report can be a regular report or a corrected report.
  
  
• # W-2s/W-2cs The number of Forms W-2 or W-2c in each report.
  
  
• # Errors The number of errors in each report.
  
  
• Details Select the Details link to view the summary information about a particular report.

REPORT SUMMARY PAGE

Report Summary page is divided into two sections: Report Details and Error Summary.

Report Details includes the Name of the company, Tax Year, Report Type, Status, Statue Date, # of W-2s/W-2cs and W-3/W-3c Information. W-3/W-3c Information includes the following information:

• Reported Totals: This number corresponds to the totals for Social Security Wages, Social Security Tips, Medicare Wages and Tips, and Federal Taxable Income supplied in the W-3/W-3c or RT /RCT record submitted to Social Security.
  
  
• Processed Totals: This number corresponds to the totals for Social Security Wages, Social Security Tips, Medicare Wages and Tips, and Federal Taxable Income as calculated by Social Security from the individuals W-2s/W-2cs or RW/RCW records.
  
  
• Amended Totals: The amended totals are the official totals for Social Security Wages, Social Security Tips, Medicare Wages and Tips, and Federal Taxable Income that were used by Social Security, including any adjustments. Amended totals are not applicable to Federal Taxable Income or W-2c reports.

Error Summary identifies the # of Critical Errors and the # of Informational Errors. Critical errors will cause a submission to be returned and must be corrected and resubmitted; informational errors will not prevent a file from being processed to completion, but they should be noted and avoided in any future submissions.

ERROR DETAILS PAGE

Error Details page displays the Importance of a selected error and its long description.

RESUBMISSION NOTICE

You can view an electronic version of Resubmission Notice through the Submission Status application if a Resubmission Notice exists. The View Notice link will be displayed on the Search Results page of the Submission Status application. The Submission Status application can also take you to the Acknowledge Notice and/or Request Extension application if you choose to acknowledge the Notice. You may also access the Acknowledge Notice and/or Request Extension application from the EWR home page.

ACKNOWLEDGE NOTICE AND/OR REQUEST EXTENSION

Select the Acknowledge Notice and/or Request Extension link on the EWR Home page will take you to the Acknowledge Notice and/or Request Extension page.

• Provide the Employer Identification Number (EIN), Wage File Identifier (WFID), Version, and Receipt Year for the returned submission. Provide this information exactly as it appears on the notice you received from Social Security.
  
  
• Select the checkbox if you need to request a one-time 15-day extension. You may not request a resubmission extension if: you have previously resubmitted data for this Wage File Identifier (WFID), or more than 45 days have passed since the date on the resubmission notice.
  
  
• Select the Submit button to request an extension. An Extension Receipt page is displayed if the Extension is successful.

If you require help with acknowledging a resubmission notice, call the Employer Reporting Assistance number at 1-800-772-6270.

RESUBMIT A FILE

If you are notified by Social Security to resubmit a file that has been returned to you for correction, please use the Upload Formatted Wage File application.

Help For W-2 Filing

USING BUSINESS SERVICES ONLINE HELP

Visit the Employer W-2 Filing Instructions & Information page for a wealth of information of interest to filers.

Use the E-mail a Wage Reporting Expert link or the Need help with this page link on the screens throughout the EWR suite of BSO to view the handbook or other applicable online resources.

The EWR Home page also displays links to the Online Tutorials and Training materials. All links will open a new browser window in addition to the one you are already using. You may need to manipulate your display to see both browser windows.

W-2/W-2C PDF PRINTING PROBLEMS

If you encounter problems viewing or printing your Forms W-2/W-2c PDF file save the file to your desktop and open it directly.

1. Right click on the PDF link.
   
   
2. Select "Save Target As".
   
   
3. Select the location to which you wish to save the file, and save it.
   
   
4. Select the file from the saved location on your computer's hard drive and open it or open Adobe Acrobat and select the file from its saved location to open it.

TELEPHONE AND E-MAIL SUPPORT

To speak with a Social Security representative, call one of the following numbers.

• For help with annual wage reporting or registration for annual wage reporting, call Employer Reporting Assistance at:
  
  1-800-772-6270 (toll free) or 1-410-965-4241
  Monday - Friday
  7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time
  
  
• For technical help with using Business Services Online, call Business Services Online Technical Assistance at:
  
  1-888-772-2970 (toll free)
  Monday - Friday
  8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
  Fax: 1-410-597-0237

For help via e-mail:

• Employer Reporting Assistance can be contacted via e-mail at ssa.comments@ssa.gov.
  
  
• Business Services Online Technical Assistance can be contact via e-mail at bso.support@ssa.gov.
  
  
• Please be as specific as possible about your question or problem, including details about the Web page you were using, any error messages received, and all other relevant information. Include your phone number so that Social Security can contact you if necessary.
  
  
• Caution:Social Security recommends that you not include private information, such as your Social Security Number, in Internet e-mail messages.
  
  
• E-mail spam filters should be set to accept e-mails from the @ssa.gov domain. Otherwise, important notices and responses to inquiries may be unintentionally blocked.

CONTACT THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

If you need help with the content of your wage report, or if you have questions regarding self-employment income or tax reporting:

• Visit the Internal Revenue Service Web site at www.irs.gov, or
  
  
• Call 1-800-829-4933.
  
  
• For TDD/TTY, call 1-800-829-4059.

Contact Social Security

For information about Social Security programs and benefits, please use our automated services by calling 1-800-772-1213 to get recorded information. If you can not handle your business through our automated services, you can speak to a Social Security representative between 7 a.m and 7 p.m, Monday through Friday.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call our toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.