Form W-2

Form W-2, officially titled the "Wage and Tax Statement", is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax form used in the United States to report wages paid to employees and the federal taxes withheld from their pay. Employers are required to complete a Form W-2 for each employee who receives salary, wages, or other compensation in the context of an employment relationship.

Form W-2 must be provided to employees by January 31 of the year following the tax year reported, giving individuals sufficient time to prepare their income tax returns before the standard April 15 deadline. The form is also used to report FICA taxes to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Employers are generally required to file Form W-2, along with Form W-3, with the SSA by the end of February.

The SSA transmits relevant Form W-2 data to the Internal Revenue Service for tax compliance purposes. In U.S. territories, the form includes a two-letter territory code, such as W-2GU for Guam. If corrections are needed, employers may file Form W-2c.

The use of the form has led to the phrase "W-2 employees" to refer to those who receive Form W-2, in contrast to independent contractors and other "1099 workers" whose income is instead reported on Form 1099.