Prepare and file federal W-2 forms

Even when you electronically file federal W-2 forms with the SSA, you'll need to print and distribute copies to your employees and print copies for your own records. Here is some information about which copies go to the agency, to the employee, and to you (the employer).

Copy A	Social Security Administration (SSA)
Copy B	Employee (Filed with employee's federal tax return)
Copy C	Employee (Copy for employee's records)
Copy D	Employer (Copy for your records)
Copy 1	State, City, or Local tax department
Copy 2	Employee (Filed with employee's state, city, or local tax return)

1. In the navigation bar, click Taxes > Payroll Tax.

2. Under Forms, click Annual Forms.
3. Click W-2, Copies A & D.
4. If prompted, verify your tax codes and then click Continue.
   
   We prefill the tax code field, so you don't need to look it up. You only need to do this once.
5. If prompted, tell us whether or not one or more employees were active participants in a retirement plan during the tax year and then click Continue.
   
   If you track contributions to retirement plans outside of QuickBooks Online Payroll, you'll need to manually select the Retirement Plan check box for each active participant.
6. On the Employer Copies: Form W-2 page, click View to open Acrobat Reader and review and print Copy D (employer's copy) for your records.
7. When you're ready click Submit to authorize us to file Copy A of Form W-2 electronically for you.
8. Print Copy D of Form W-2 for your records.

Do not send a printout of Form W-2 to the Social Security Administration.

9. On the status page, note the current status: Submitted.
   
   Your form has been submitted to us. Once we finish processing your filing, we'll send you an email letting you know it's complete. You can also check the status of your filing on the status page.