Form W-2 - Wage and Tax Statement

What Form W-2 is

Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, is the yearly statement an employer prepares for each employee showing wages paid and the federal, state, and local taxes withheld. This template is the official IRS 2026 Form W-2, which reports wages paid during calendar year 2026 and is furnished to employees and filed in early 2027. It matches the version currently posted on IRS.gov as of October 2026. The PDF has 11 pages and contains every copy of the form: Copy A, Copy 1, Copy B, Copy C, Copy 2, and Copy D, plus the notices to employees.

Which copies you can print, and which you cannot

This is the most important point on this page. The IRS says Copy A of this PDF is provided for informational purposes only. Although it is printed in red, a Copy A printed from the IRS website (or from this template) cannot be scanned by the Social Security Administration, and the IRS warns that you may be charged a penalty for filing forms that can't be scanned. The 2026 General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3 state that the SSA accepts only e-filed reports and the official red-ink versions (or approved substitute versions) of Copy A.

To file Copy A electronically, use the SSA's Employer W-2 Filing Instructions and Information page and Business Services Online. To file on paper, order the scannable forms at IRS.gov/orderforms. Employers who file 10 or more information returns in total for the year must e-file.

Who uses it

Employers, payroll staff, and bookkeepers use the W-2 for every employee who received wages. Employees receive Copies B, C, and 2 and use them to prepare their tax returns. Independent contractors do not get a W-2; payments to them are generally reported on Form 1099-NEC.

What to have ready

• The employer identification number (EIN), legal name, and address
• Each employee's social security number, name exactly as shown on the social security card, and current address
• Year-end payroll totals: taxable wages, social security and Medicare wages, tips, and each type of withholding
• Amounts for box 12 codes (for example retirement deferrals or the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage) and any state or local wage data

How to fill it out online

Click "Fill Template Now," type directly into the boxes on each copy, and download the completed PDF. Each copy is a separate set of fields, so make sure the amounts match on every copy you plan to use. Form W-2 itself has no signature line.

Boxes a to f: identification

Box a is the employee's social security number, box b the employer's EIN, and box c the employer's name, address, and ZIP code. Box d is an optional control number. Box e holds the employee's first name and initial, last name, and suffix in separate fields, and box f the employee's address. Copy A also has a VOID checkbox.

Boxes 1 to 11: wages and withholding

Box 1 is wages, tips, and other compensation, and box 2 federal income tax withheld. Boxes 3 to 7 cover social security wages, social security tax withheld, Medicare wages and tips, Medicare tax withheld, and social security tips. Box 8 is allocated tips, box 10 dependent care benefits, and box 11 nonqualified plans. Box 9 is left blank.

Boxes 12 to 14: codes and checkboxes

Box 12 has four entries (12a to 12d), each with a code and an amount. The 2026 instructions add code TA (employer contributions to a Trump account), code TP (cash tips reported to the employer), and code TT (qualified overtime compensation). Box 13 has checkboxes for statutory employee, retirement plan, and third-party sick pay. Box 14a is "Other," and the new box 14b is for Treasury Tipped Occupation Code(s).

Boxes 15 to 20: state and local

Each has two rows so you can report two states or localities: state and employer's state ID number, state wages, state income tax, local wages, local income tax, and locality name.

Deadlines

For the 2026 form, the IRS instructions set February 1, 2027 as the date to furnish Copies B, C, and 2 to employees and to file Copy A with Form W-3 at the SSA (January 31, 2027 falls on a Sunday). Employees may receive their copies electronically only if the employer follows the consent and notice rules in the instructions. Penalties can apply for late, incorrect, or unscannable filings.

Common mistakes

• Mailing a Copy A printed from a PDF to the SSA instead of e-filing or using the official red-ink form
• Entering a name that doesn't match the employee's social security card
• Filling Copy B but forgetting to copy the same figures onto Copies C, 2, and 1
• Using the 2026 form for wages paid in a different year
• Putting a box 12 amount in without its code letter

For a box-by-box walkthrough with examples, see our Form W-2 guide, and browse related IRS tax form templates.