As long as the EIN on your W-2 matches the EIN you are entering (or importing), this difference in the name won’t affect your tax return. The name they used to apply for an EIN may be different from the name they “do business as” (DBA), to include what name they have entered in their payroll system.

What if my name on my W-2 is different?

Answer: Contact your employer and institution and ask them to correct the forms to reflect your new name as it appears on your social security card. You can correct the name on copies of Form W-2 and Form 1099 that you use to file your return.

Does it matter if my name is wrong on my W-2?

Both your W-2 and your tax return must have your correct name. If your Social Security card does not show your correct name you should order a new card but proceed to file your taxes as normal. If your W-2 has the wrong name, you must ask your employer for a replacement and file the replacement W-2 with your taxes.

What do you do when an employee changes their name?

Follow these helpful tips whenever an employee goes through a legal name change.

1. Step 1: Have the Employee Update the SSA. HR isn’t alone in this: it takes two to get the name change process rolling.
2. Step 2: Update Form W-4 and Your Payroll System.
3. Step 3: Reverify Form I-9s.
4. Step 4: Wrap up Benefits and Banking Info.

How do you get your W 2s?

If you can’t get your Form W-2 from your employer and you previously attached it to your paper tax return, you can order a copy of the entire return from the IRS for a fee. Complete and mail Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return along with the required fee. Allow 75 calendar days for us to process your request.

How do I correct my SSN on my W-2?

If you receive a corrected name or SSN from the employee after you filed the Form W-2, submit a Form W-2C to make the correction. Enter the name on the Form W-2 as shown on the employee’s Social Security card. Connect parts of a compound name with either a hyphen or a blank space.

What if my name doesn’t match my W-2?

The name that you enter on your tax return should be the same name that is on your current Social Security card. The name on the tax return and the name on a W-2 do not have to match. This is not an issue with the IRS as they compare against Social Security numbers.

Do you need to update W-2s after name change?

When it comes time to generate W-2s, you’ll want to make sure the employee names are accurate on those forms as well. Employers are not legally required to update work authorization records after a name change, but doing so is best practice.

What do you need to know about the W-2 form?

The Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statement is how companies report each employee’s annual wages, deductions, and tax withholdings to the IRS. It’s like a pay statement for the entire year. You only need to complete W-2s if you have employees.

How does Social Security record an employer’s W-2?

Each year employers send Copy A of Forms W-2 to Social Security. Social Security matches the name and Social Security number (SSN) on each Form W-2 against its database of all SSNs issued. When we find a match, we record the earnings information from the Form W-2 in the employee’s earnings history.

Do you have to put your middle name on Form W-2?

You may enter either the middle initial or the full middle name. It is acceptable to use the Specifications for Filing Forms W-2 Electronically format for employee copies of the Form W-2 even though it may contain suffixes, middle names, etc.