W2 deadline for an employer – any idea?

What's the official W2 deadline for an employer to get form W2 to an employee? Anybody know for certain?

W2 deadline - Post marked no later than January 31

I am no tax expert. However,I have had experience in such matters.

W2 deadline

Employers and payers have until 1/31/08 to give out W2's and 1099's/1098's to the recipients.

They have until 2/28/08 to file Copy A of those forms with the government.

Thanks, y'all for W2 deadline information!

A nosey know it all at work told me that our boss has until the 15th of Feb to hand out W2's is this true because I have always been told its the 31 of Jan?

Baby, no.. as others have stated it's a federal law that they have to be post marked by the 31st of January.

I'm still waiting on mine. Last year it came early, this year will probably come right on the 31st.

This year W2 deadline is until Feb 2, because 1/31 is a Saturday.

DebtCruncher, Not doubting you.. someone else mentioned that too on another form.. though I don't see why. We DO get mail on Saturday. Though if they're going the business days (m-F) then it does make sense, in a way.

Granted, we do get mail on a Saturday. I'm going by the actual instructions that you can download from IRS.gov. Those instruction for form W2 and 1099 say in 2008 that the forms must be post-marked by 2/2/09.

On the WikiAnswer site it's stated that the deadline for employers to mail out copies of the W2 to employees is 2-1-09. Hope this helps. I just had to check it out myself...lol

if your w2 aren't mailed by jan 31 what are the consequences

Not sure exactly what a recipient can do, other than maybe complain to the IRS....

Just like the employers have to mail a copy to you, they also have to send in copies and a W3 to the IRS. Although the IRS gives them until March 2 I believe, to get those copies in. BUT the IRS charges something like $50 per W2 that is filed late. So you can imagine, if a company has 100 employees and files all those W2s late, that's a $5000 penalty they have to pay.

Before calling the IRS, I would advise giving the mail a reasonable amount of time for it to get to you. If your employer gets it in the mail and postmarked on the last day possible, don't call the IRS if it's not there the next business day. But if it's been a week after the deadline and you still don't have it, then yes, I would give them a call.
Remember, they are probably sending it bulk rate, since they are sending everyone in the company's out at the same time.
Remember: they don't have to HAVE it to you by that deadline, all they need to do is have MAILED it to you.

I wonder this.......

"Metered" mail doesn't actually get post-marked by the post office. We have a mail-meter at my work. What would pre-empt me from running a whole bunch of blank envelopes thru the mail meter on 1/31 (or 2/2 or whatever the deadline is) to get that date stamped; and then actually stuff the envelopes and mail them whenever I feel like it?

Technically the post office is not supposed to accept metered mail if it has a different date than the day you drop it off. But I can tell you my post office never checks the dates.

today is the 31st and i haven't received my w2. is it really true about 2-2-09. i will give it until Tuesday this web site was very helpful

Does Employer have to mail w-2 to all employees present and past if so by when