W-2 Verification Codes

[SaraEA]

Early in the season I was alert to the fact that we are now supposed to enter verification codes if they appear on the W2.  Then I forgot about them and just woke up this week and started searching for them. Not easy to find!  Some W-2s have them only on one copy.  I make a habit of zeroing in on the bottom copy so likely missed a zillion of them.  I have found them on some ADP forms but not others.  The number itself is a bear to enter--a million digits, mixed alpha and numeric so you can't use the number pad.  I wonder if this great experiment is going to fall flat because preparers and likely self-prepareds are ignoring the codes.  They will blame us of course (another avenue to impose big fines?).  Anyone else guilty of not religiously entering these codes?

[WITAXLADY]

o  oh my  - good reminder - I doubt mine are in either - including my husbands for prior years -

will double check...

but too late for those filed 

[jklcpa]

Thanks for the reminder, Sara. I missed one on one client's return that was already filed and missed the code on my own husband's W-2.   Hope he doesn't fire me as his preparer.  lol

[Pacun]

We will never forget to enter it once they implement and force software companies to require it when efiling. I think it is a good idea and I am entering them if available. I am also entering Driver's license information. I know this is not required now, but it is coming down the pipe. I think both are good ideas and I like to see them implemented.

I have used the same PIN ever since I started my first efile and I have been asking for school records and medical records for dependents for several years.

[Lion EA]

Figuring out if that teeny, tiny character is an 8 or a B is a pain.  I wear my reading glasses to prepare tax returns, but those 16 digits are really tough to read.  Do I include the hyphens?  I've done it both ways.  And, I know I missed one originally, but spotted it when noticing that one of their other W-2s had the code.  And, have you seen the one where it's buried in the name/address box?!  Big companies have employee numbers anyway, so it took some time for me to realize where they'd hidden the verification code.  Box 9 or within the name/address, right?  What a stupid system.

[jklcpa]

The use of the letter O and zero should be outlawed.  

I haven't seen any with the code in the name box, and at least Drake has the input separated into 4 character blocks that jump from one to the next so I didn't have to think about whether or not to enter the hyphen. 

As for Pacun's idea of requiring the input in the software, or having it generate an error or reject message, only a small number of my clients' W-2s have the code so the software would need an acceptable input such as "no code" down the road when this becomes a required input.  

[tliberto]

There is no letter o in the verification code.So if you see 0, it will always be a zero.

[Catherine]

Thanks for the reminder to look for these!  I wonder how it's going to work when clients upload photos or scans of their W-2's that are not *quite* in focus.  It's hard enough, sometimes, to see the wages and tax figures!

[Pacun]

10 hours ago, jklcpa said:

The use of the letter O and zero should be outlawed.  

I haven't seen any with the code in the name box, and at least Drake has the input separated into 4 character blocks that jump from one to the next so I didn't have to think about whether or not to enter the hyphen. 

As for Pacun's idea of requiring the input in the software, or having it generate an error or reject message, only a small number of my clients' W-2s have the code so the software would need an acceptable input such as "no code" down the road when this becomes a required input.  

I meant for the IRS to force that box on ALL W2 just like the social security number or the name. So if the IRS enforces o it on the W-2 creators, then all W-2 will have it. Then they will for the ERO Transmitters to require that code just as they require a SS#.

I am glad to hear that all round characters are zeros.  0/O or 00/OO, one is skinner than the other. 0FD32 and OFD32 are different.

Believe that code enforcement is coming down the pipe unless not even 1 identity theft occurs this year.

[Pacun]

2 hours ago, Catherine said:

Thanks for the reminder to look for these!  I wonder how it's going to work when clients upload photos or scans of their W-2's that are not *quite* in focus.  It's hard enough, sometimes, to see the wages and tax figures!

It will work the same way it works when you can not read the amounts in box 1 or 2. I ask people to upgrade their iPhones or take a better picture.

[tliberto]

Verification Code can only be:

Hyphens

Numbers 0 through 9

and

Uppercase letters A through F

[Pacun]

4 minutes ago, tliberto said:

Verification Code can only be:

Hyphens

Numbers 0 through 9

and

Uppercase letters A through F

I love when codes use the hexadecimal alphabet.

[Catherine]

1 hour ago, Pacun said:

I love when codes use the hexadecimal alphabet.

ff buckets of bits on the bus, ff buckets of bits,

take one down, short it to ground, 

fe buckets of bits on the bus!

fe buckets of bits on the bus, fe buckets of bits,

take one down, short it to ground, 

fd buckets of bits on the bus!

 

We made the mistake of teaching the girls to count in hexadecimal, and they proceeded to sing that song on the way up to VT on vacation one year.  We were astounded at how far they got before losing interest.  We think it was the challenge of keeping track in the new counting system.

[jklcpa]

7 hours ago, tliberto said:

Verification Code can only be:

Hyphens

Numbers 0 through 9

and

Uppercase letters A through F

Thank you, that is very helpful to know.

[Jack from Ohio]

I have put these verification codes in the same pile with 1095-B and 1095-C....  Waste of time.  The requirement will never happen or be enforced.