PAPER FORMS

[BLACK BART]

Does anyone here know if black and white paper W3 and W-2 forms are still acceptable by IRS for the 2019s due now and the 2020s due next year?.  I know the 1099s have to be "red" scannable  forms but the W-2s were made eligible to be printed on regular paper a few years ago.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

Since TY 2001, when using approved software.  You can ask the software vendor for a copy of their approval letter, or look at the printed form for the vendor's code (which will put the responsibility on the vendor if their alignment is off / form is not scannable). The vendor code appears just under the year at the bottom of each form.

The SSA approval process does not usually begin until mid/late summer, even though the blanks may have already been posted online by the IRS.  In my case, I won't even try to submit for approval until June, unless the substitute form instruction sheets come out sooner (thinking of 2020).  The 2019 1141 pub did not come out until August...

[BLACK BART]

I'll take that as a "yes".

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

A qualified yes, not a blanket yes.  There could be someone creating BW forms who did not go through the approval process.

[BLACK BART]

 

3 hours ago, Medlin Software said:

...ask the software vendor for...vendor code...just under the year at the bottom of each form...

Gosh, these things are fraught with peril, aren't they? 

See, I was only just worrying if they had sense enough to know black from red (since they need a voucher to dope out what's written on a check and I also read where the Treasury Inspector General recently chastised them for using the word "password" as a password.).  Now I've gotta worry about whether they've ever heard of a vendor code (congratulations in advance anyway though - you'll probably be the first to notify them of its existence).

 

 

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

The forms can be scanned if BW.  The absence of a valid vendor code - approved for the particular tax year -  is likely to cause rejection (and possibly penalty).  I have no idea what SSA's policy is, nor am I inclined to look.

SSA does not want untested and non pre-approved form layouts.  SSA designed the approval process, so it will not be news to them at all.

If the software vendor is not stating their forms are approved (each year), that is a sign they are not approved.  No vendor code is another sign.  Not being willing to share their approval letter is another sign.

 

[BLACK BART]

Got it!  Nobody's gettin' the last word in on you.