Publication 15 |
2000 Tax Year |
Chapter 4 Employee's Social Security Number (SSN)
You are required to get each employee's name and SSN and to enter
them on Form W-2. (This requirement also applies to resident and
nonresident alien employees.) You should ask your employee to show you
his or her social security card. The employee is required to show the
card if it is available. You may, but are not required to, photocopy
the social security card if the employee provides it. If you do not
provide the correct employee name and SSN on Form W-2, you may owe a
penalty.
Any employee without a social security card can get one by
completing Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security
Card. You can get this form at Social Security Administration (SSA)
offices or by calling 1-800-772-1213. Form SS-5 can also be obtained
from the SSA Web Site at www.ssa.gov. The employee must complete and
sign Form SS-5; it cannot be filed by the employer. If your employee
applied for an SSN but does not have it when you must file Form W-2,
enter "Applied for" on the form. When the employee receives the
SSN, file Form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement, to
show the employee's SSN and furnish a copy to the employee.
Note:
Record the name and number of each employee exactly as they
are shown on the employee's social security card. If the employee's
name is not correct as shown on the card (for example, because of
marriage or divorce), the employee should request a new card from the
SSA. Continue to use the old name until the employee shows you the new
social security card with the new name.
If your employee was given a new social security card to show his
or her correct name and number after an adjustment to his or her alien
residence status, correct your records and show the new information on
Form W-2. If you filed Form W-2 for the same employee in prior years
under the old name and SSN, file Form W-2c to correct the name and
number. Use a separate Form W-2c to correct each prior year and
furnish a copy of each Form W-2c to the employee. Advise the employee
to contact the local SSA office no earlier than 9 months after the
Form W-2c is filed to ensure that the records were updated.
IRS individual taxpayer identification numbers (ITINs) for
aliens. A resident or nonresident alien may request an ITIN for tax
purposes if he or she does not have and is not eligible to get an SSN.
Possession of an ITIN does not change an individual's employment or
immigration status under U.S. law. Do not accept an ITIN in place of
an SSN for employee identification. An individual with an ITIN who
later becomes eligible to work in the United States must obtain an
SSN.
Verification of social security numbers.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers employers and
authorized reporting agents two methods for verifying employee SSNs.
Both methods match employee names and SSNs.
- Telephone verification. To verify up to five
names and numbers, call 1-800-772-6270. To verify up to 50 names and
numbers, contact your local social security office.
- Large volume verification. The Enumeration
Verification Service (EVS) may be used to verify more than 50
employee names and SSNs. Preregistration is required for EVS and the
information must be submitted on magnetic media. For more information,
call the EVS information line at 410-965-7140 or visit SSA's Internet
Web Site for Employers at www.ssa.gov/employer.
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