12. Reconciling Wage Reporting Forms

When there are discrepancies between amounts reported on Form 943 filed with the IRS and Forms W-2 and W-3 filed with the SSA, the IRS must contact you to resolve the discrepancies. This costs time and money for the Government and for you.

To help reduce discrepancies--

1. Report bonuses as wages and as social security and Medicare wages on Forms W-2 and 943.
2. Report social security and Medicare wages and taxes separately on Forms W-2, W-3, and 943.
3. Report social security taxes on Form W-2 in the box for social security tax withheld, not as social security wages.
4. Report Medicare taxes on Form W-2 in the box for Medicare tax withheld, not as Medicare wages.
5. Make sure social security wages for each employee do not exceed the annual social security wage base.
6. Do not report noncash wages not subject to social security or Medicare taxes as social security or Medicare wages.

To reduce the discrepancies between amounts reported on Forms W-2, W-3, and 943:

1. Be sure the amounts on Form W-3 are the total amounts from Forms W-2.
2. Reconcile Form W-3 with your Form 943 by comparing amounts reported for--

• Income tax withholding, social security wages, social security tips, and Medicare wages and tips.
• Social security and Medicare taxes. The amounts shown on Form 943, including current year adjustments, should be approximately twice the amounts shown on Form W-3.
• Advance eamed income credit.

Amounts reported on Forms W-2, W-3, and 943 may not match for valid reasons. If they do not match, you should determine that the reasons are valid. Keep your reconciliation so you will have a record of why amounts did not match in case there are inquiries from the IRS or the SSA.

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