If you discover an employee’s SSN is incorrect, you should ask to see the employee’s Social Security card to ensure the name and SSN shows correctly in your payroll records. If you receive a corrected name or SSN from the employee after you filed the Form W-2, submit a Form W-2C to make the correction.

Why does the IRS keep saying my Social Security number is wrong?

Often, the information is no longer correct with Social Security Administration. IRS reconciles the name, social security number, and the date of birth with the SSA records on file. An error is generated if it does not match the tax return EXACTLY. I have had cases where the date of birth was wrong in the SSA records.

What to do if your SSN is on your W-2?

The IRS gets copy of the W-2 and so does the Social Security Administration. Your SS tax payments will not get credited to you if the wrong SSN is on the W-2. If your employer refuses to fix the error, then contact the IRS for assistance. See this IRS topic for an incorrect W-2 if your employer will not correct it.

What happens if my employer entered the wrong Social Security number?

It will not sort out on it’s own. The IRS gets copy of the W-2 and so does the Social Security Administration. Your SS tax payments will not get credited to you if the wrong SSN is on the W-2. If your employer refuses to fix the error, then contact the IRS for assistance.

What to do if your form W2 has not been corrected?

If by the end of February, your Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement has not been corrected by your employer after you attempted to have your employer or payer issue a corrected form, you can request that an IRS representative initiate a Form W-2 complaint.

What can cause an error on a W-2?

W-2 errors aren’t limited to income and withhold discrepancies. The spelling of your name, a name change due to marriage or divorce, your address, or your Social Security number might be wrong, too, but this is usually a much easier fix.