Every January, you owe every employee who received wages a W-2. It summarizes what they earned and what was withheld for taxes — the same information that’s been on their pay stubs all year, but compiled into one official form they need for their tax return. Miss the deadline? Penalties. Wrong information? Corrections and angry employees. The good news: Pluvel compiles everything automatically from your payroll records.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pluvel.com/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
W-2 timeline
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| End of December | Pluvel compiles all wage and tax data |
| Early January | You review W-2s for accuracy |
| January 31 | Deadline to give W-2s to employees |
| January 31 | Deadline to file with SSA |
Generating W-2s
Review employee data
Check each employee’s:
- Name — Must match their Social Security card exactly (middle initial matters)
- SSN — One wrong digit = rejected by SSA
- Address — Where you’re mailing it (or their current address for records)
Review the numbers
Spot-check wages and withholdings. Do they look right? If someone earned $75k, is that what shows?
What the boxes mean
Employees ask about these constantly:| Box | What it shows | Common questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taxable wages | ”Why is this different from my salary?” (pre-tax deductions lower it) |
| 2 | Federal tax withheld | What they paid in federal income tax |
| 3 | Social Security wages | Usually same as Box 1, unless over the SS limit |
| 4 | Social Security tax | 6.2% of Box 3 |
| 5 | Medicare wages | Usually same as Box 1 |
| 6 | Medicare tax | 1.45% of Box 5 |
| 12 | Coded amounts | Benefits, retirement, etc. (see below) |
| 16 | State wages | Taxable wages for state |
| 17 | State tax withheld | What they paid to the state |
Box 12 codes
Box 12 uses letter codes for various benefits:| Code | What it is |
|---|---|
| D | 401(k) employee contributions |
| E | 403(b) contributions |
| DD | Cost of employer health coverage (informational only) |
| W | HSA employer contributions |
Filing with the SSA
Pluvel e-files W-2s with the Social Security Administration:- W-2s generated from your payroll data
- You review and approve
- We submit electronically
- You receive confirmation (keep this)
W-2 corrections (W-2c)
Found an error after you filed?- Generate Form W-2c (corrected W-2)
- File the correction with SSA
- Give the employee a copy
Getting W-2s to employees
Electronic delivery (recommended)
- Employees access their portal
- They get notified when W-2s are ready
- Download instantly as PDF
Paper mailing
For employees who prefer (or require) paper:- Print W-2 copies
- Mail by January 31
- Use certified mail or delivery confirmation (proof matters if they claim they never got it)
Former employees
Still owe them a W-2:- Anyone who received wages during the year
- Even if they quit in February
Multi-state employees
If someone worked in multiple states:- One W-2 with multiple state sections (Boxes 15-17), or
- Separate W-2s per state (depends on the state)
Viewing past W-2s
Historical W-2s are retained for 7 years:- Go to Payroll → Tax Forms → W-2s
- Select the year
- View or download
Common employee questions
You’ll get these every January:| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| ”Why is Box 1 lower than my salary?” | Pre-tax deductions (401k, health insurance) reduce taxable wages |
| ”Where’s my 401k contribution?” | Box 12, Code D |
| ”Why do I have two state sections?” | You worked in multiple states during the year |
| ”Box DD shows a huge number — is that income?” | No, it’s just the cost of your health coverage (informational) |
| “I never got my W-2” | Check spam folder, then contact HR for a reprint |
1099 forms
Year-end forms for contractors.