Homepage Blank Oregon W2 Form
Outline

The Oregon W-2 form is an essential document for employers and employees alike, serving as a record of wages earned and taxes withheld throughout the year. It adheres to guidelines set by the Social Security Administration (SSA) but includes specific requirements unique to Oregon. Employers must file W-2 information electronically by January 31 of the following year, ensuring compliance with both state and federal standards. Failure to file correctly can lead to penalties, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and timeliness. The form consists of several records, including employer and employee details, wage information, and state-specific data such as the Statewide Transit Tax. Employers must follow strict formatting rules, including file size limitations and specific data arrangements. This ensures that all information is processed smoothly and efficiently by the state. Understanding these requirements is crucial for any business operating in Oregon, as it not only impacts tax obligations but also affects employee records and compliance with state laws.

Sample - Oregon W2 Form

W-2 File Specifications

The state of Oregon follows the Social Security Administration (SSA) guidelines for the filing of W-2 wage and tax statements, with Oregon-specific requirements for the RS and RV records (OAR 150-316-0359).

All employers and payroll service providers are required to file W-2 information electronically in a manner consistent with the electronic filing specifications outlined by the SSA. All W-2s must be filed by January 31 of the following year.

ORS 316.202 allows the department to assess penalties for failing to file an information return or filing an incorrect or incomplete information return and knowingly failing to file an information return or knowingly filing an incomplete, false or misleading information return.

Electronic records that do not conform to the specifications defined in these instructions will not be accepted.

Record format and record layout specifications

Transmitters are required to use the format listed beginning on page 2 of this document for RS and RV records. For all other record specifications, please follow the information in the SSA booklet, Specifications for Filing Forms W2 Electronically (EFW2). Additional information is available at www.ssa.gov/employer/pub.htm. Information regarding electronically filing W-2s with Oregon is available at our website, www.oregon.gov/dor/business.

State of Oregon required format

RA

Submitter Record

Required

 

 

 

RE

Employer Record

Required

 

 

 

RW

Employee Wage Record

Required

 

 

 

RO

Employee Wage Record

Optional

 

 

 

RS

State Record

Required (please see following pages)

 

 

 

RT

Total Record

Required

 

 

 

RU

Total Record

Optional

 

 

 

RV

State Total Record

Required (please see following pages)

 

 

 

RF

Final Record

Required

 

 

 

Oregon does not accept withholding information on magnetic media or in other formats. File size is limited to 150MB and the file must be in .txt format only. The transmission is encrypted so the file itself need not be.

October 2020

1

For technical questions concerning electronic filing, email us at [email protected]. You can also reference the frequently asked questions and troubleshooting guide posted on our website at www.oregon.gov/dor/business.

Important information

All money fields follow SSA record specification rules:

Must contain only numbers.

No punctuation.

No signed amounts (high order signed or low order signed).

Include both dollars and cents with the decimal point assumed (example: $59.60 = 00000005960). Do

not round to the nearest dollar (example: $5,500.99 = 00000550099).

Right-justify and zero-fill to the left.

Any money field that has no amount to be reported must be filled with zeros, not blanks.

Statewide Transit Tax (STT) Reporting Requirements

If your business had employees who performed work in Oregon or had Oregon resident employees who performed work outside of Oregon during the year, you must report statewide transit tax information. That information should be reported on your RS record in character positions 348-369 and the RV record in character positions 40-69. These fields should be formatted like every other dollar-value field in the file.

RS record information

Positions 348-358: Taxable wages for the Statewide Transit Tax .

Positions 359-369: Amount withheld for the Statewide Transit Tax.

RV record information

Positions 40-54: Total amount of taxable wages for the transit tax.

Positions 55-69: Total amount of Statewide Transit Tax withheld.

NOTE: RECORD LENGTH FOR THE OREGON AND SSA RS RECORD IS 512 BYTES. ALL FIELDS ARE REQUIRED AND CAN BE BLANK OR ZERO-FILLED. The transmitter is required to send the federal records sent to the SSA for Oregon employees: RA, RE, RW, RO (optional), RS, RT, RU (optional), RV, and RF. The RS record must be for Oregon wages only.

RS Record Layout – State of Oregon, Department of Revenue

October 2020

2

Field

Name

Position Length

 

 

 

Social

Employee

Employee

Record

 

 

Middle

State Code

Blank

Security

First

Identifier

Name or

 

 

Number (SSN)

Name

 

 

 

Initial

 

 

 

 

 

1-2

3-4

5-9

10-18

19-33

34-48

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

2

5

9

15

15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee

 

 

Suffix

 

 

Location

 

Delivery

 

 

City

 

State

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Name

 

 

 

 

 

Address

 

Address

 

 

Abbreviation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

49-68

69-72

73-94

95-116

117-138

139-140

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20

4

22

22

22

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZIP Code

 

 

 

 

Foreign

 

Foreign

 

Country

 

ZIP Code

 

 

 

 

Blank

 

 

 

Postal

 

 

 

Extension

 

 

State/Province

 

 

 

Code

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Code

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

141-145

146-149

150-154

155-177

178-192

193-194

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

23

15

 

 

4

5

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blank

 

 

Blank

 

 

Blank

 

Blank

 

 

Blank

 

Date First

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

195-196

197-202

203-213

214-224

225-

227-234

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

226

 

 

2

6

11

11

2

8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State

 

 

 

 

 

 

State

 

Date of

 

 

 

 

 

Employer

 

 

 

 

State

 

 

 

 

Blank

 

 

 

Blank

 

 

 

Taxable

 

Separation

 

 

 

Withholding

 

 

 

Code

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Account #

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

235-242

243-247

248-267

268-273

274-275

276-286

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8

5

20

6

2

11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Tax

 

 

 

 

 

Taxable

 

Statewide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blank

 

 

Wages for

 

Transit Tax

 

 

Blank

 

 

 

Withheld

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statewide

 

Withheld

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transit Tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

287-297

298-347

348-358

359-369

370-512

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

50

11

11

143

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 2020

3

RS Position

 

Field Name

Length

 

Specifications

 

 

 

 

 

 

1-2

 

Record Identifier

2

 

Constant RS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter appropriate postal NUMERIC code. (See

3-4

 

State Code

2

 

Appendix F is SSA Pub 42- 007).

 

 

Enter “41” for the Oregon postal numeric

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

code.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5-9

 

Blank

5

 

Blank Fill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter the employee’s SSN as shown on the

 

 

 

 

 

original/replacement SSN card issued by the SSA.

10-18

 

Social Security Number

 

 

SSN must be nine digits. Do not drop the leading

 

 

 

zeroes. Ex: SSN 00123-4567 is reported as

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

001234567.

 

 

 

 

 

If no SSN available, enter zeros.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter the employee’s first name as shown on the SSN

19-33

 

Employee First Name

15

 

card.

 

 

 

 

 

Left-justify and fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee’s Middle Name

 

 

If applicable, enter the employee’s middle name or

34-48

 

15

 

initial as shown on the SSN card.

 

or Initial

 

 

 

Left-justify and fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter the employee’s last name as shown on the SSN

49-68

 

Employee’s Last Name

20

 

card.

 

 

 

 

 

Left-justify and fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If applicable, enter the employee’s alphabetical suffix.

69-72

 

Suffix

4

 

For example, SR, JR.

 

 

Left-justify and fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If not suffix, fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter the employee’s location address (attention, suite,

73-94

 

Location Address

22

 

room number, etc.).

 

 

 

 

 

Left-justify and fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

95-116

 

Delivery Address

22

 

Enter the employee’s delivery address. Left-justify and

 

 

fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

117-138

 

City

22

 

Enter the employee’s city.

 

 

Left-justify and fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter the employee’s State or

139-140

 

State Abbreviation

2

 

Commonwealth/Territory. Use the postal

 

 

 

 

 

abbreviation. (See Appendix F in SSA Pub 42-007)

 

 

 

 

 

 

141-145

 

Zip Code

5

 

Enter the employee’s zip code.

 

 

For foreign address, fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter the employee’s four-digit extension of the zip

146-149

 

Zip Code Extension

4

 

code.

 

 

 

 

 

If not applicable, fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

150-154

 

Blank

5

 

Fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 2020

4

RS Position

 

Field Name

Length

 

Specifications

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If applicable, enter the employee’s foreign

155-177

 

Foreign State/Province

23

 

state/providence.

 

 

Left-justify and fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If applicable, enter the employee’s foreign postal code.

178-192

 

Foreign Postal Code

15

 

Left-justify and fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If one of the following applies, fill with blanks:

 

 

 

 

-

One of the 50 states of the USA

 

 

 

 

-

District of Columbia

 

 

 

 

-

Military Post Office (MPO)

 

 

 

 

-

American Samoa

193-194

 

Country Code

2

-

Guam

 

 

 

 

-

Northern Mariana Islands

 

 

 

 

-

Puerto Rico

 

 

 

 

-

Virgin Islands

 

 

 

 

 

Otherwise, enter the employee’s applicable country

 

 

 

 

 

code. (Appendix G in SSA Pub 42-007)

 

 

 

 

 

 

195-226

 

Blank

32

 

Fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

227-234

 

Date First Employed

8

 

Month, Day, 4-digit Year (MMDDYYYY) or fill with

 

 

zeroes if not applicable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

235-242

 

Date of Separation

8

 

Month, Day, 4-digit Year (MMDDYYYY) or fill with

 

 

zeroes if not applicable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

243-247

 

Blank

5

 

Fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Employer Account

 

 

Oregon Withholding Account Number for the

248-267

 

Number (BIN)

20

 

Employer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

268-273

 

Blank

6

 

Fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

274-275

 

State Code

2

 

Enter the appropriate postal numeric code. (See

 

 

Appendix F in SSA Pub 42-007).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

276-286

 

State Taxable Wages

11

 

Right-justify and zero-fill.

 

 

Applies to income tax reporting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Income Tax

11

 

Right-justify and zero-fill.

287-297

 

Withheld

 

Applies to income tax reporting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

298-347

 

Blank

50

 

Fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Taxable Wages for

11

 

Right-justify and zero-fill.

348-358

 

Statewide Transit Tax

 

 

Applies to income tax reporting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

359-369

 

Statewide Transit Tax

11

 

Right-justify and zero-fill.

 

 

Withheld

 

Applies to income tax reporting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

370-512

 

Blank

143

 

Fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 2020

5

RV Record Layout – State of Oregon, Department of Revenue

Field

 

Record

 

Number

 

State Taxable

 

State Income

 

State Taxable Wages

 

 

of RS

 

 

Tax Withheld

 

for Statewide Transit

Name

 

Identifier

 

 

Wages (Total)

 

 

 

 

Records

 

 

(Total)

 

Tax (Total)

Position

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1-2

3-9

10-24

25-39

40-54

Length

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

7

15

15

15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statewide

 

Transit Tax

Blank

Withheld (Total)

 

55-69

70-512

15

443

RV Position

 

Field Name

Length

Specifications

 

 

 

 

 

1-2

 

Record Identifier

2

Constant RV

 

 

 

 

 

3-9

 

Number of RS Records

7

Total number of RS records since the last

 

 

 

 

RE record.

 

 

 

 

 

10-24

 

State Taxable Wages

15

Total amount of State Wages reported in

 

 

 

 

 

all RS records since the last RE record.

 

 

 

 

 

25-39

 

State Income Tax

15

Total amount of State Withholding reported

 

 

Withheld

 

in all RS records since the last RE record.

 

 

 

 

 

40-54

 

State Taxable Wages for

15

Total amount of State Wages for Statewide

 

 

Statewide Transit Tax

 

Transit Tax reported in all RS records since

 

 

 

 

the last RE record.

 

 

 

 

 

55-69

 

Statewide Transit Tax

15

Total amount of Statewide Transit Tax

 

 

Withheld

 

reported in all RS records since the last RE

 

 

 

 

record.

 

 

 

 

 

70-512

 

Blank

443

Fill with blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

October 2020

6

Form Information

Fact Name Description
Filing Deadline All W-2 forms must be filed by January 31 of the following year.
Electronic Filing Requirement Employers must file W-2 information electronically, following SSA guidelines.
Governing Laws ORS 316.202 outlines penalties for incorrect or incomplete filings.
File Format W-2 files must be in .txt format and limited to 150MB in size.
State Records Oregon requires specific RS and RV records for state tax reporting (OAR 150-316-0359).
Transit Tax Reporting Employers must report statewide transit tax information on RS and RV records.
Money Field Specifications Money fields must contain only numbers, with no punctuation or signed amounts.
Technical Support For technical questions, email [email protected] or visit the Oregon DOR website.

Detailed Guide for Filling Out Oregon W2

Filling out the Oregon W-2 form requires careful attention to detail to ensure compliance with state regulations. Once completed, the form will be submitted electronically to the appropriate authorities. Follow these steps to accurately fill out the form.

  1. Start with the RA Submitter Record section, entering the required information such as your employer identification details.
  2. Proceed to the RE Employer Record, where you will input the employer's name, address, and identification number.
  3. Next, fill out the RW Employee Wage Record with the employee's details, including their name, Social Security number, and wages earned.
  4. If applicable, complete the RO Employee Wage Record, which is optional and can include additional employee information.
  5. Move to the RS State Record. Here, include the employee's state taxable wages and any amounts withheld for state taxes.
  6. Fill out the RT Total Record, summarizing the total wages and taxes for all employees.
  7. If necessary, complete the RU Total Record, which is optional and can include additional totals.
  8. Proceed to the RV State Total Record, where you will report the total state taxable wages and withheld amounts for the Statewide Transit Tax.
  9. Finally, complete the RF Final Record to indicate the end of the W-2 submission.

Ensure all monetary fields are filled with numbers only, without punctuation. Remember to zero-fill any fields without reported amounts. After completing the form, review all entries for accuracy before submitting electronically by the January 31 deadline.

Obtain Answers on Oregon W2

  1. What is the Oregon W-2 form?

    The Oregon W-2 form is a wage and tax statement that employers must file for employees who work in Oregon. It reports wages earned, taxes withheld, and other relevant information. The form follows federal guidelines set by the Social Security Administration, but it also includes specific requirements for Oregon.

  2. When is the deadline for filing the Oregon W-2?

    All employers must file the Oregon W-2 by January 31 of the following year. This deadline applies to electronic filings as well. Timely filing helps avoid potential penalties.

  3. What are the penalties for failing to file the Oregon W-2?

    Under Oregon law, penalties may be assessed for failing to file an information return or for submitting an incorrect or incomplete return. This includes knowingly failing to file or submitting false information. Employers should ensure accuracy to avoid these penalties.

  4. What format should the Oregon W-2 be submitted in?

    The Oregon W-2 must be filed electronically in a .txt format. The maximum file size is 150MB. Employers must follow specific record layout specifications for RS and RV records, as detailed in the filing instructions.

  5. What is the Statewide Transit Tax and how is it reported?

    The Statewide Transit Tax applies to employees who work in Oregon or to Oregon residents working outside the state. Employers must report this tax on the RS and RV records of the W-2. Specific positions in the records are designated for taxable wages and amounts withheld for the transit tax.

  6. Where can I find more information about filing the Oregon W-2?

    For more details, employers can visit the Oregon Department of Revenue's website at www.oregon.gov/dor/business. Additionally, the Social Security Administration's website provides resources for electronic filing specifications.

Common mistakes

Completing the Oregon W-2 form accurately is crucial for both employers and employees. However, several common mistakes can lead to complications. One frequent error is incorrect or missing Social Security Numbers (SSNs). The SSN must be reported as a nine-digit number without any dashes or spaces. If an employee does not have an SSN, zeros should be entered instead. Failing to adhere to this requirement can result in penalties.

Another mistake often made is the improper formatting of monetary fields. All money amounts must consist solely of numbers, without any punctuation or dollar signs. For example, an amount like $5,500.99 should be entered as 00000550099. Additionally, if there is no amount to report, the field should be filled with zeros, not left blank. This attention to detail is essential to ensure the form meets state specifications.

Many employers overlook the requirement to report Statewide Transit Tax (STT) information. If employees performed work in Oregon or if Oregon resident employees worked outside the state, the STT must be reported on specific records. Failing to include this information can lead to inaccuracies in tax reporting and potential penalties.

Another common oversight is not using the correct state code for Oregon. The code should be entered as "41," and any deviation from this can cause the form to be rejected. Employers must also ensure that all necessary records, including RS and RV records, are included in the submission. Missing records can lead to incomplete filings, which are subject to penalties.

Additionally, some individuals mistakenly believe that they can submit the W-2 form in various formats. However, Oregon only accepts W-2s in a specific .txt format. Using any other format, such as magnetic media, will result in rejection of the filing. Adhering to the specified format is vital for successful submission.

Lastly, many employers fail to file the W-2 forms by the January 31 deadline. Timeliness is critical, as late submissions can incur penalties. It is advisable for employers to establish a filing schedule well in advance to avoid last-minute issues. By being aware of these common mistakes, employers can ensure compliance with Oregon's requirements and avoid unnecessary complications.

Documents used along the form

The Oregon W-2 form is essential for reporting wages and taxes withheld for employees in the state. Along with this form, there are several other documents that employers may need to file or provide to ensure compliance with state regulations. Below is a list of commonly used forms that often accompany the Oregon W-2.

  • Oregon W-3 Form: This form serves as a summary of all W-2 forms filed by an employer. It includes totals for wages, tips, and other compensation, as well as the total amount of state income tax withheld. Employers must submit this form to the Oregon Department of Revenue along with their W-2s.
  • Federal 941 Form: This is the Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return. It reports the amount of federal income tax withheld from employee wages, as well as Social Security and Medicare taxes. Employers file this form quarterly to report payroll taxes to the IRS.
  • Statewide Transit Tax (STT) Report: If an employer has employees working in Oregon, they must report taxable wages and amounts withheld for the Statewide Transit Tax. This information is typically included in the RS and RV records of the W-2 filing, but separate documentation may be required for clarity.
  • Oregon Form 132: This form is used to report any additional information required for state tax purposes. Employers may need to file this if there are specific adjustments or information that must be disclosed regarding employee wages or withholdings.

Filing the correct forms and ensuring accuracy is crucial to avoid penalties. Each document plays a significant role in maintaining compliance with Oregon's tax regulations. If you have questions about these forms, it is advisable to consult with a tax professional or the Oregon Department of Revenue for guidance.

Similar forms

  • W-2 Form (Federal): The Oregon W-2 form is similar to the federal W-2 form in that both are used to report wages and tax information to employees and the government. They follow similar formats and guidelines set by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
  • 1099-MISC: This form is used to report income received by independent contractors. Like the W-2, it summarizes earnings and tax withheld, but it is intended for non-employee compensation.
  • 1099-NEC: Similar to the 1099-MISC, the 1099-NEC specifically reports non-employee compensation. Both forms require accurate reporting of payments made to individuals for services rendered.
  • Form 941: This quarterly tax form reports income taxes, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax withheld from employee paychecks. It shares the purpose of tracking payroll taxes, similar to the Oregon W-2.
  • Form 1095-C: This form provides information about health insurance coverage offered by employers. While it serves a different purpose, it also involves employer reporting and employee information.
  • State Tax Returns: State tax returns require reporting of income and taxes similar to the W-2. They ensure compliance with state tax laws and provide necessary information for tax calculations.
  • Pay Stubs: Pay stubs provide employees with a breakdown of their earnings and deductions for each pay period. They are similar to the W-2 in that they summarize financial information for employees, but they are issued more frequently.

Dos and Don'ts

When filling out the Oregon W-2 form, there are several important guidelines to keep in mind. Here’s a list of things you should and shouldn't do:

  • Do ensure accuracy: Double-check all information, especially Social Security numbers and employee names, to avoid penalties.
  • Do follow the specified format: Adhere to the required .txt file format and ensure that all records conform to the outlined specifications.
  • Do report all necessary information: Include all required records, such as RS and RV records, especially if your employees worked in Oregon.
  • Do submit on time: Ensure that the W-2 forms are filed electronically by the January 31 deadline to avoid penalties.
  • Don't leave blanks: Fill any money fields that do not have amounts with zeros instead of leaving them blank.
  • Don't use incorrect formats: Avoid using magnetic media or formats other than the specified .txt format.
  • Don't round amounts: Report exact dollar amounts without rounding to the nearest dollar.
  • Don't forget the encryption: Remember that while the transmission is encrypted, the file itself does not need to be.

Misconceptions

Understanding the Oregon W-2 form is crucial for employers and employees alike. However, several misconceptions can lead to confusion and potential penalties. Here are nine common misunderstandings:

  • All employers can file W-2s in any format they choose. This is incorrect. Oregon mandates that all W-2s must be filed electronically and adhere to specific formatting guidelines set by the Social Security Administration.
  • The deadline for filing W-2s is flexible. In reality, all W-2 forms must be submitted by January 31 of the following year. Missing this deadline can result in penalties.
  • Employers can omit certain records when filing. This is a misconception. Employers must include all required records, such as RA, RE, RW, RS, and others, to ensure compliance.
  • Filing an incorrect W-2 is not a serious issue. On the contrary, Oregon law allows for penalties if an employer knowingly files an incorrect or incomplete W-2.
  • W-2 forms can be submitted on magnetic media. This is not true. Oregon does not accept W-2 information on magnetic media or in any format other than the specified electronic format.
  • Employers can report withholding information in any way they prefer. This is misleading. Specific fields for withholding information must be filled out according to the guidelines provided for RS and RV records.
  • The size of the W-2 file does not matter. In fact, the file size is limited to 150MB, and it must be in .txt format only.
  • All money fields in the W-2 can include punctuation. This is incorrect. Money fields must contain only numbers, with no punctuation or signed amounts.
  • Employers do not need to report statewide transit tax information. This is a misconception. If employees performed work in Oregon or are Oregon residents working elsewhere, employers must report this information on the appropriate records.

By addressing these misconceptions, employers can better navigate the complexities of the Oregon W-2 filing process and avoid costly mistakes.

Key takeaways

Filling out and using the Oregon W-2 form requires attention to detail and adherence to specific guidelines. Here are some key takeaways:

  • Electronic Filing is Mandatory: All employers must file W-2 information electronically, following the specifications set by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Oregon state requirements.
  • Deadline for Filing: W-2 forms must be submitted by January 31 of the year following the tax year. Late submissions may incur penalties.
  • Correct Format is Essential: The W-2 form must be in .txt format, with a maximum file size of 150MB. Ensure that all money fields are filled correctly, using only numbers and no punctuation.
  • Statewide Transit Tax Reporting: If your business has employees working in Oregon, you must report statewide transit tax information on the RS and RV records of the W-2 form.