Frequently Asked Questions About Quick Employer Forms

Q: What is Quick Employer Forms?
A: Quick Employer Forms helps users quickly and easily create Forms W-2, 1099-MISC, 1099-INT, and 1099-DIV. It asks you easy questions, and then completes the forms for you automatically. It even e-files the forms.

Q: Who is Quick Employer Forms for?
A: Quick Employer Forms is for small business owners who have employees or use independent contractors to help them get their work done. If you operated a business (including a Schedule C/Sole Proprietorship, an LLC, Corporation, S-Corp, or Partnership) and you had employees or independent contractors, you need to send a W-2 to employees and 1099 to independent contractors before the end of January. Quick Employer Forms makes it a lot easier to create and file these forms with the IRS. There's no need to buy forms or worry about special printing requirements, including colored ink.

Q: When are the due dates for W-2 and 1099 forms?
A: W-2 and 1099 forms for tax year 2012 need to be mailed by January 31, 2013. Forms need to be e-filed by April 1, 2013.

Q: Why do I have to sign in to prepare my forms?
A: We ask for your login to ensure that we safeguard the information you provide about your business and your employees on the forms you create. No one else using your computer can access that information. Feel free to use the User Name you already created for access to TurboTax, QuickBooks, Quicken, Lacerte, or other Intuit products.

Q: How many W-2s and 1099s can I create with Quick Employer Forms?
A: You can prepare as many as you like.

Q: What types of 1099s can I create with Quick Employer Forms?
A: You can create 1099-MISC, 1099-INT, and 1099-DIV forms.

Q: Can I start and come back later?
A: Yes. We think you'll find Quick Employer Forms is so easy that you'll finish all your W-2s and 1099s in one sitting. But if you want to come back later, you can quit and log in to the website using your user ID and password again at another time. We save all the forms you create too, so next year you'll be able to transfer your information and it'll be even faster.

Q: Can I e-file my forms?
A: Yes, W-2s and 1099s can be e-filed. After you've created your forms, simply select E-file All at the top of the My Businesses Page.

Q. When is e-file going to be available?
A. E-filing through Quick Employer Forms is available now.

Q: Do I need to print on special forms or print in red ink?
A: No. We will electronically file your W-2 and 1099 forms for you - no need to print anything.

Q: How is my information protected?
A: Your data's security is our number one priority. Quick Employer Forms is a product of Intuit, so we leverage the same type of security infrastructure and safeguards that protect the sensitive data of millions of online TurboTax, Quicken, and QuickBooks users. It is the same kind of security used by online banks: 128 bit SSL encryption, secured and firewalled facilities, third-party reviews, and verification by RSA, TRUSTe, and VeriSign.

Q: What does the status "transferred" mean?
A: The status of "transferred" means that last year's basic form information transferred to this year's forms. As a result, this year's information has not been entered yet. In addition, transferred forms cannot be printed. If you want to print the prior year forms, you must go to the prior year forms to print them.

Q: Does Quick Employer Forms provide printing and mailing services for my employer forms?
A: Quick Employer Forms no longer offers that service. We apologize for any inconvenience. Use the PDF button next to each form to print the recipient copies and mail them by January 31.

Q. Can you help me with my User ID and/or password?
A. At the sign-in page, you can click on Can't access your account and follow the steps on your screen.

Q: How can I get started on my W-2s and 1099s?
A: Follow these steps:

1. Choose the form you need to create from the What Form Would You Like to Prepare? window.
2. Enter your business, payee, and form information in the three subsequent windows.
3. If the completed form looks good at the Verify form information window, choose"Continue.
4. When you've finished creating all of your forms, from the Home Base window, choose E-file All. 

Q: How can I import or export my information from TurboTax?
A: The import feature on Quick Employer Forms is currently limited to importing information from the TurboTax W-2/1099 Reporter. We are working on enhancing this feature and hope to bring you more import capabilities in the future.

Q: How can I save my forms?
A: We save everything for you after you complete each screen. Once you click Done or Continue at the bottom of the screen, your information is saved automatically. We'll save your forms for you for next year, too. Save your User ID and password and just log in next year.

Q: How can I edit my forms?
A: Select the Edit button from Quick Employer Forms Home Page and then make changes on any field on the form that needs to be corrected. You can edit any field on the form until it is e-filed.

Q: How can I delete the W-2s and 1099s I've created?
A: You can delete forms that haven't been e-filed. The delete feature is available next to each form listed on the Quick Employer Forms Home Page.

Q: How can I print my forms?
A: All of your completed forms will be available on the Quick Employer Forms Home Page with a link to print.

Q: How can I e-file my forms?
A: You can e-file the forms that you've created by simply selecting E-file All at the top of the My Businesses Page.

Q: How can I disable the automatic calculations?
A: Check the box on the W-2 to disable calculation error messages for boxes 3 and 5. Ensure that boxes 4 and 6 (4.2% Social Security tax and 1.45 % Medicare tax of the respective wages) calculate correctly from the wage amounts in boxes 3 and 5. If there is no withholding, enter zeros in the Social Security and Medicare fields (boxes 3 through 6).

Q. What happens if I have over or under withheld Social Security or Medicare taxes from my employee?
A. For tax year 2012 the law requires that you withhold 4.2% for Social Security tax and 1.45% for Medicare tax from your employees' subject wages. (Box 3 plus box 7 for SS taxes; Box 5 for Medicare). We recommend that you make sure your W-2's properly reflect those percentages for each employee BEFORE e-filing them, and correcting your annual/quarterly forms to match.

These taxes are sent to the IRS quarterly (Form 941) or annually (Forms 944, 943 or Form 1040 Schedule H) depending on the type of employer you are. If the amounts you report on those forms do not match the amounts on the W-2s, you send to the Social Security Administration, you will be contacted directly by those authorities and required to issue corrected forms.

Q. What if my amounts do not match due to rounding?
A. If the amounts on your employer forms do not match simply due to rounding, those adjustments should have been made when you filed your quarterly (Form 941), or annual (Forms 944, 943 or Form 1040 Schedule H). (The type of form you file depends on the type of employer you are.) You can file corrected forms now to match your W-2s.

If you pay your payroll taxes annually (Forms 944, 943, or Form 1040 Schedule H) you may not have filed these yet. When you do file, use the correct figures that match the W-2s you are filing now. If you have already filed them, you will need to correct them. See IRS publication 15, section 13, for more information.

Q. What if I have withheld incorrect amounts for Social Security and Medicare?
A. If you have withheld incorrect amounts from your employee during the year, you should file corrected quarterly (Form 941) forms. If you pay your payroll taxes annually (Forms 944, 943, or Form 1040 Schedule H) you may not have filed yet.

When you do file, use the correct figures that match the W-2s you are filing now. If you have already filed, you will need to correct the forms and refund any over- withheld taxes to your employee, or collect any under- withheld taxes from them. See IRS publication 15, section 13, for more information.

Q. I e-filed my form(s), how will I know it was accepted with the IRS or SSA?
A. After e-filing your W-2 or 1099 form, please monitor your filing status on the Quick Employer Forms Home Page. The e-file status will update from "Sent" to "Accepted" or "Rejected" when the Government Agency processes the form. The status change may take up to 2 to 4 weeks. You will also receive a notification by e-mail when the status changes. E-file is due by April 1, 2013.

Q. I have electronically filed, now do I have to mail or submit anything to my State?
A. After e-filing, be sure to check your state's website for W-2 or 1099 reporting requirements. Each state's requirements vary, and most don't require the forms be submitted. Perform an Internet search for your state web address to find details. You do not need to mail anything to the IRS or SSA after e-filing with Quick Employer Forms.

Q. Where is COPY A of my Forms 1099 and W-2?
A. Quick Employer Forms only supports e-filing of the forms with the IRS and Social Security Administration. Copy A of the Form 1099 and W-2 are only used for e-filing and are not provided for printing.

Q. Where is Form 1096 for Forms 1099-INT and 1099-DIV?
A. Form 1096 is not provided for the Forms 1099-INT and 1099-DIV. Forms 1099-INT and 1099-DIV are e-filed with the IRS, and states don't usually require one for the 1099-INT and DIV.

Q. What if Social Security and Medicare withholding are not required for my employees?
A. First, check the box on the W-2 to disable the automatic calculations, because the program will test that your withholdings are correct (4.2% social security and 1.45 % medicare). Make sure the withholdings in boxes 5 and 6 calculate correctly from the wage amounts in boxes 3 and 4. That will stop any error messages from running. If there is no withholding, enter zeros in the social security and medicare fields (boxes 3, 4, 5 and 6).

Q. I am getting an "Invalid Entry, Employer Type is Required" error when trying to create a new form 1099. How can I solve this?
A. This is an issue we are working on. To work around it, on your Business Information screen, select "Yes, use EIN". You'll see a drop-down list below the EIN. Select "Files Form 941 quarterly for regular employees". Next, select "No, use SSN" to restore your SSN.

Q. I have a foreign payee that does not have an EIN. How can I bypass this?
A. Since Quick Employer Forms is an e-file only service, it does not support forms for foreign recipients/payees with no SSN or EIN.

Q. Do I have to e-file Forms 1096 or W-3?
A. Form 1096 and W-3 are not required for e-file. Quick Employer Forms only supports e-file with the SSA and IRS. Please do not send any of these forms to the IRS, as this will generate duplicate filings. These forms are simply for your records.

Q. Why can't I edit my e-filed form?
A. Once your form has been transmitted to the IRS or SSA it cannot be changed. The data on that form must match what was sent to those agencies.

Q: I missed the January 31, 2013 deadline for mailing Forms W-2 and 1099 to recipients. What should I do?
A: You should print all applicable forms from the Quick Employer Forms My Businesses page and mail the forms to recipients as soon as possible.