Even after you download and print W-2 Forms in Patriot Software and distribute W-2 forms to your employees, you can still make a correction if needed. This depends on whether you have already filed your company’s summary W-3 with the Social Security Administration. If you are a Full-Service Payroll customer, contact us and we can confirm whether we filed your W-2s/W-3.
Choose from these scenarios, and follow the instructions:
Scenario 1: You have NOT given W-2s to employees, and W-2s have NOT been filed
Make the needed corrections to payroll.
This could be running an additional payroll or changing a setting on a money type/deduction/contribution. If you are unsure how to correct, please contact our Support team.
Preview your W-2s, and review again to make sure they are correct.
Recreate your W-2’s with the updated information. Follow the steps in our help article, “Download and Print W-2s“
Distribute the W-2s.
Paper: Print W-2 and hand them out.
Electronic: Click “Post to Employee Portal” (if the employee has opted in). They’ll receive an email notification.
Scenario 2: You HAVE given W-2s to employees, but W-2s have NOT been filed.
Make the needed corrections to payroll.
Depending on the change you need to make, this could be running an additional payroll or changing a setting on a money type/deduction/contribution. If you are unsure how to correct, please contact our Support team.
Preview your W-2s and review to make sure they are correct.
Recreate your W-2’s so the W-2 forms are updated with the new information by following the steps in the help article, Download and Print W-2s.
Distribute the corrected W-2s:
Paper: Write “CORRECTED” on Copies B, C, and 2. Give the new W-2 to the employee.
Electronic: Click “Post to Employee Portal.” The employee will be notified by email.
Note: Electronic W-2s don’t say “CORRECTED”—that’s okay. The IRS doesn’t require it for digital copies.
Scenario 3: You HAVE given W-2s to employees, and W-2s HAVE been filed.
If you discover a change is needed on a W-2 after you have filed the W-2/W-3 with the Social Security Administration, you will need to complete corrected W-2 and W-3 forms with the previously reported and the corrected information.
Full Service Payroll customers: Patriot’s tax team can file amended returns on your behalf. See our premium support article for more information.
You’ll need to submit corrected forms (W-2C and W-3C).
Get a copy of the original W-2 that was filed.
Correct your payroll data in Patriot.
Preview your W-2s and review to make sure they are correct.
Recreate your W-2’s so the W-2 forms are updated with the new information.
Distribute corrected W-2s
Paper: Write “CORRECTED” on Copies B, C, and 2. Give the new W-2 to the employee.
Electronic: Click “Post to Employee Portal.” The employee will be notified by email.
Note: Electronic W-2s don’t say “CORRECTED”—that’s okay. The IRS doesn’t require it for digital copies.
Full Service Payroll customers: Contact our tax team if you want us to file the corrected forms on your behalf at this point. Otherwise, to file yourself, continue with the steps below.
Manually complete:
Submit the W-3C to the SSA:
If you’re under the e-file threshold, you can mail the paper forms.
Otherwise, file online via your SSA Business Services Online account.
For more details, see Filing Your W-3 Using Patriot Software.
Note: You do not need to use Form W-2C to correct an employee’s address. If you have already filed with the SSA, follow these instructions after correcting the employee address.