Form W-2 is an annual payroll report provided to employees and a copy to the Social Security Administration reporting the gross salary earned and taxes withheld on behalf of an employee.
When an individual passes away, his/her will or trust identifies a representative to administer his/her estate. This representative is referred to as the executor (male) or executrix (female) and is generally approved or assigned by the local circuit court. The Internal Revenue Service tasks this representative to file a final personal return and information returns until the estate is completely transferred to the heirs.
A K-1 is a reporting tool to the Internal Revenue Service. It is used by Partnerships, S-Corporations and Trusts to report the taxpayer’s share of income, deductions, and credits. A K-1 is similar to Form W-2 or 1099 in that the information provided informs the taxpayer of what has been reported to the Internal Revenue Service.
The Internal Revenue Service promulgates rules and regulations concerning the employment status of workers. In general, workers are classed as W-2 employees and certain tests must be met to have the worker classed as a 1099 subcontractor. All 1099 subcontractors should be issued a Form 1099 in January of each year for the prior calendar year of services. This article describes the general tests that must be met for the worker to be considered a 1099 subcontractor.
Form 941 is the employer’s quarterly federal tax return. It reports how much federal income taxes were withheld; Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes that are due and how much was paid in deposits to the Internal Revenue Service. The report is filed every three months for each of the four calendar quarters.
I dread January of every year. I have to spend so much time preparing the year-end payroll reports prior to the January 31 deadline. Not only must your quarterly’s and monthly’s tie together, but it has to match the general ledger at year-end.
