How to Correct a W-2 (W-2C)

A W-2C, or Corrected Wage and Tax Statement, is used to fix errors on a W-2 form that has already been filed with government agencies.

Things To Know

• 7shifts Payroll identifies the current tax year as the year for which taxes were most recently submitted. In the 2026 calendar year, the most recently completed tax year is 2025.
• Errors occurring in the ongoing 2026 calendar year do not require a W-2C form because the original W-2 form has not yet been generated or filed.
• W-2C forms typically become available for download in 7shifts Payroll by the end of February.
• 7shifts Payroll does not send email notifications when a W-2C form is published.
• An incorrect employee mailing address does not require a W-2C form.

Correct an Employee Social Security Number

Employers must take different actions to correct an employee Social Security number depending on the specific tax year affected.

1. Log into the 7shifts web app.
2. Navigate to the employee profile that requires a correction.
3. Update the Social Security number directly within the employee profile.

• For the ongoing 2026 tax year, updates to the Social Security number directly fix the profile. A W-2C form is not required because filings have not been submitted to government agencies.
• For the 2025 tax year, 7shifts Payroll automatically generates a W-2C form within one week of the profile update.
• For the 2024 tax year or any earlier tax years, updating the profile does not trigger an automatic correction. Employers must update the profile and then contact 7shifts Support to request a manual W-2C form.

Correct Earnings, Taxes, Deductions, or Business Details

Specific payroll and business-level errors require manual corrections and coordination with 7shifts Support.

• For errors regarding employee wages, withholdings, or benefit deductions in Boxes 1 through 20, 7shifts Payroll must perform a payroll correction.
• If an employee was omitted from original filings, 7shifts Payroll must record the missing payroll, which automatically generates a late Federal W-2 form.
• For a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) change, update the EIN in 7shifts Payroll and contact 7shifts Support or manual filing.

Correct an Incorrect Employee Mailing Address

An incorrect employee mailing address does not require a W-2C form. Employers can resolve this issue by manually managing the document delivery.

1. Download the original W-2 form from 7shifts Payroll.
2. Print the original W-2 form and mail it to the current mailing address of the employee manually.
3. Update the mailing address in the employee profile within 7shifts Payroll to ensure the correct address is used for future W-2 forms.

Access and Download a W-2C Form

Once a W-2C form is processed, both the employer and the employee can download it from the employee profile. While both the original W-2 form and the W-2C form remain visible for historical record-keeping, the W-2C form serves as the most accurate record for government purposes and supersedes the original W-2 form.

Next Steps

After downloading the completed W-2C form, verify that the updated values match your internal records before filing your company tax returns.