Insight

What to do if your business receives a “no-match” letter

In the past few months, many businesses and employers nationwide have received “no-match” letters from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The purpose of these letters is to alert employers if there’s a discrepancy between the agency’s files and data reported on W-2 forms, which are given to employees and filed with the IRS. Specifically, they point out that an employee’s name and Social Security number (SSN) don’t match the government’s records.According to the SSA, the purpose of the letters is to “advise employers that corrections are needed in order for us to properly post” employees’ earnings to the correct records. If a person’s earnings are missing, the worker may not qualify for all of the Social Security benefits he or she is entitled to, or the benefit received may be incorrect. The no-match letters began going out in the spring of 2019.
Why discrepancies occur
There are a number of reasons why names and SSNs don’t match. They include typographical errors when inputting numbers and name changes due to marriage or divorce. And, of course, employees could intentionally give the wrong information to employers, as is sometimes the case with undocumented workers.
Some lawmakers, including Democrats on the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, have expressed opposition to no-match letters. In a letter to the SSA Commissioner, they wrote that, under “the current immigration enforcement climate,” employers might “mistakenly believe that the no-match letter indicates that workers lack immigration status and will fire these workers — even those who can legally work in the United States.”
How to proceed
If you receive a no-match letter telling you that an employee’s name and SSN don’t match IRS records, the SSA gives the following advice:
Check to see if your information matches the name and SSN on the employee’s Social Security card. If it doesn’t, ask the employee to provide you with the exact information as it is shown on the card.
If the information matches the employee’s card, ask your employee to check with the local Social Security office to resolve the issue.
Once resolved, the employee should inform you of any changes.
The SSA notes that the IRS is responsible for any penalties associated with W-2 forms that have incorrect information. If you have questions, contact us or check out these frequently asked questions from the SSA: https://bit.ly/2Yv87M6
© 2019

Related Insights

Turning stock downturns into tax advantages | tax preparation in harford county md | Weyrich, Cronin & Sorra

Tax Prep, Planning & Strategy

Turning stock downturns into tax advantages

Have you ever invested in a company only to see its stock value plummet? (This may become relevant in light of recent market volatility.) While…
Ways to manage the limit on the business interest expense deduction | accounting firm in washington dc | Weyrich, Cronin & Sorra

Accounting & Assurance

Ways to manage the limit on the business interest expense deduction

Prior to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), businesses were able to claim a tax deduction for most business-related interest…
7 ways to cut nonprofit costs rather than staffers | accounting firm in elkton md | Weyrich, Cronin & Sorra

Non-Profits

7 ways to cut nonprofit costs rather than staffers

It wasn’t long ago that the not-for-profit sector was struggling to find enough staffers to hire. Now that many organizations are losing federal…

Connect with us

Use the form below to send us an email. WCS responds directly to all inquiries and general questions within 24 hours of posting.

This contact form is deactivated because you refused to accept Google reCaptcha service which is necessary to validate any messages sent by the form.