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Payroll 101

15 Payroll Forms Every Employer Should Know

Payroll paperwork can get complicated fast. Here’s a quick guide to the forms employers are most likely to encounter—from new hire paperwork to quarterly taxes and year-end reporting.

Don’t forget that filing requirements and deadlines vary by business, employee type, and location.

Payroll forms

New Hire Forms

  • Form W-4

    Tells employers how much federal income tax to withhold from an employee’s paycheck.

  • Form I-9

    Verifies an employee's identity and employment authorization in the U.S

  • Form W-9

    Requests taxpayer identification numbers for independent contractors

  • New Hire Report

    Notifies the state when an employee is newly hired or rehired. Forms vary by state.

Quarterly & Annual Federal Tax Returns

  • Form 941

    Reports an employer's quarterly income taxes, Social Security, and Medicare withheld.

  • Form 944

    Annual alternative to Form 941 for small tax liabilities ($1,000 or less)

  • Form 940

    Reports and calculates Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) obligations anually.

Year-End Wage Reporting

  • Form W-2

    Reports an employee's annual wages and tax withholdings

  • Form W-3

    Transmittal form summarizing all W-2 submissions to the Social Security Administration

  • Form 1099-NEC

    Reports non-employee compensation paid to independent contractors

  • Form 1099-MISC

    Reports certain miscellaneous payments, such as rents and awards.

State & Local Requirements

  • State Withholding Return

    Reports state income tax withheld from employees. In PA this is the PA-941.

  • State Unemployment Return

    Reports wages and calculates state unemployment taxes. In PA this is the PA UC-2/UC-2A.

  • State Wage Report

    Provides employee wage information to the state unemployment agency.

  • Local Tax Return

    If applicable. Reports and remits applicable local payroll taxes, such as earned income taxes.

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