Stanford must report all employee taxable wages and the associated taxes paid to federal and state agencies. At the beginning of each tax year (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31), Stanford sends a completed W-2 Wage and Tax Statement Form (W-2 Form) to each employee, which they can use when filing their federal and state income tax returns (refer to Resource: W-2 Form Fields and Descriptions).

Stanford distributes W-2 Forms each year by the following dates:

  • January 15: Electronic W-2 Forms are available in Axess for employees who have opted for online distribution
  • January 31: Paper W-2 Forms are mailed to employees who have not opted for online distribution
  • February 15: Paper W-2 Form reprints are available
     

Mail Distribution (Default)

By default, W-2 Forms are mailed to employee mailing addresses as they are listed in Axess. To ensure that your W-2 form is mailed to the proper address, make sure to maintain your current mailing address: 

  • Employees maintain their address information in StanfordYou.
  • Students and postdocs can select Edit personal information in Axess to go to StanfordYou.

Online Distribution (Optional)

Employees are encouraged to opt for electronic distribution of their W-2 Forms in Axess. W-2 Forms are available in Axess at the following locations:

  • All current employees - Employee Center
  • All current students and postdocs - My Axess
  • All graduates and former students - Alumni Center

Electing to receive online W-2 Form distribution allows current employees to view or download a duplicate W-2 Form for the past 10 years directly from Axess, free of charge. For printed W-2 forms, submit a request to Stanford. There is a $10 fee per requested year.

  • All W-2 Forms for the current tax filing year will be mailed to the former employee’s address on file. If you no longer work for Stanford, contact your former supervisor or department administrator to update your mailing address. 
  • Former employees who no longer have access to Axess may submit a support request to Payroll to request copies of prior years’ W-2 Forms. There is a $10 fee per requested year.

Withholding allowance refers to an exemption that reduces how much income tax an employer deducts from an employee’s paycheck. View instructions on How To: Declare or Change Your Stanford Employee Withholding Allowances.

Stanford reports wages to the Social Security Administration, which are used for calculating future social security retirement benefits. All information must be accurate and up-to-date:

  • Verify that your name and Social Security number on your W-2 Form matches what is listed on your Social Security card. 
  • If your name or Social Security number are incorrect on your W-2 Form:
    • Submit a support request to Payroll to correct your W-2 Form.
    • Contact your department’s Human Resources Manager to correct your employee record.

Note: Address information from your W-2 Form is not reported to the state or federal government. Therefore, incorrect address information on your W-2 does not require a corrected form. 

Student employee pay is subject to federal and state income tax withholding and is reported on Form W-2. Work performed in California is subject to withholding and reporting to California, regardless of residency status of the student. Registered degree-seeking students do not pay FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes or California Voluntary Disability Insurance for quarters during which they are enrolled in classes.

To understand all information included on your W-2 Wage and Tax Statement form, refer to Resource: W-2 Form Fields and Descriptions.

Questions?

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