State-by-State 1099 and W2 Filing Deadlines

By now, most businesses know about changes for the 2015 tax reporting season, including the requirement to file Affordable Care Act (ACA) forms, annual form changes and updated deadlines for reporting 1095 forms under the ACA. However, it’s important that businesses take note of updated deadlines for 1099 and W-2 year-end state reporting as well.

Greatland Corporation, one of the country’s leading providers of W-2 and 1099 products for businesses and an expert resource for ACA reporting, is raising the industry standard by equipping businesses with the tools to complete state year-end filing, regardless of the state or its unique reporting requirements.

While deadlines for state W-2 and 1099 filing vary, 40 states require reporting and businesses need to keep these deadlines in mind to avoid penalties. For the majority, February 29, 2016 will be the date to remember, but that is not the case across-the-board. Greatland offers an online tool to ease reporting woes for employers and businesses. Yearli provides direct-to-state filing for most states with requirements for W-2 and 1099-MISC reporting. This capability ensures customers get required information to state agencies, and provides status reporting so customers can be sure their filings have been received.

For tax year 2015, six states have moved up their filing deadlines to January 31. The six states are as follows: Alabama (W-2 and 1099), Connecticut (W-2), Indiana (W-2 and 1099R), Mississippi (W-2), North Carolina (W-2 and 1099), and Utah (W-2 and 1099). Employers in these states, take note, as the actual deadline for reporting this year is February 1, due to January 31 falling on a weekend.

“State filing and reporting requirements vary for individual states, making the entire process confusing, even for industry experts,” said Bob Nault, Greatland’s CEO. “Greatland receives thousands of inquiries about state filings each year so we realize the importance of offering this feature to our customers. It is critical that businesses check deadlines every year, as timing is known to shift and failure to file on time can result in penalties that are detrimental to small businesses.”

Greatland staffs a state filing lab in Green Bay, Wis. to ensure its processes are up to date and all forms are filed properly according to state specifications. This unique facility is dedicated to keeping Greatland customers’ minds at ease, knowing that experts are monitoring every detail to prevent penalties.

State filing penalties vary by state and range from fines of $1 per statement to $100 for late filing or failure to file. Most states that have penalties in place have a maximum limit that can reach as high as $500,000. Depending on the regulations per state, some allow for an extension to file.

Seven other states, aside from the six listed previously, also have early 1099 and W-2 filing deadlines. The District of Columbia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin all require W-2 and 1099s to be filed by January 31 (February 1, 2016). The filing deadline for W-2 forms in Illinois is February 15 and filing for W-2 and 1099s in Nebraska is February 1.

Yearli software facilitates the filings and applicable reconciliation forms and requires users to checkout (submit forms for filing) 48 hours before the applicable deadline to ensure processing and timely filing to state agencies. For added convenience, Greatland also accepts filings the day of the deadline to further aid businesses in remaining compliant. See the full list of state e-filing deadlines below or visit Yearli.com for more information. (The chart is a compilation of e-filing deadlines, however, if the state only supports paper filing, the listed due date is for paper).

About Greatland

Greatland (www.greatland.com) is the W-2 and 1099 specialist, focused on providing information, products, and solutions for small to mid-size businesses and accountants.  Greatland helps customers navigate annual reporting changes, including extensive expertise about ACA reporting. Through Greatland’s subsidiaries – Greatland, Nelco, and Broker Forms – the company offers an extensive array of specialized products for businesses: W-2 forms, 1099 forms, 1095 forms, business checks, presentation materials, income tax preparation supplies, and mortgage forms.  Greatland also offers Yearli, a comprehensive W-2, 1099, and 1095 reporting software and online filing platform. Greatland is an employee-owned company with locations in Grand Rapids, Mich. and Green Bay, Wis.  Greatland has an extensive W-2 & 1099 fact center located on its website with answers to many of the top filing questions.  Follow them on Facebook or Twitter: @GreatlandCorp