Filing Your W-3 Using Patriot Software
After you distribute W-2 forms to your employees, you must file a W-3 Transmittal of Wages with the Social Security Administration (SSA) along with a copy of each employee’s W-2 on Form W-2 copy A.
If you are a Full Service Payroll customer, we will electronically file these for you. After we have filed, you can find your SSA confirmation under Reports > Payroll Tax Reports > Tax Filings.
If you are a Basic Payroll customer, you will need to file these yourself, but you can download the file in Patriot Software to upload to the SSA, or print Form W-2 copy A and Form W-3. Patriot also offers electronic filing of only your W-2/W-3 for a one-time fee of $50.00. If you would like Patriot to file your W-2s on your behalf (and no other taxes), please email our Support team at support@patriotsoftware.com with your request.
There are two ways you can file yourself:
Option 1: File electronically
The IRS requires that employers must file electronically if they have 10 or more informational returns to file, which includes 1099s and W-2s. This means if you have paid at least 10 employees and/or contractors, you will need to file your W-2s electronically. You can download an electronic file from Patriot Software and upload the file to the SSA.
- Reports > Payroll Tax Reports > Create W-3/SSA File Please note this W-3 wage file satisfies both the W3 requirement and the W2 copy A requirement.
- Select the Year.
- Enter your Business Services Online user ID. This is an 8-character ID you use to log into your Business Services Online account. This user ID will be included in the file data.
- Click the “Create” button to download and save the .txt file to your computer.
- Upload this file to the Social Security Administration through your Business Services Online account. For detailed upload steps, see Basic Payroll Customers: Steps to Upload your SSA File.
Option 2: File a paper Form W-3 & W-2 Copy A by mail
Patriot will file the W-3 form for active Full Service Payroll customers who have Patriot filing company payroll taxes at year-end.
Basic Payroll customers who have paid 9 or fewer workers for the year can print a Form W-3 and W-2 Copy A to send it to the Social Security Administration.
- Reports > Payroll Year End Forms > W-3 Forms
- Select the year
- Click download
- You can print and mail to the SSA. W-3 forms will not need to be purchased. The SSA has approved Patriot’s Form W-3 for blank paper submission.
To print W-2 Copy A please see “How to Download and Print W-2 Forms in Patriot Software.”
W-3 Summary Report
The W-3 summary report is an employer copy for your records and convenience. It is available to both Basic payroll and Full Service payroll customers. For more information, read “Company W-3 Summary Report.“
[RELATED ARTICLE: What is a W-3?]
[DEFINITION: W-3 Form]
Your feedback will not receive a reply. If you have a specific issue, please reach out to our support team here.