In the Helper, the employers, payers, and lenders you file for are called Issuers. Every form you create belongs to an issuer, so setting up your issuers is one of the first things to do each season.
Entering an issuer by hand takes a couple of minutes. It’s the quickest option when you have only a few issuers or need to fix a typo on one. If you have many, you can bring them all in at once from a spreadsheet instead. See Importing payer/employer data from an Excel or CSV file.
Step 1. Go to your Issuers page
In the menu on the left, click Issuers. This page lists every issuer you file for.
Main navigation menu open, with "Issuers" in the list
Click + Add Issuer to open the Add Issuer form.
Issuers page header with the "Import" and "+ Add Issuer" buttons
Tip: You can also click Add an Issuer on your Dashboard. This opens a shorter quick-setup panel with just the basics. You can add W-3, 1096, and state details later by editing the issuer.
Dashboard with the "Add Issuer" quick-setup panel open on the right
Step 2. Enter the Tax ID (TIN)
Under Issuer Information, choose the TIN Type:
EIN for most businesses (XX-XXXXXXX)
SSN for an individual, such as a sole proprietor filing under their Social Security number (XXX-XX-XXXX)
ITIN for an individual with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
Then type the 9-digit number in the TIN field. Helper adds the dashes for you.
Add Issuer page with TIN Type set to EIN and the TIN, RTN (optional), and Sole Proprietor fields visible
Important: Double-check the TIN before you save. The IRS uses it to match your filings.
The RTN (optional) field is for a routing transit number. Leave it blank unless you know you need it. Check the Sole Proprietor box if the issuer is a sole proprietorship.
Step 3. Enter the name and contact details
The name fields depend on the TIN Type:
EIN: Type the issuer’s legal name in Business Name (up to 57 characters), exactly as it appears on IRS records.
SSN or ITIN, or an EIN with Sole Proprietor checked: Enter First Name (up to 15 characters) and Last Name (up to 20). Add a Middle initial and Suffix if needed.
The Display name fills in automatically as you type. You can change it to a shorter nickname to show in your Helper lists. Use Name line 2 (up to 75 characters) if you need a second name line.
TIN filled in as 12-3456789, Business Name typed, and Display name auto-filled with the same value
Using the Dashboard quick-setup panel? It has one combined First Name / Business Name field and a Last Name field. For an EIN, type the business name in the first field. Last Name stays grayed out.
Quick-setup panel with SSN selected, the RTN field shown, and First Name and Last Name fields enabled
Next, fill in the mailing address: Address, City, State/terr/mil code, ZIP, and Country (defaults to United States). Use Address 2 if needed. Address, Address 2, and City each allow up to 22 characters.
Finish with the issuer’s Email address (up to 40 characters) and Phone. Include the 3-digit area code.
ZIP, Country, Email address, and Phone filled in, with the Filing Paths section below
Step 4. Choose your filing paths
Under Filing Paths, turn on the kinds of forms this issuer will file:
W-2 filing if you'll file W-2s for employees
1099 / 1098 filing if you'll file 1099s or 1098s
Both are turned on by default. Leave on the ones that apply to this issuer and turn off any you won't use.
Step 5. Complete the W-3 information
If you file W-2s, don’t skip this section. Helper uses it to make sure your Form W-3 prints correctly and is accepted by the IRS.
Helper fills in the Contact name, Phone, and Email from the details you already entered. Review them and change anything that should be different. Then add a Signature title (for example, “Owner” or “Payroll Manager”) and a FAX number if you have one. The W-3 email allows up to 40 characters.
W-3 Information section with Contact name and Phone auto-filled
Then answer the remaining W-3 questions:
Kind of payer and Kind of employer: Match the boxes you’d check on Form W-3. Most private businesses choose 941 and None apply.
Third party sick pay: Leave this set to NO unless a third party, such as an insurance company, paid sick pay to your employees. If you choose YES, you can also fill in Box 13 and Income tax withheld by third-party payer.
W-3 Email, Kind of payer, Kind of employer, and the Third-party sick pay question set to NO
Step 6. Review the 1096 information
If you file 1099s or 1098s, Helper uses the 1096 Information section for your Form 1096 transmittal. It copies your W-3 contact by default, so most people don’t need to change anything. Update the Name, Title, Phone, FAX, or Email only if someone else handles your 1096 filing.
Box 13 and Income tax withheld fields, followed by the 1096 Information section with Name auto-filled
Step 7. Save your issuer
Click Save Issuer. To save and start another issuer right away, click Save & add another. To leave without saving, click Cancel.
Bottom of the Add Issuer form with Cancel, Save & add another, and Save Issuer buttons
You’ll see an Issuer created message, and the new issuer will appear on your Issuers page.
Issuers page with the green "Issuer created." confirmation
Step 8. Add state payer IDs (if you file state forms)
If you withhold state tax, open the issuer, click State Codes, then click + Add state code. Enter the issuer’s State payer ID, which is the ID the state gave the issuer for withholding. These IDs fill in automatically on W-2 and 1099/1098 forms when you select state withholding.
Some states issue separate IDs for W-2 (wage) and 1099/1098 (income) filings. If you have two IDs for the same state, add both and set Applies to for each one.
State codes page for the issuer with the "+ Add state code" button and the multiple-IDs info note
For a full walkthrough, see Adding state tax ID numbers to a payer/employer.
How to edit an existing issuer
Need to fix a typo or update an address? From your Issuers page, click the issuer's name to open its On your Issuers page, click the issuer’s name to open its details.
Click the pencil icon next to the issuer’s name.
Issuer details page showing the address, masked TIN, phone, last edited date, and the pencil icon next to the name
The Edit Issuer page opens with the issuer’s saved details already filled in. Update any fields you need.
Edit Issuer page with the saved TIN and TIN Type pre-filled
The Edit Issuer page opens with the issuer’s saved details already filled in. Update any fields you need.
Address 2 field updated to "Suite 100" on the Edit Issuer page
Click Save Issuer. You’ll see an Issuer updated message.
Green "Issuer updated." confirmation
Good to know: Editing an issuer doesn’t change forms you’ve already eFiled with the IRS or SSA. If a filed form had the wrong issuer name or TIN, you’ll need to file a correction. See Correcting a 1099 Form with an Incorrect Payer Name or TIN.
Troubleshooting Common Concerns
I see “Discard changes?” when I close the form.
You have unsaved changes. Click Keep editing to go back, or Discard to close without saving.
"Discard changes?" dialog with Keep editing and Discard buttons
The Last Name field is grayed out.
This happens in the Dashboard quick-setup panel when the TIN Type is EIN. Type the business name in the First Name / Business Name field instead.
A name or address field won’t accept more characters.
Helper uses the IRS and SSA limits: Business Name 57, First Name 15, Last Name 20, and Address and City 22 each. Shorten or abbreviate the entry (for example, “St” for “Street”).
My phone number won’t save.
Make sure it includes the 3-digit area code.
My email is being rejected.
Email addresses allow up to 40 characters. Try a shorter address.
I see “This issuer’s TIN could not be read and cannot be edited here.”
Contact our support team and include the error reference number shown in the message.
Red error banner reading "This issuer's TIN could not be read and cannot be edited here. Error reference: ..."
State withholding isn’t filling in on my forms.
Check that you’ve added a State payer ID under State Codes for that state, with Applies to set to the right form type (W-2 or 1099/1098).
That’s it! Your issuer is set up and ready for forms. Next, add your recipients and start filing. See How to Add a Recipient Manually.