Quick version: Go to Recipients, click Add New Recipient, choose the Issuer they belong to, enter their tax ID, name, address, and phone, and click Save.
Recipients are the people and businesses you send forms to, including employees who get a W-2. In Helper, the employers, payers, and lenders you file for are called Issuers, and every Recipient is linked to at least one Issuer.
Before you start
Add the Issuer first. If you haven’t, see How to Add or Edit an Issuer (Employer/Payer) Manually.
Have the Recipient’s details ready: their TIN (SSN, EIN, or ITIN), legal name, mailing address, and phone number.
Add a recipient
Click Recipients in the left menu.
Click Add New Recipient.
Under Which issuer is this recipient associated with?, choose the Issuer. You can type in the search box to find it.
Under TIN Type, choose SSN, EIN, or ITIN, then enter the number in TIN.
Enter the First Name / Business Name. If you chose SSN, also enter the Last Name. Use + Add name line 2 only if you need it.
Enter the Address, City, State/terr/mil code, and ZIP. Click + Add line 2 for a suite or apartment number. Country is set to United States. If you change it, ZIP becomes Postal code.
Enter the Phone (+ area code). Add an Email address if you have one.
Click Save.
What happens next
You’ll see a Recipient added. message, and the Recipient is listed in the Recipient Directory. You can now choose them when you create a form for that Issuer.
Need them on more than one Issuer? After saving, check the Recipient’s box in the Recipient Directory and click Link to issuer. See How to Link or Unlink a Recipient and an Issuer.
Common questions
Is an employee the same as a Recipient?
Yes. Add employees the same way, and choose their employer as the Issuer. You’ll then be able to pick them on a W-2.
Which TIN type should I choose?
SSN: for a person with a Social Security number.
ITIN: for a person with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
EIN: for a business.
For SSN and ITIN, Last Name is required.
What if the Recipient already exists?
If a Recipient with the same TIN is already in your account, Helper asks Link existing recipient? so you don’t create a duplicate. If they were marked inactive, it asks Restore inactive recipient? instead.
Why can’t I add a Recipient?
Every Recipient must be linked to an Issuer. If you see Add an issuer first, add your Issuer, then try again.
Do I need the Recipient’s email address?
No. Email address is optional. Phone (+ area code) is required.
Next, create a form for your new Recipient.