From your dashboard, go to “Forms.”
Click on “Forms” and the following screen will appear.
Select the W2(s) for which you would like to generate a W-3.
Next, click “Generate 1096/W-3.”
The following screen will appear, and you’ll decide if you want to print onto a Pre-Printed IRS form or a Blank Sheet. We’re going to print a Blank Sheet, but you can click on either option.
Paper filers, select “Print onto Pre-Printed IRS Form” to create your mailable red ink W-3 form.
eFilers, select “Print onto a Blank Sheet” to print a hard copy for your records.
Click “Print Forms.”
The print preview page will appear. Click the print icon in the upper right corner.
Click on the “Print” button at the lower right corner. This will send your W-3 to your printer.
Tip: eFilers can send W-3 forms directly to the SSA without paper forms or printouts. More time saved!
Why can’t I file my watermarked plain ink copies?
Certain tax form sheets are scanned through automated equipment that uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to process red ink.
For your copy A and W-3 forms, the SSA requires pre-printed forms with machine-readable flint-red OCR dropout ink.
You may face significant penalties and long delays for sending plain ink copies that fail to scan. Adams Tax Forms Helper watermarks these black-ink copies to help you avoid penalties and fines.