Exempt Employer's Toolkit

 

If you are a new employer, or new to dealing with federal employment taxes, the first place to go for information is Publication 15, (Circular E), Employer's Tax GuidePDF. This publication, revised annually, contains basic information employers need to collect information needed to determine and pay their and employees’ employment tax liability, file correct tax returns and withhold federal taxes.

Form Discussion
I-9, Employment Eligibility VerificationPDF Required for all newly-hired employees. This form can be obtained from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
SS-4, Application for Employer Identification NumberPDF (with instructionsPDF) See Employer Identification Numbers, for an explanation of why tax-exempt organizations need EINs, and how to obtain them.
W-2, Wage and Tax StatementPDF (instructions included) This form must be issued to recipients of wages, and copies filed with the IRS.
W-2G, Certain Gambling WinningsPDF This form is used to report prizes and winnings from games of chance conducted by exempt organizations.
W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax StatementsPDF (English instructionsPDF or instructions (in Spanish)PDF for Puerto Rico) This form is used to transmit Forms W-2 to the IRS.
W-4, Employee's Withholding CertificatePDF This form must be furnished to each employee upon hiring, to determine correct withholding. An employee may submit a new certificate at any time.
W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and CertificationPDF (with instructionsPDF) This form is furnished to a person who receives a payment from an organization, to verify the recipient's taxpayer identification number.
941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax ReturnPDF (with instructionsPDF) This form must be filed each quarter by an employer, including an exempt organization, who pays wages during the quarter.
944, Employer's Annual Federal Tax ReturnPDF (with instructionsPDF) This form may be filed by certain employers with small payrolls who have been notified by the IRS that they can file on an annual basis, instead of filing Form 941 quarterly.
945, Annual Income Tax Withholding ReturnPDF (with instructionsPDF) This form must be filed to report withholding on payments other than wages. Examples of such payments are pensions, annuities, and individual retirement accounts.
1042, Annual Withholding Tax Return for U.S. Source Income of Foreign PersonsPDF Like Form 945, this form is used to report withholding on payments other than wages, except that the payments are made to foreign persons.
1042-S, Annual Withholding Tax Return for U.S. Source Income of Foreign PersonsPDF Like Form 1099-MISC, this form is filed by a payer who makes certain payments for services to recipients who are not employees, except the recipients are foreign persons.
1099-MISC, Miscellaneous IncomePDF (with instructionsPDF) Must be filed by a payer who makes certain payments for services to recipients who are not employees.
1096, Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information ReturnsPDF Used to transmit Forms 1099-MISC and W-2G to the IRS.

For more information about employer responsibilities, visit the web page for Employment Taxes for Exempt Organizations. This page includes information about employment tax exemptions and exclusions for exempt organizations.

You may also want to consult the following publications: