Millions More Form W-2s Arriving in the Mail as Deadline for Employers to Send W-2s Nears

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Millions more taxpayers will soon receive one of the most important documents for preparing an income tax return - their Form W-2 wage statements.  This year, employers must mail these forms no later than next Monday, February 1; and with W-2 and other important documents in hand, many taxpayers will soon head out to have their tax returns prepared and filed.  Jackson Hewitt Tax Service® reminds taxpayers to review their Form W-2s upon receipt for accuracy and offers taxpayers other tips on what to do once they receive their W-2s.  

"Taxpayers will receive a Form W-2 from every employer for whom they worked in 2009, even if they worked for just one day, and they will need all of their Form W-2s to accurately file," said Mark Steber, Chief Tax Officer, Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.  "Many taxpayers will seek to file as early as possible once they receive their Form W-2s, especially if they expect to receive a tax refund.  But before they head out to meet with their tax preparer for tax preparation and filing, taxpayers should review their Form W-2s for accuracy."

Jackson Hewitt encourages taxpayers to check the following three areas on each From W-2 they receive:

• Reported Earnings – Verify that the reported earnings on the statement match year-end pay stubs.
• Social Security Number – Your income history and so many other things are tracked by your Social Security number; it is important to ensure that it is correct.
• Personal Information – Make sure your name and mailing address are correct.  If you've married or divorced in 2009 and made an official name change, you want to ensure that information is accurately reflected on your Form W-2.

W-2 Download is available to Jackson Hewitt clients whose companies allow their employees to download their Form W-2 into Jackson Hewitt's secure tax system, providing access to a taxpayer's Form W-2 information to be used in the preparation of their income tax return.

"With W-2 Download, tax filers do not have to wait for hard copies in the mail; that's great news for those who want to file as early as possible and are expecting a refund," adds Steber. "It also helps if you've not received all of your Form W-2s yet by allowing you to access the ones that did not arrive in the mail so you can file earlier."

When preparing to meet with a tax preparer, taxpayers should also keep in mind other important items to bring to the appointment, such as a Social Security card, a driver's license, information on education expenses, medical and dental expenses, and records of cash and non-cash charitable donations.  Jackson Hewitt provides a list of the documents needed in the "What To Bring" section of its Web site.  For more information, including the latest tax law changes and a list of the most commonly overlooked deductions and credits, visit www.jacksonhewitt.com.

About Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.

Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. (NYSE: JTX), with more than 6,000 franchised and company-owned offices throughout the United States, is an industry leader providing full service individual federal and state income tax return preparation. Most offices are independently owned and operated. Jackson Hewitt is based in Parsippany, New Jersey. More information may be obtained at www.jacksonhewitt.com. To locate the Jackson Hewitt Tax Service® office nearest to you, call 1-800-234-1040.

SOURCE Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.