COVID pay in box 14 - How do we make it fit?

sushikam · ‎January 12, 2021

I am working on W-2's for a client in QuickBooks Desktop, who did not set up the payroll items correctly to properly track the COVID pay to employees. We managed to do the 941's manually, but now when preparing the W-2's, I am trying to manually type a description in Box 14 to show the COVID pay paid to each employee. The problem is, the IRS' recommended wording cannot fit in this box as it only allows 8 characters. I saw a previous post where someone stated QuickBooks was generating its own code 'QSL EE' to put in box 14 for those who had it tracked properly from the get go, but is this allowed? I'm not finding any guidance anywhere. Our write up software used for 90% of the clients in my office is simply printing a statement behind each W-2, which works wonderfully, but I don't see an option for a separate statement in QuickBooks. What are our options here? Type up a letter to include behind each employee's W-2?

ReymondO · ‎January 12, 2021

Hey there, @sushikam.

I can see how important it is to track the COVID Paid sick leave in your Form W-2, box 14.

However, printing a W-2 statement is unavailable in QuickBooks Desktop. Although, you can reach out to the IRS and check if they can provide you a separate sheet where you can enter your information. This way, we can make sure that it's in line with their regulations.

For more details, you can also check out this link: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-54.pdf

Additionally, here's an article that'll further guide you on the important dates and tasks to complete your 2020 payroll in QBDT: Year-end checklist for QuickBooks Desktop Payroll. It includes topics about running your final payroll and filing your forms on time.

You're always welcome to comment below if you have other payroll concerns or inquiries. I'll be around to help. Take care.

DraneCo · ‎January 13, 2021

I have the same problem, and this response from QB is of no help whatsoever.

Maybelle_S · ‎January 13, 2021

I want to ensure this is taken care of, @DraneCo.

To fix this, I'd recommend getting in touch with our Customer Support Team. This way, they can pull up your account in a secure environment and help you resolve the issue. You can also contact the IRS for further guidance.

Here's how:

Go to the Help menu.
Select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
In the Have a Question window, scroll down to choose the Contact us link.
This will display the Contact Us screen.
Go to the Tell us more about your question section to enter the issue or topic in the field box.
Click the Search button to display the Get Phone Number or Start a Message button.

Also, I’m adding a guide that lists our support hours and calls me back options to fit our customers' schedules: Support hours and types.

Also, I encourage checking our Help articles page to learn some tips and tricks in managing your QBDT account. From there, you can read great articles that can guide you through the steps by steps process.

Don't hesitate to drop a comment below if you have other questions. I'm more than happy to help. Take care!

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COVID pay in box 14 - How do we make it fit?