YEYS

The Basics

100

This form reports an employee's annual wages and taxes withheld.

W-2

200

This box reports federal taxable wages.

Box 1

300

This box reports federal income tax withheld.

Box 2

400

This report provides W-2 information by employee and box number.

Year-End Balances by Employee Report

500

These boxes commonly show state wages and state income tax withheld.

Boxes 16 and 17

Worst Case Scenarios

100

The fee amount associated with a prior year location change.

$100 W2C fee

200

On January 1, annual wage bases reset to zero. What impact does this have on Social Security, SUTA, and FUTA taxes for employees who had already reached their wage limits in the previous year?

What is that the taxes begin calculating again based on the employee's new year-to-date earnings until the applicable wage base limits are reached?

300

True, if a cllient has a leave plan with a calendar year rollover; the balances will rollover on Jan. 1. 

What is False. The rollovers will happen after the first on-cycle payroll of the year.  

400

A client wants to report a taxable fringe benefit through an off-cycle payroll, but no other earnings will be paid on that check. What additional payroll action may be required?

What is grossing up the earnings to cover the taxes?

500

True or False: 

A client submits a year-end bonus payroll on December 15, 2026, with a check date of January 5, 2027. Since the payroll was submitted before year-end, the bonus will be paid and taxed in 2026.

False

For a bonus or commission to be paid and taxed in 2026, it must have a 2026 check date. In this scenario, the January 5, 2027 check date causes the payment to be reported and taxed in 2027, regardless of when the payroll was submitted.

The client also missed the December 11, 2026 reporting deadline, creating both a timing and year-end reporting issue. 

YS Processing Activities

100

 Which Year-Start Report helps ensure payroll accuracy by providing personal and job-related data for all active, terminated, and future-dated worksite employees?

What is the Census Report?

200

When requesting an accrued vacation payout through TriNet, what earning code must be provided in the case request?

What is VST (Vacation Supplement)

300

True or False:
An employee who claimed exempt from federal income tax withholding in 2025 will continue to be treated as exempt in 2026 unless they submit a new Form W-4 by February 17, 2026.

False

If a new Form W-4 claiming exempt status is not submitted between January 1, 2026, and February 17, 2026, TriNet will update the employee's withholding status to Single with no other adjustments.

400

A worksite employee moved from State A to State B during the prior tax year, but the change was not reported until after their Form W-2 had already been issued. A Form W-2c is required to correct the state wages. What important tax-related item will not be adjusted on the W-2c for that prior year?

What are the state taxes withheld, since those amounts have already been paid to the taxing authorities and cannot be changed for a prior-year transaction?

500

A client submits proof of payment from Venmo for a Net Check Recording request. Why will Payroll reject the request?

Because Venmo (along with PayPal, Zelle, Cash App, and similar peer-to-peer payment methods) is not acceptable proof of payment for Net Check Recording.

Acceptable proof of payment is required:

• Physical Check: A copy of the physical check paid to the worksite employee.
• Wire Payment: Proof of completed wire payment from the issuer's bank that provides the client's name (originator) and employee's name (recipient). The wire payment receipt must also show the bank name, date, dollar amount, reference numbers, and complete status. Partial screenshot or excel documents will not be accepted.
• ACH Transfer: Proof of completed ACH transfer from the issuer's bank that provides the client's name (originator) and employee's last name (recipient).  ACH transfer proof must also show the bank name, date, and dollar amount.  Partial screenshot or excel documents will not be accepted.  A bank statement can be accepted provided that all required information is shown.

Reports

100

This report displays annual Form W-2 data for all worksite employees, organized by Form W-2 box number to assist with review and reconciliation.

What is the Year-End Balances by Employee report?

200

This report provides detailed 401(k) and census information by check date or date range for year-end review, but is not intended for cross-year reporting.

What is the Retirement Usage report?

300

A client wants to see how Form W-2C adjustments have affected their tax reporting. Which report(s) would you recommend they run?

What is Quarterly Federal Tax Summary (Adjusted) or Quarterly State Tax Summary (Adjusted)

400

This year-start report provides Salary.com-powered market pay data to help organizations make informed compensation and merit increase decisions.

What is the Compensation Benchmark report?

500

This report helps identify recurring additional earnings that are paid with on-cycle payroll so organizations can avoid missed or incorrect payments.

What is the Additional Pay report?

Resources

100

This microsite contains critical information, resources, and checklists to support year-end tasks

What is the Year-End / Year-Start Resources Site?

200

Worksite employees receive YEYS communications through this quarterly newsletter in November and January.

What is the Employee Insights Newsletter?

300

These two checklists are highlighted on the YEYS Resources Site to help customers complete year-end tasks.

What are the Client Checklist and Worksite Employee Checklist?

400

These two groups work together during YEYS to ensure payroll and tax reporting readiness.

Who are TriNet and its customers?

500

PEO customers receive YEYS reminders at the top of this weekly newsletter every Wednesday.

What is the Connect Weekly Newsletter?