The Social Security Administration (SSA or “agency”) has stated that it has discontinued mailing No-Match letters (EDCOR notifications or “letter”) to employers. While the agency has not issued a formal public announcement about the end of No-Match letters; the agency published a statement on its website under “Educational Correspondence to Employers” which states, “at present, we are discontinuing EDCOR letters to focus on making it a better, easier, more convenient experience for employers to report wages electronically. We also will continue to seek out new opportunities to educate employers.”
No-Match letters are notifications that an individual employee’s W-2 form does not match SSA’s records. The letters may be received for a variety of reasons such as typographical errors, unreported name changes, and inaccurate or incomplete employer records.
In 2018, the SSA restarted the practice of sending No-Match letters to employers where employee records generated a mismatch. Upon receipt of the letter, employers were expected to take the appropriate actions including reviewing the discrepancies through a designated SSA online portal, informing employees of the no-match and submitting corrected information on a Form W-2c within 60 days.
The SSA now plans to focus instead on updates to its software to inform employers instantly of errors in wage reports and make it easier for employers to fix errors electronically through its Business Services Online Portal. SSA also will educate employees about the importance of accurate SSA records and how to take advantage of its online system to manage their personal records. If wages are not accurately reported, employees can lose out on future Social Security benefits.
HR Works will continue to monitor this topic and provide updates as new information becomes available.
