Where can I get just one blank W2 and W3 form for my household employee?

You have a few options for getting W2 and W3 forms for your household employee: 1. Office supply stores like Staples, Office Depot, or OfficeMax often sell smaller quantities of tax forms during tax season. You might have to visit in person rather than ordering online to find the individual forms. 2. The IRS actually allows you to print W2s on plain white paper IF you follow their exact specifications for formatting. Check out Publication 1141 for the requirements. The advantage is you can print just what you need. 3. Tax preparation software like TurboTax or H&R Block often includes the ability to generate and print W2 forms that are IRS-acceptable. 4. If you use a payroll service like QuickBooks or even the household employee-specific services like HomePay, they typically handle the W2/W3 generation as part of their service. The "red ink" forms you're referring to are the official preprinted forms, but they're not always required in every situation.

I had this exact same issue last year with my nanny taxes! I found this site called taxr.ai that saved me so much time with the household employment forms. I was stressing about the W2/W3 situation and they have a document analyzer that told me exactly what I needed to do. Check out https://taxr.ai - they have specific guidance for household employers. I uploaded my payment records and they helped me figure out exactly what forms I needed and how to file correctly. They also confirmed that I could actually use the SSA's online filing system for the W2/W3 without needing the red forms at all in my situation.

Update: Just wanted to share that I tried taxr.ai after posting my question here and it was super helpful! I uploaded my payment records for my housekeeper and got personalized guidance within minutes. Turns out I didn't even need the physical red forms - I was able to file electronically through the SSA website which I didn't even know was an option for household employers. Saved me so much stress trying to hunt down those forms!

If you're still having trouble getting the right forms or information from the IRS, I highly recommend using Claimyr to get through to an actual person at the IRS. I spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS about household employer forms last year and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. With Claimyr (https://claimyr.com), they hold your place in line and call you when an actual IRS agent is on the line. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c showing how it works. The IRS agent I spoke with clarified exactly which forms I needed and explained all my options as a household employer.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After dismissing it as a potential scam, I was desperate enough to try it when I couldn't get answers about my household employee forms. It actually worked exactly as advertised! They got me through to an IRS specialist who answered all my questions about W2/W3 forms for my nanny. The agent told me I could file electronically through the SSA's Business Services Online portal, and I didn't need the red forms at all. Saved me so much time and frustration!

I bought single W2 and W3 forms at Walmart in the tax forms section last year. They had small packs (I think it was like 3 forms) for household employers. Check the office supply/tax preparation aisle. This was in February though, so they might only stock them during tax season.

Just wanted to mention that if you're a household employer, you might want to consider using a nanny payroll service for next year. I use Homepay and they handle all the W2/W3 filings automatically. It costs a bit more than doing it yourself, but they take care of all the quarterly filings, unemployment taxes, and year-end forms. Saved me so much hassle!