A W-2 form is a tax form used in the United States to report wages paid to employees and the taxes withheld from them. Employers must complete a Form W-2 for each employee to whom they pay a salary, wage, or other compensation as part of the employment relationship. The form is officially called the "Wage and Tax Statement" and is used to report an employees income from the prior year and how much tax the employer withheld. The form includes information such as the employees total wages for the year, the amount of federal, state, and other taxes withheld from their paycheck, and other information such as contributions to a 401(k) or health savings account. Employers must mail out the Form W-2 to employees on or before January 31 of any year in which an employment relationship existed and which was not contractually independent. Employees use the information on their Form W-2 to prepare their tax returns using Form 1040.