What form must employers provide to employees by January 31 to report earnings and tax deductions?

Employers must provide the W-2 form to employees by January 31 each year to report their earnings and tax deductions for the preceding year. The W-2 form details the total wages an employee earned, along with the amount of federal, state, and other taxes withheld from their paychecks. This form is crucial for employees as they use it to file their income tax returns and ensure they report the correct income and tax deduction amounts.

The W-4 form, on the other hand, is completed by employees to indicate their tax withholding preferences but does not report earnings or deductions. The 1099 form is typically used for independent contractors and certain other non-employee payments, while a Payroll Summary is an internal document employers might use to track payroll information but is not a formal requirement for employees to file taxes. Thus, the W-2 form is the correct and required document for reporting earnings and tax deductions to employees by the January 31 deadline.