If a W2 is typed out on normal printing paper, but has the appearance of a normal W2, is that considered a nonstandard W2?

[alyssa-miller]

I have a W2 that has the big box with all the little boxes, appearing as a normal W2. But it is printed on normal printing paper, doesn't have the blue color on it like my other W2s, is not tear-able, doesn't have fine print of instructions on the back, and says almost nothing about the IRS on it, like my other W2s do. It has one small thing about the IRS printed under Copy B that says "Department of the Treasury - IRS," and has an OMB No. at the top. Other than that, it's just typed on normal paper. Is it a nonstandard W2??

[rjs · Accepted solution]

That sounds like a standard W-2. Nonstandard means handwritten, altered, or filled out with an actual typewriter, not a printer. (You call it "typed" but I think you mean printed on a printer, not a typewriter.)

The blue color is actually not part of the official IRS form. The IRS form is just black printing on white paper. The blue color is an alternate standard form that is used by some payroll processing companies.