What Happened to SSA Employer Correction (EDCOR) Letters?

SSA stopped mailing Employer Correction Request (EDCOR) letters in April 2021, and employers now find name and Social Security number errors in their W-2 wage reports through SSA Business Services Online (SSA EDCOR page).

What the letters did. EDCOR letters told employers that information on Forms W-2 did not match SSA records and needed correction before SSA could post the earnings (SSA EDCOR page).

Why accuracy matters. If SSA cannot match a reported name and number, it cannot credit the earnings to the worker's record. Missing earnings can mean the worker does not qualify for benefits or receives the wrong amount (SSA EDCOR page).

Common causes. SSA lists typographical errors, unreported name changes and inaccurate or incomplete employer records as reasons names and numbers may not agree (SSA EDCOR page).

How employers find and fix errors. SSA describes these steps (SSA EDCOR page):

1. Register for Business Services Online.
2. Enter an activation code, a one-time step to view name and number errors.
3. Retrieve the name and number errors.
4. Use the Social Security Number Verification Service.
5. Work with the employee to resolve the error. SSA provides a sample verification letter employers can give to employees.
6. Fix the errors by filing Form W-2c.

Verification before filing. The FAQ on the SSA Social Security Number Verification Service explains how employers check names and numbers before filing W-2s.