quote:

The quarterly 941 etc forms don't have addresses but they already have the addresses that match the SSN numbers which match the employer which match an address. The connection I assumed would be obvious. Hence if there were cooperation between the agencies it could be done quickly. It wouldn't take a miracle or act of congress to amend the 941 to require the listing of all employee SSNs.

The problem is that a majority who have mismatches are in industries with high turnover rates, coupled with the fact that these employers are notified way too late about the problem (the employee has already left). Additionally, addresses on the tax return may or may not be the same on the W-2. People move, change addresses from a physical to a PO box, or no address on a W-2. Addresses are not required if the employer only provides the W-2 at the workplace. It is not required to mail W-2, but it is the most convenient way. The rule is the employer makes available the W-2 by 1/31 to current or past employees. It is simply not that simple. Former Commissioner Mark Everson made comments on these high risk issues on 2/26/06 before the Subcommittee of oversight and subcommittee on Social Security.

Ok, if it were me and the plan were to put this in motion all those things would be taken care of. One, the rule would be changed to require full employee disclosure up front, name, address, etc. P.O. boxes would not be acceptable. I do that now with my contractors. Not for immigration purposes but to cut down on a different kind of fraud.

Two, the submission of that information would be immediate prior to employment. It could be done electronically via the internet so there wouldn't need to be giant mail rooms set up to collect it all. It wouldn't be perfect since there would be some mistakes made. But it would at least show who they were and where they probably lived in 90% of the cases.

Its all a matter of making changes to the existing system. The way it is now there is a lot of room for people to job hop before they get caught. Remove the time period for discovery and it would fix itself.