Illinois State University has opted to truncate taxpayer identification numbers (TINs) on IRS Form W-2 distributed to employees. With a goal of preventing identity theft, the IRS permits employers to truncate Social Security numbers (SSNs) on Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statements that are distributed to employees. The full SSN or TIN is required on copies of Form W-2 filed by Illinois State University with the Social Security Administration.
The first five digits of the nine-digit SSN can be masked on Form W-2s distributed to employees using Xs or asterisks in the following formats: XXX-XX-1234 or ***-**-1234.
