What Global Mobility Leaders Need Before Filing W-2s

Your Last Checkpoint Before Year-End Reporting

Filing W-2s is not just a payroll task. For global mobility leaders, it is a critical compliance checkpoint that reveals whether your relocation tax strategy held up under pressure.

Without the right data, reconciliations, and audit documentation in place, your team could face more than just year-end stress. You could be staring down a wave of reissued forms, payroll mismatches, frustrated employees, or even audit exposure.

Here’s what every mobility leader should confirm before W-2s are filed—and how Orion helps you close the year with confidence.

1. Final Gross-Up Calculations Aligned with Payroll

If your gross-ups were processed manually, outside your payroll system, or using flat rates across multiple states or countries, now is the time to verify:

·       All taxable relocation benefits were correctly calculated

·       Marginal, inverse, or blended gross-up methods were applied based on jurisdiction

·       Employee earnings and withholdings were captured accurately

Misaligned gross-up logic is one of the most common causes of W-2 errors.

Orion Solution:
Our system tracks gross-ups in real time, applies the correct logic automatically, and syncs with payroll to reduce mismatches before year-end.

2. Payroll-Ready Data That Matches W-2 Reporting Fields

Before final files are submitted, you should confirm that:

·       All relocation-related earnings are coded correctly

·       W-2 boxes for taxable reimbursements (such as moving expenses or home sale benefits) are populated accurately

·       No duplicate benefits or misclassified amounts were carried over from previous systems or vendors

Orion Solution:
We generate reconciliation-ready payroll files with pre-coded fields designed to feed directly into W-2 reporting, reducing the need for last-minute manual edits or corrections.

3. Documentation That Backs Every Number

In case of a tax authority audit or internal review, you need more than just clean numbers. You need documentation that shows:

·       When the benefit was paid

·       How the tax liability was calculated

·       What approval process or policy was followed

·       Who received what, and when

Orion Solution:
Our system provides time-stamped digital audit trails, categorized receipts, and PDF summaries for every relocation file—making audit support fast and painless.

4. Employee Communication Prepared in Advance

Your W-2s are only as effective as your employees' understanding of them. Surprises on taxable relocation benefits can lead to:

·       Frustrated calls to HR

·       Delayed tax filings

·       Lower satisfaction and trust in the mobility process

Make sure your communication plan includes:

·       A simple breakdown of what benefits were taxable

·       An explanation of gross-ups and what they covered

·       A contact person for W-2 or payroll questions

Orion Solution:
We help HR and payroll teams prepare clear employee-facing communication, FAQs, and policy language to reduce confusion and prevent support overload.

Final Takeaway

W-2 season is not just a formality—it is the final exam for your relocation compliance process.

At Orion Mobility, we help clients build tax compliance into every relocation from day one. Our tools, reporting, and reconciliation workflows ensure that by the time W-2s are due, you are already prepared.

Accurate gross-ups
Payroll-ready files
Audit documentation
Employee confidence

That is what it means to be truly year-end ready.

Let’s talk if you need help wrapping up W-2 prep or auditing your gross-up process before it is too late.
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