When individuals’ W-2 wages or self-employment earnings are placed in the Earnings Suspense File (ESF), SSA sends DECOR correspondence to the individual trying to secure his or her correct SSN and name. (However, if an employee’s W-2 either has no employee address or has an address that isn’t in the Postal Services’ database, SSA instead sends a DECOR letter to their employer.)

NOTE: Effective August 23, 2012, we suspended all DÉCOR letters because of budgetary reasons.

Send the following notices as appropriate:

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  Form SSA-L3365-C1 (Employee Letter) to the employee requesting verification of name and/or SSN.

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  Form SSA-L2765-C1 (Self-employment Letter) to the self-employed individual for verification of name and/or SSN.

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  Form SSA-L4002-C1 (Employer Letter) to the employer if the W-2 either has no employee address or has an address that isn’t in the Postal Service’s database.