What must the Year-to-Date (YTD) employee figures and accumulations balance with at year-end?

The Year-to-Date (YTD) employee figures and accumulations must balance with the Wage and Tax Register and Forms W-2 at year-end because these documents provide a comprehensive summary of an employee's earnings, taxes withheld, and other payroll-related information for the entire year.

The Wage and Tax Register includes all the wage and withholding information for employees, which is essential for accurately preparing Forms W-2. The W-2 summarizes each employee's annual earnings and the taxes withheld, making it critical that the YTD figures match these records to ensure compliance with tax regulations and accurate reporting to the IRS.

Balancing YTD figures with the Wage and Tax Register and Forms W-2 is crucial for avoiding discrepancies that could lead to penalties or audits. Therefore, confirming that these totals align ensures that the payroll records are correct before they are submitted to employees and tax entities. Other options, while important in their own right, do not encapsulate the comprehensive annual reporting requirements as effectively as the relationship between the Wage and Tax Register and Forms W-2.