[MorganFreeman]

When we have a lewis structure, for instance SO4 2-, I have noticed 2 methods of notating the charge.

1) Place the Lewis Structure in a bracket, with the charge on the outside; the number is first, the charge following.

2) On each atom note the formal charge, and do not use brackets; the number is first, the charge following.

Which is correct? Or is the bracket method used only when you want to combine all the formal charges into one charge?

[Yggdrasil]

The brackets denote the overall charge of the entire structure.  The non-bracketed numbers denote the formal charge on individual atoms.