Forms
Understanding your W-2, box by box
5 min read
Your W-2 reports what you earned and what was already withheld. Reading it correctly is the fastest way to know whether you are getting a refund or writing a check.
The boxes that drive your return
You do not need to understand all twenty boxes. These are the ones that decide the outcome of your return.
- Box 1: taxable wages, usually lower than your salary because of pre-tax benefits
- Box 2: federal income tax already withheld
- Boxes 3 and 5: Social Security and Medicare wages
- Box 12: coded items like 401(k) contributions and employer health coverage
- Box 13: retirement plan and third-party sick-pay indicators
- Boxes 15 through 17: state wages and state tax withheld
Why Box 1 is smaller than your salary
Pre-tax 401(k) or 403(b) contributions, health and dental premiums, HSA and FSA contributions, and commuter benefits all come out before taxable wages are calculated. A smaller Box 1 usually means you already saved on tax during the year.
More than one W-2
Every job gets reported. If you changed employers, worked two jobs, or worked in more than one state, upload all of them. Missing one is the most common reason the IRS adjusts a return after filing.
Missing or wrong W-2
Employers must send W-2s by January 31. If yours has not arrived, check your employer's payroll portal first, then ask the employer to reissue it. If a name, Social Security number, or wage amount is wrong, request a corrected W-2 (Form W-2c) before we file. Filing on bad numbers means amending later.
W-2 vs. 1099
A W-2 means taxes were withheld for you. A 1099-NEC or 1099-K means nothing was withheld and you owe self-employment tax on the profit. If you received both, upload both. We handle the mixed return and your deductible expenses together.
This guide is general tax information, not advice about your specific situation. Amounts and thresholds change each year — we confirm the current figures on your return.