IRS

Form W-2

Rev. 2024

Wage and Tax Statement

Employer-issued statement showing employee wages and taxes withheld for the year.

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Plain English

Form W-2 is your annual wage summary from your employer. It shows how much you earned and how much was withheld for federal, state, and Social Security/Medicare taxes. You use it to file your tax return.

Quick Facts

Who: Every employee who worked for a U.S. employer during the tax year, regardless of immigration status.
What: Annual statement showing total wages, tips, and taxes withheld (federal income, Social Security, and Medicare).
When: Employers must issue W-2 by January 31 of the following year. Covering the previous calendar year.
Where: Sent to employee by mail or electronic delivery. Copy filed with Social Security Administration and IRS.
Why: Required to complete Form 1040 — the W-2 provides your income amounts and the taxes already withheld from your paychecks.
How: Employers prepare this form. Employees review it for accuracy (name, SSN, amounts) and use it to prepare their tax return.

Common Risks & Mistakes

  • •Incorrect SSN or name — mismatches IRS records and delays tax return processing
  • •Missing W-2 — contact employer; if unreachable by Feb 15, call IRS at 800-829-1040
  • •Box 1 vs Box 3 confusion — Box 1 includes all taxable wages; Box 3 is only Social Security wages (capped)
  • •Failing to include W-2 income on tax return — IRS matches W-2 data and will send a notice
  • •Incorrect state wages in Box 16 — causes state tax return errors
  • •Not keeping copy for records — W-2 may be needed for loan applications, rental verification

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Field-by-Field Guide

Boxes a-f
Employee SSN (Box a)REQUIREDssn

Employee's Social Security Number. Must be accurate for IRS matching.

Employer EIN (Box b)REQUIREDein

Employer Identification Number. Required on all W-2s.

Employer Name and Address (Box c)REQUIREDtext

Employer's legal name, address, ZIP. Must match IRS records.

Employee Name (Box e)REQUIREDtext

Employee's legal first name, middle initial, last name.

Income
Wages, Tips, Other Comp (Box 1)REQUIREDamount

Total federal taxable wages. Does not include pre-tax 401(k), health insurance deductions.

Federal Income Tax Withheld (Box 2)REQUIREDamount

Total federal tax withheld from paychecks. Goes directly on Form 1040.

Social Security
Social Security Wages (Box 3)REQUIREDamount

Wages subject to SS tax. Cap at $168,600 for 2024.

Medicare
Medicare Wages (Box 5)REQUIREDamount

No cap on Medicare wages. Includes all wages + tips.

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Form Stats

8
Fields
8
Required
4
Sections

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Disclaimer: We do not provide legal advice. We translate legal language into plain English and help you prepare for a conversation with a lawyer.