What goes in each box on your W2

Your W2 has 14 numbered boxes plus some unnumbered fields. Most of them are already filled in by your employer — your job is to check them for accuracy and use the numbers when you file taxes. The boxes you're most likely to need are Box 1 (wages subject to federal tax), Box 2 (federal income tax withheld), Box 5 (Medicare wages), and Box 6 (Medicare tax withheld). Boxes 12 and 14 sometimes contain additional income or deductions that affect your tax return.

You don't fill in most boxes yourself. Your employer's payroll system generates them from your pay stubs throughout the year. Your role is to verify the numbers make sense — that your total wages match what you earned, that the tax withholding looks reasonable, and that any special items in Box 12 are things you actually received (like health insurance contributions or dependent care payments).

If you spot an error, contact your employer's payroll or HR department and ask for a corrected W2. They have until January 31 to send you the form, and if they send it late or with mistakes, that's their responsibility to fix, not yours.

Key Takeaways

  • Your employer fills in almost all W2 boxes automatically from payroll records; you verify the numbers are correct rather than entering them yourself.
  • Box 1 (wages), Box 2 (federal tax withheld), Box 5 (Medicare wages), and Box 6 (Medicare tax withheld) are the numbers you'll use most often on your tax return.
  • If any number looks wrong, contact your employer's payroll department and request a corrected W2 before you file taxes.
  • You need a separate W2 for each employer you worked for during the year, even if you only worked there briefly.

Boxes 1 through 6: Income and withholding

Box 1 shows your total wages, salaries, tips, and other compensation subject to federal income tax. This is the number you'll report as income on your tax return. It should match your gross pay for the year — the amount before any deductions. If you received tips that your employer didn't withhold taxes on, those may be listed separately or included here depending on how your employer reported them.

Box 2 is the federal income tax your employer withheld from your paychecks throughout the year. The IRS uses this to check against what you owe when you file. If too much was withheld, you get a refund; if too little, you owe. Box 5 and Box 6 work the same way but for Medicare tax — Box 5 is your Medicare wages and Box 6 is the Medicare tax withheld (normally 1.45% of your wages).

Social Security wages and tax appear in Box 3 and Box 4. These are almost always the same as Box 1 and Box 2 unless you earned over the Social Security wage base for that year (the limit changes annually) or had certain types of income excluded. Most employees don't need to do anything with these boxes — they're informational.

Box 12: Special income and deductions

Box 12 can contain several different types of payments, each marked with a letter code. Common codes include D (401k contributions), E (dependent care benefits), and G (taxable income from an incentive stock option). If Box 12 has an entry, look at the letter code to understand what it represents. Your employer should have explained these items when you enrolled in the benefit or received the payment.

Some Box 12 entries reduce your taxable income (like traditional 401k contributions), while others are already included in Box 1 and don't change your taxes. The letter code tells you which category it falls into. If you're unsure what a code means or whether it affects your tax return, the IRS publishes a full list of Box 12 codes on their website, or you can ask your payroll department.

Boxes 7 through 11: State and local taxes

Boxes 7 through 11 show state income tax, local income tax, and any other taxes your employer withheld. If you live and work in the same state, Box 7 will show your state wages and Box 8 will show state income tax withheld. If you worked in multiple states or moved during the year, you may have multiple W2s or entries across these boxes.

You'll use these numbers when you file your state and local tax returns. Some states don't have income tax, so these boxes may be blank or show zero. If you worked in a city with a local income tax (like New York City or Philadelphia), that will appear in Boxes 10 and 11.

Box 13: Retirement plan and other checkboxes

Box 13 has three small checkboxes. The first indicates whether you were covered by a retirement plan (like a 401k or pension) at your job. This matters if you're also claiming an IRA deduction on your tax return — being covered by a workplace plan may limit how much you can deduct. The second checkbox indicates statutory employee status, which is rare. The third shows whether your employer made third-party sick pay payments.

Most employees only need to look at the first checkbox. If it's checked and you contributed to an IRA that year, you may need to report that on your tax return. If you're unsure whether the checkbox affects you, your tax software will usually ask about it during the filing process.

Box 14: Other information

Box 14 is a catch-all for anything your employer wants to report that doesn't fit elsewhere. Common entries include union dues, health insurance premiums, or educational assistance. These are informational — they don't usually change your federal tax calculation, but some may be relevant for state taxes or itemized deductions.

Read the label next to Box 14 to understand what the number represents. If you're not sure whether it affects your taxes, ask your payroll department or mention it to your tax preparer.

What to do if your W2 has errors

Compare your W2 to your final pay stub from the year. The numbers should match or be very close — the only difference might be if your employer made a final adjustment after your last regular paycheck. If Box 1 (wages) is significantly different from what you earned, or if the tax withholding in Box 2 doesn't match what you see on your pay stubs, contact payroll immediately.

Your employer must send you a corrected W2 (marked as a "corrected" form) if there's an error. They have until January 31 to send the original, but there's no strict deadline for corrections — they should send them as soon as they discover the mistake. If your employer is slow to correct it, you can file your taxes using the corrected information and note that you're waiting for the amended form, but it's better to wait for the corrected W2 if possible.

If you never receive a W2 from an employer you worked for, contact them first. If they don't respond by early February, you can file a complaint with the IRS using Form 211 or call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to fill in any information on my W2 myself?

No. Your employer generates the entire W2 from payroll records. Your job is to review it for accuracy and use the numbers on your tax return. If you spot an error, contact your employer to request a correction.

What if I worked for multiple employers during the year?

You'll receive a separate W2 from each employer. When you file taxes, you'll report income from all of them. Add up the Box 1 amounts from each W2 to get your total wages for the year.

Can I file taxes without my W2?

You can file without it if you have your pay stubs and know your total wages and withholding, but it's risky — the IRS receives a copy of your W2 and will compare it to your return. It's better to wait for the W2 or contact your employer if it's late.

What does it mean if Box 2 (federal withholding) is zero?

It means no federal income tax was withheld from your paychecks. This can happen if you claimed exemption from withholding on your W4 form, or if your income was low enough that no tax was owed. You may owe taxes when you file, depending on your total income for the year.

Should I keep my W2 after I file taxes?

Yes. Keep it for at least three years in case the IRS has questions about your return. Many people keep them longer as part of their financial records.