The code and the corresponding amount must go in Box 12. Since there are four parts of Box 12 on Form W-2 (12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d), you can put up to four codes and amounts on the W-2. If you need to report more than four, you will need an additional Form W-2. Box 12 is highlighted in the Form W-2 below, courtesy of the IRS. Each year, you need to file Form W-2 for your employees.
- You may include a minister’s parsonage and/or utilities allowance in box 14.
- Accurate understanding of these codes is vital to prevent misreporting on tax returns.
- Each of these codes provides essential information for accurately preparing your tax return.
Stay Ahead with Tax1099 Youtube Channel
957, Reporting Back Pay and Special Wage Payments to the Social Security Administration, and Form SSA-131, Employer Report of Special Wage Payments. Amounts reported on Forms W-2 and W-3; and Forms 941, 943, 944, CT-1, or Schedule H (Form 1040) may not match for valid reasons. If they do not match, you should determine that the reasons are valid. Retain your reconciliation information in case you receive inquiries from the IRS or the SSA. Check this box if you are a state or local government or instrumentality, and you have received a determination letter from the IRS indicating that you are also a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3).
If an employee loses a Form W-2, write “REISSUED STATEMENT” on the new copy and furnish it to the employee. You do not have to add “REISSUED STATEMENT” on Forms W-2 provided to employees electronically. Do not send Copy A of the reissued Form W-2 to the SSA.
Each Form W-2 should reflect the EIN of the agent in box b. An agent files one Form W-3 for all of the Forms W-2 and enters its own information in boxes e, f, and g of Form W-3 as it appears on the agent’s related employment tax returns (for example, Form 941). Enter the client-employer’s EIN in box h of Form W-3 if the Forms W-2 relate to only one employer (other than the agent); if not, leave box h blank. An employee may not recognize the importance (or legitimacy) of the employee copy for tax reporting purposes due to the use of logos, slogans, and advertisements. Limited exceptions on this prohibition exist with respect to employee copies. Only in very limited situations will you not have to file Form W-2.
Code GG—Income from qualified equity grants under section 83(i).
Send Copy A to the SSA; Copy 1, if required, to your state, city, or local tax department; and Copies B, C, and 2 to your employee. Keep a copy of Copy A, and a copy of Form W-3, with your records for at least 4 years. For federal tax purposes, virtual currency is treated as property. Transactions using virtual currency (such as Bitcoin) must be reported in U.S. dollars. The salary reduction contribution limit of $3,300 does not include any amount (up to $660) carried over from a previous year. 463, Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses; and section 5 of Pub.
Do not use this code to report elective deferrals under code E. Use this code to report designated Roth contributions under a section 401(k) plan. Do not use this code to report elective deferrals under code D. The $600 voluntary after-tax contribution may be reported in box 14 (this is optional) but not in box 12. The $2,000 qualified nonelective contribution and the $3,000 nonelective profit-sharing employer contribution are not required to be reported on Form W-2, but may be reported in box 14.
The purpose of box 11 is for the SSA to determine if any part of the amount reported in box 1 or boxes 3 and/or 5 was earned in a prior year. The SSA uses this information to verify that they have properly applied the social security earnings test and paid the correct amount of benefits. If the insurance company or other third-party payer did not notify you in a timely manner about the sick pay payments, it must prepare Forms W-2 and W-3 for your employees showing the sick pay. For specific reporting instructions, seesection 6 of Pub. Generally, an agent is not responsible for refunding excess social security or railroad retirement (RRTA) tax withheld from employees. If an employee had more than $6,409.20 in Tier 2 RRTA tax withheld from more than one employer, the employee should claim a refund on Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement.
Start your dream U.S. business in any of the 50 states
The wages and tips subject to Medicare tax are the same as those subject to social security tax (boxes 3 and 7) except that there is no wage base limit for Medicare tax. Be sure to enter tips that the employee reported even if you did not have enough employee funds to collect the Medicare tax for those tips. See Box 3—Social security wages for payments to report in this box. If you paid your employee’s share of taxes, see Employee’s social security and Medicare taxes (or railroad retirement taxes, if applicable) paid by employer . These payments are subject to federal income tax withholding. However, their taxability for social security and Medicare taxes (or railroad retirement taxes, if applicable) depends on the nature of the employment and the status of the organization.
Amounts paid or expenses incurred by an employer for qualified adoption expenses under an adoption assistance program are not subject to federal income tax withholding and are not reportable in box 1. (Use box 14 if railroad retirement taxes apply.) Also, the total amount, including any amount in excess of the $17,280 exclusion, must be reported in box 12 with code T. For more information on reporting adoption benefits in box 12, see Code T—Adoption benefits , later. For employees, you must withhold social security and Medicare taxes, but not federal income tax. However, you must report the uncollected social security tax (or railroad retirement taxes, if applicable) with code M and the uncollected Medicare tax (or RRTA Medicare tax, if applicable) with code N in box 12 of Form W-2.
- Do not staple or tape Form W-3 to the related Forms W-2 or Forms W-2 to each other.
- If the worker does not furnish a valid taxpayer identification number, report the payments on Form 1099-MISC.
- Luckily, youdon’t have to handle the search on your own.
- Unlike qualified plans, NQDC plans do not meet the qualification requirements for tax-favored status for this purpose.
- However, it’s always a good idea to consult with a tax professional for personalized advice based on your specific financial situation.
Form W-2 Topics
These contributions are not taxable, and they are typically excluded from your gross income. Therefore, Box 12 code W generally does not affect your taxes since these contributions are considered pre-tax and are not subject to federal income tax, Social Security tax, or Medicare tax. However, it’s always a good idea to consult with a tax professional for personalized advice based on your specific financial situation. These codes are used by employers to provide additional information about the different types of compensation and benefits employees have received during the tax year.
Small businesses.
These codes are crucial for taxpayers to identify various components of their compensation package. They are key in determining how certain contributions or benefits are taxed. A thorough understanding of these codes is essential for ensuring that one’s tax return reflects accurate income and deduction figures. Complete this box only if you are the employer and have employees who had federal income tax withheld on third-party payments of sick pay.
It is not to be confused with the Box 12 W-2 codes, which are just for organizing the space. The IRS Form W-2 Box 12 can feel a bit overwhelming with all of its different sections and codes. It’s entirely possible to fill out Form W-2 by yourself, but chances are that you may find it a bit difficult to work out what all those Box 12 W-2 codes mean. We form your U.S. business in any of the 50 states and ensure it stays 100% compliant.
However, if the SIMPLE plan is part of a section 401(k) arrangement, use code D. If you are reporting prior-year contributions under USERRA, see the TIP above Code D underBox 12—Codes. On Copy A (Form W-2), do not enter more than four items in box 12. If more than four items need to be reported in box 12, use a separate Form W-2 to report the additional items (but enter no more than four items on each Copy A (Form W-2)).
Use BSO’s online fill-in forms to create, save, and submit Forms W-2 and W-2c to the SSA electronically. BSO lets you print copies of these forms to file with state or local governments, distribute to your employees, and keep for your records. BSO generates Form W-3 automatically based on your Forms W-2. You can also use BSO to upload wage files to the SSA, check on the status of previously submitted wage reports, and take advantage of other convenient services for employers and businesses. Visit the SSA’s Employer W-2 Filing Instructions & Information website at SSA.gov/employer for more information about using BSO to save time for your organization.
On lines 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d, employers can enter any of the codes A-II. We ask for the information on Forms W-2 and W-3 to carry out the Internal Revenue laws of the United States. We need it to ensure that you’re complying with these laws and to allow us to figure and collect the right amount of tax. Section 6051 and its regulations require you to furnish wage and tax statements to employees, the Social Security Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service.
For 2025, a cafeteria plan may not allow an employee to request salary reduction contributions for a health FSA in excess of $3,300. The salary reduction contribution limitation of $3,300 does not what is box 12a include any amount carried over from a previous year. For more information, see Health flexible spending arrangement (FSA) . Extensions of time to file Form W-2 with the SSA are not automatic. The IRS will only grant the extension in extraordinary circumstances or catastrophe. See Extension of time to file Forms W-2 with the SSA for more information.