A W-2 is a document your employer sends you each January showing how much you earned and how much tax was already withheld from your paychecks

The W-2 form — officially called the "Wage and Tax Statement" — is a record of your employment income and the federal, state, and local taxes your employer deducted from your pay during the previous year. Your employer is required by law to send you a copy by January 31st, and they also send copies to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and your state tax authority. The W-2 is the document you use to file your federal income tax return, and it is the primary way the IRS knows how much you earned as an employee.

The form exists because of how withholding works. When you start a job, you fill out a Form W-4, which tells your employer how much tax to remove from each paycheck. Your employer then withholds that amount throughout the year. At tax time, the W-2 shows the total of what was withheld. If too much was withheld, you get a refund. If too little was withheld, you owe. The W-2 is the proof of what was already paid on your behalf.

Key Takeaways

  • Your employer must send you a W-2 by January 31st showing your total wages and all taxes withheld during the previous year.
  • The W-2 is divided into boxes, each reporting a different type of income or tax — Box 1 is federal taxable wages, Box 2 is federal income tax withheld, and other boxes cover Social Security, Medicare, and state taxes.
  • You need the W-2 to file your federal income tax return, and the IRS receives a copy directly from your employer so they can verify your reported income matches.
  • If you have multiple jobs, you will receive a separate W-2 from each employer, and you must report all of them on your tax return.

The boxes on a W-2 and what each one means

A W-2 has 14 numbered boxes plus several labeled boxes, and each one reports a specific type of income or tax. Understanding what each box contains helps you know whether the form is correct and how to use it when you file your return.

Box 1 (Wages, tips, other compensation) shows your total taxable wages for federal income tax purposes. This is usually your gross pay minus certain pre-tax deductions like contributions to a traditional 401(k) or health insurance premiums. This is the number you use to calculate your federal income tax.

Box 2 (Federal income tax withheld) shows the total federal income tax your employer removed from your paychecks. When you file your return, this amount is credited against the tax you owe. If this number is larger than your actual tax liability, you receive a refund.

Boxes 3 and 5 (Social Security wages and Medicare wages) show the income subject to Social Security and Medicare tax. These are usually the same as Box 1, but can differ if you earned over the Social Security wage cap (which changes each year) or if you had certain pre-tax deductions.

Boxes 4 and 6 (Social Security tax withheld and Medicare tax withheld) show how much was deducted for these payroll taxes. Social Security tax is 6.2% of wages up to a cap; Medicare tax is 1.45% of all wages, plus an additional 0.9% on wages over a threshold if you earn above a certain amount.

Boxes 12a through 12d report other types of income or deductions, each marked with a letter code. Common codes include "D" for 401(k) contributions, "DD" for 401(k) catch-up contributions, and "E" for employee health insurance premiums. These amounts reduce your taxable income.

Box 14 (Other) contains information specific to your state or employer — sometimes state income tax details, sometimes union dues or other items. Check your state's tax instructions to see if anything in Box 14 affects your state return.

How a W-2 differs from other income documents

The W-2 is for employee wages only. If you are self-employed, work as an independent contractor, or receive income from sources other than employment, you will not receive a W-2 for that income. Instead, you will receive a Form 1099 — a different document that reports non-employee income.

A 1099-NEC (Nonemployee Compensation) is used for independent contractor income. A 1099-INT reports interest income from a bank. A 1099-DIV reports dividends from investments. A 1099-B reports stock sales. Each form is designed for a specific income type, and each has its own boxes and tax treatment. The key difference: a W-2 means your employer withheld taxes on your behalf, while a 1099 usually means you are responsible for paying taxes yourself, often through quarterly estimated tax payments.

If you have both W-2 income and 1099 income in the same year, you report both on your federal return. The W-2 income goes on the wages line; the 1099 income goes on the self-employment or other income line, depending on the type.

What to do if you do not receive your W-2 by February

Your employer must send you a W-2 by January 31st. If you do not have it by mid-February, contact your employer's payroll or human resources department first — it may have been mailed to an old address, or there may be a delay in processing.

If your employer cannot locate it or does not respond, you can contact the IRS. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and explain that you have not received your W-2. The IRS can contact your employer on your behalf. You can also file Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) with your tax return if you have documentation of your wages — pay stubs, bank statements showing direct deposits, or a letter from your employer stating your total wages. Form 4852 is not ideal, but it allows you to file on time rather than waiting.

Do not ignore a missing W-2. The IRS receives a copy from your employer, so if you do not report that income on your return, the IRS will notice the discrepancy and may send you a notice or bill.

Correcting errors on your W-2

If your W-2 contains an error — wrong wages, wrong tax withheld, wrong personal information — tell your employer when ready. Your employer can issue a corrected W-2, called a Form W-2c (Corrected Wage and Tax Statement). Your employer must send the corrected form to you and to the IRS.

If you have already filed your return with the incorrect W-2, you will need to file an amended return using Form 1040-X (Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) once you receive the corrected W-2. Do not file an amended return before you have the corrected W-2 in hand, because the IRS will cross-check your return against the W-2 they received from your employer.

Common errors include a misspelled name, wrong Social Security number, wages reported in the wrong box, or tax withheld amounts that do not match your pay stubs. Check your W-2 against your final pay stub of the year — the totals should match.

Multiple W-2s and how to report them

If you worked for more than one employer during the year, you will receive a separate W-2 from each one. You must report all of them on your federal return. When you file, you add up the wages from all W-2s and enter the total on your return. You also add up all the federal income tax withheld from all W-2s and enter that total.

Having multiple W-2s does not change the tax rate you pay — your tax is still based on your total income. However, it can affect your withholding. If you worked for two employers at the same time, each one withheld taxes based on the W-4 you gave them, but neither knew about your income from the other job. This can result in under-withholding. If you expect this situation, you can adjust your W-4 at one or both jobs to increase withholding, or you can make up the difference when you file your return.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to keep my W-2 after I file my tax return?

Yes. Keep your W-2 for at least three years in case the IRS has questions about your return. If you are claiming a mortgage interest deduction or other itemized deductions, keep it longer. Store it with your other tax documents and receipts.

What if my W-2 shows income I did not earn?

Contact your employer when ready and ask them to issue a corrected W-2c. If the error is large or your employer refuses to correct it, you can report it to your state labor department or the IRS. Do not ignore it — the IRS will see the same W-2 your employer filed with them.

Can I file my tax return before I receive my W-2?

You can file early if you have all your W-2s, but the IRS recommends waiting until you have them in hand. If you file before receiving a W-2 and the amounts differ from what you reported, you will need to file an amended return. It is usually faster to wait.

Is the W-2 the same as my pay stub?

No. Your pay stub shows what you earned and what was deducted in a single paycheck. Your W-2 shows the total of all paychecks and all deductions for the entire year. The year-to-date totals on your final pay stub should match your W-2.

What happens if I lose my W-2?

Contact your employer and ask for a duplicate copy. They are required to provide one. If your employer is no longer in business, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and they can help you obtain a transcript of your W-2 information.