Two W-2s from the same employer (updated)

[jl_brooks]

My husband received two W-2s from the same employer. What do I do?

Only one state is involved (no state income tax).

The EINs are identical. The income is significantly different and total what he earned last year.

Box 12 is unique to both with no duplication.

Neither W-2 is corrected. Each has a different control number.

When I attempt to import either W-2, it fails.

TurboTax says too much SS tax was collected and to request a correction and refund.

We have tax due, so if he gets a refund from the company, with that amount already calculated as tax paid in TurboTax to determine tax due, it will just add to our tax due.

What should I do?

[VolvoGirl]

If the EIN number in box b is the same and you work in more than 1 state or city, sometimes they will give you another W2 with the extra state information on it and the top part the same or not filled in.  If this is the case, list one W-2 but include both state or local  taxes on it.  It will let you type in more than one line for boxes 15-20.  Don't add the boxes together.  

Same for boxes 12 & 14 if there is no room on the first W2 they can give you another W2 with the extra boxes on it.  So list them all on 1 W2.  For box 12 just enter it in the next row or box.  It doesn't have to match the box 12a-d etc.

[LindaS5247]

If you have two Form(s) W-2 from the same employer that have different amounts in box 12, you will enter your information from the most complete W-2 first. Then you will enter the different box 12 amount from the other W-2 on the same screen. as the first one you entered.

If your W-2's have a different Employer Identification Number you will enter each of them in TurboTax.

Click here for "How do I handle multiple W-2s from the same employer?"

[jl_brooks]

He worked in only one state.
The software says ask for a corrected W-2 and a refund for overpaid taxes (they withdrew too much tax).

If we use only one W2, we don't report all the income and can be audited. Btw, the control numbers are different on these if it matters.
We owe money, so if we get a refund, we'll have to pay it back anyway. The software message seems premature.

[VolvoGirl]

Do they have the same EIN number in box b?  What was too much?  Could it be for Excess Social Security in box 4?

You get excess SS back if you had more than 1 employer and those employers took out more than the max for Social Security tax in W2 box 4.  For 2024 the max for Social Security is $10,453.20 on $168,600 of wages (168,600  x 6.2%).  And it is for each spouse separately if married.  Check 1040 Schedule 3 line 11 which goes to 1040 line 31.

Or for 1 employer…..

Check W2 boxes 3 & 4.  How much is in each box?  Box 4 should be Box 3 x .062 up to a max of $10,453.20.  If box 4 is more than that you need to get a corrected W2 from your employer.  Try leaving the cents off box 4.  But also go back and double check your W2 entries, you may have entered box 3 & 4 wrong.  A lot of people who have asked this found they did enter an amount wrong.

Or check W2 box 12.  You may have entered Code A by mistake.

A sure way to fix this is to delete the W2 and re-enter it.  That may clear something out.

[AnnetteB6]

One more thing to consider.  Check each W-2 carefully to be sure that one of them is not a corrected W-2.  There will either be a box checked or a notation usually at the top of the page to indicate that the form has been corrected.  Or, it could be labeled as a W-2C.

If this is the case, then you will only enter one W-2 based on the information reported on the corrected form.  

@jl_brooks