The tax owed is different because you aren't paying your share of the FICA taxes when you just enter the income as only W2 with 0 as . You are still responsible for your share of the FICA taxes just like any other W2 employee would be and that is the purpose of Form 8919.
Entering your income through the below method will allow you to pay the appropriate employee share of payroll taxes (as well as income), but will alleviate you of the additional burden of the employer share that you would bear as a self employed person.
This information is entered in a different area of the program then regular W2s. It is found under Federal (or Personal) Taxes -> Wages and Income -> Less Common Income -> Misc Income -> Other Income Not Already Reported on A Form W2 or Form 1099
The quickest way to get there is to use the search feature in the top right hand corner (magnifying glass icon).
- Log into your account and click Take Me to My Return (you must click this first or you won’t get the “jump to” link in the next step
- Search for "8919" and then click the jump to "8919" link.
- You will get sent to the Other Wages Received Page
- You will click Yes and proceed until you get to Any Other Earned Income
- Click Yes to this question because you have other income that should be on a W2
- Leave check next to employee compensation that was not reported on a W2
- Next screen will be Employee Compensation that was not reported on a W2
- This screen will explain Form 8919 and SS-8. TurboTax will prepare and file Form 8919 for you with your return, but you will need to file SS-8 on your own (link below)
- Next screen will have to report your wage information
- Next screen will remind you that a Form SS-8 is required
- Next screen will ask if these wages were reported on a 1099MISC
- That will be the end of this section (program interview may go on to ask about other less common income types)
Form SS-8 Determination of Worker Status - link to form and instructions:
