#2 Many paycheck deductions can be pre-tax. It can be hard to figure out the taxable wages. Your W2 may not match your pay stubs. You have to wait to get the W2. You might not be able to figure it out yourself.
Social Security and Medicare deductions are part of your taxable wages. Medical premiums can be pre-tax or included in wages. 401K contributions are not part of your taxable wages, unless they are ROTH 401K. Pension plan deductions can be either way. You would have to ask your employer how they figure the taxable wages in W2 box 1.
My husband worked for California state and I never could reconcile his paychecks to the W2.
