Can I enter my 401k contribution in the "Traditional and Roth IRA Contributions" section?

[ArmorOfGod7]

I found the following in one of the help articles:

"If you have a 401(k) or TSP through your employer, your contribution is reported in Box 12 of your W-2 with the letter code D.

Because your contribution is included in your W-2, do not re-enter it in the retirement section."

Box 13 of my W-2 does have an 'X' under "Retirement Plan", but there's nothing with code D in box 12. I just have DD and that's it. So, can I enter my 401k contribution in the "Traditional and Roth IRA Contributions" section of "Deductions and Credits"?

[VolvoGirl]

No.  A 401K is not an IRA.  Ask your employer why it's not in box 12.  Maybe you are contributing to a ROTH 401K and that is not deductible.  

[dmertz]

Even with a Roth 401(k) contribution there would be a code in box 12 (code AA).  If you made contributions to your employer's 401(k) plan via salary deferrals, the employer must report them in box 12.

Are you sure that the employer has a 401(k) plan to which you were contributing.  Some employer's allow a  portion of your paycheck to be directly deposited into an IRA instead of to a checking or savings account, but that would not be an employer plan.

[Opus 17]

Code DD is the employer's contribution to your employer sponsored health insurance, it has no effect on your taxes, that number is there for information only.  

Qualified workplace plans have several different codes depending on the exact type of plan.  A list of codes is here.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/letter-codes-box-12-w-2-mean/L6...

IRAs are covered by a different section of the tax law than qualified workplace plans, and they have different rules, even though they have a similar purpose.  

If you make pre-tax workplace plans, that fact is supposed to be on your W-2.  Your box 1 taxable wages are already reduced by the amount of the contribution, and the contribution (along with any employer match) should be reported in box 12.  Do not report workplace plans in the section for IRAs.  If you think your W-2 is wrong, you need to contact your employer. 

[louie71]

Is my employer legally obligated to report my voluntary 401k Roth contributions on my W2? Is there any harm with the IRS if they are not listed? 

[BillM223]

louie71:

The instructions for the W-2 (which are instructions to your employer on how to fill out the W-2) state "Section 402A requires separate reporting of the yearly designated Roth contributions" see page 10 of the W-2/W-3 instructions. 

Subsequently on page 23, you will see "Code AA—Designated Roth contributions under a section 401(k) plan. 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. See Designated Roth contributions." This is what dmertz is referring to.

So, the W-2 instructions state that your employer should have reported the Roth 401(k) contribution on your W-2.

"Is there any harm with the IRS if they are not listed?" - I can't say if you will come to harm if your employer does not follow the IRS instructions for the W-2, but I would think that you would like to avoid the situation if you can. After all, if the IRS discovers something awry, they may write you a letter rather than your employer, and I assume that you would prefer to stay out of it.

You might ask your employer why your contributions to a Roth IRA were not listed with a code AA in box 12.

[dmertz]

@BillM223 , Roth 401(k), not Roth IRA.

[louie71]

Yep! I’m pretty frustrated with my employer. They told me it’s on my paystubs and verified when I log into my retirement plan so they can leave box 12 blank. My wife has it listed in box 12 with code BB. Mine is blank. If I send the the instructions from the IRS website they will get pissed at me for telling them how to do their job. This is an employer that has almost 1000 employees. It’s baffling.