Federal taxes W2

[Mimi666666]

I got my W-2 and inbox to where your federal income tax withheld should be. It is blank, but every paycheck on my paystub shows federal taxes withheld and I asked my employer about it and she said that’s taxes that they pay for the employee to the IRS so my question is Why is it blank? I still don’t understand that?, thank you 

[DaveF1006 · Accepted solution]

Yes, your employer is correct in stating that these are taxes that they pay for the employee to the IRS but the amount should have been reported in Box 2. You will need to request your employer issue you a corrected W2 so that you will receive credit for your withholding taxes paid.

If you do not get a corrected W2 from the employer, you will need to enter a substitute W2 in your program. Here are the steps add the substitute W2..

1. Open or continue your return.
2. Navigate to the W-2 section:
   • TurboTax Online/Mobile: Go to W-2.
   • TurboTax Desktop: Search for W-2 and select the Jump to w-2 link.
3. Fill out your W-2 using the information from your last pay stub.
4. Answer any questions until you get to Let's check for uncommon situations.
5. Check the box next to Didn't get a W-2 and select Continue.
6. On the Let's check if you need a substitute W-2 screen, select Yes then Continue.
7. Answer the follow-up questions. Select Print to download and print your IRS Form 4852.

I suggest adding up all the federal tax withheld and place the amount in Box 2.  You may get audited but if you do, save all of the stubs and explain to the IRS that your employer did not include your withholdings on your W2 and refuse to issue you a corrected W2.

When determining your federal tax withheld, do not include social security taxes or Medicare taxes.  These would be listed in Boxes 4 and 6 in the W2 form in your return.

[Edited 01/24/24|12:41 pm PST]

[SteamTrain]

Unless one or the other of you (employer or employee) are confusing the SS and Medicare taxes (FICA) with the regular "income" taxes.

Do your paystubs actually list the SS and Medicare taxes separately (FICA taxes) from the Federal Income taxes withheld?   

I'm pretty sure the FICA taxes go to the IRS too, at least at first, and then they credit the SS/Medicare agencies the proper amounts.  i.e the employer sends both the FICA taxes and regular income tax withholding to the IRS

[Mimi666666]

Thank you for your answer. I believe that it was a mistake that the  box 2 for federal withholding on my W-2 was left blank. She said it was done electronically so it probably just got missed

[Opus 17]

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@Mimi666666 wrote:

Thank you for your answer. I believe that it was a mistake that the  box 2 for federal withholding on my W-2 was left blank. She said it was done electronically so it probably just got missed

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Don't just enter your withholding in box 2 as if it was there.  The IRS won't like that.  Instead, there is a procedure to fill out a substitute W-2 form.  I believe that you fill in turbotax as if the W-2 said what you think it is supposed to say, but then there is a list of special circumstances and you have to check the box for "my W-2 is incorrect." 

Also, don't file your tax return until you get a corrected W-2 from your employer, or you get in writing that they refuse to issue a corrected W-2.  When the IRS gets your tax return and sees withholding on your return that does not match the copy of your W-2 that they got, they will block your refund for verification. 

[Mimi666666]

Thank you. I think it’s my fault because when I filled out the W-4, everything has zero on it because we filed married jointly, and my husband makes way more money than I do and I read something where he needed to go into his W-4 and change something I don’t make very much I just work to get out of the house., so he has been at the same job 30 years plus and he’s not gonna go in and change anything on his W4. It’s just weird that money is coming out of my paycheck but showing blank on the W-2 so where is the money that’s coming out it’s just weird I called IRS and everything’s automated and I can’t get any answers so I think I’m going to try to call a tax place and see if they can help me 

[Opus 17]

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@Mimi666666 wrote:

Thank you. I think it’s my fault because when I filled out the W-4, everything has zero on it because we filed married jointly, and my husband makes way more money than I do and I read something where he needed to go into his W-4 and change something I don’t make very much I just work to get out of the house., 

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Remember, you are subject to 4 types of tax withholding.  Federal income tax, state income tax, social security tax, and medicare tax.  Depending on your income and W-4, you might see no federal tax withholding even though you have state or social security withheld.  That could be normal.  

However, if you clearly have federal income tax withheld from your paycheck, that is supposed to be added up and put in box 2, and that has nothing to do with how you fill out your W-4. It's a plain mistake by your employer or their payroll processor.  

[Mimi666666]

Thank you, but to happen at all three jobs, all three jobs for last year the federal withholding box is left blank so how would all three jobs make a mistake? That’s just weird.

[Opus 17]

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@Mimi666666 wrote:

Thank you, but to happen at all three jobs, all three jobs for last year the federal withholding box is left blank so how would all three jobs make a mistake? That’s just weird.

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You've just gone from one W-2 to 3 W-2s with the same problem.  Can you get your story straight?

As noted before, it is possible to have no federal income tax withholding, especially for low wage jobs where you indicate on your W-4 that you are married and don't make the required adjustment for having more than one job.

And, as noted before, there are 4 types of tax withholding you should be concerned about, federal income tax, state income tax, social security, and medicare tax.  It is possible to have no federal income tax withheld from your weekly or monthly check, depending on your W-4.

But if you have federal income tax withholding on your pay stub, then that withholding must be added up and put in box 2, no matter how you fill out your W-4.

Do you have federal income tax withholding on your pay stubs, or just the other taxes?

[MonikaK1]

FICA (Social Security) taxes are required to be withheld from each employee's wages at the same percentage, up to the current wage limit ($176,100 for 2025). Income taxes are withheld based on what you entered on Form W-4 that is on file with the employer.

If your W-4 shows that no income tax was to be withheld, then that would explain why Box 2 on your Form W-2 is blank. Do you have entries in Boxes 3, 4, 5, and 6? See screenshot below. These are for the wages subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes, and the amounts withheld for Social Security and Medicare. Those should have been withheld from your pay regardless of what was on your Form W-4.

You should enter the corresponding fields in TurboTax exactly as they appear on your Form W-2; otherwise, your return could be rejected from filing.

@Mimi666666