topic Re: Duplicate entries for boxes 15-17 in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Duplicate entries for boxes 15-17

slen_tax — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:19:04 GMT

Hello,

I'm trying to understand whether it's possible to e-file via TurboTax despite encountering a 'Duplicate entries for boxes 15-17' error.

Both companies I worked for in 2023 used TriNet as a PEO, and both companies are based in the same state. The W-2 received from TriNet has two entries in boxes 15-17, with each company having its own state ID."

Thanks.

Re: Duplicate entries for boxes 15-17

JohnB5677 — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:05:13 GMT

Please clarify your question.

I understand that you worked for 2 companies.
I also understand they used the same tax service for payroll.
You also stated that each W-2 had it own state ID number.
Were both Federal EINs different?
Did each W-2 show 2 lines of information?
Was the same information for 15-17 on both lines of each W-2?
Did it include more than one state?

Please contact us again and provide some additional details.

Re: Duplicate entries for boxes 15-17

slen_tax — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:04:51 GMT

Hello,

Please see the answers below:

I understand that you worked for 2 companies.
- Correct, I worked for 2 companies.
I also understand they used the same tax service for payroll.
- Yes, both companies used the same PEO.
You also stated that each W-2 had it own state ID number.
- There is just one W-2 for both companies as my de facto employer was PEO for the whole year.
Were both Federal EINs different?
- Please see above. There is one W-2 for both companies.

Did each W-2 show 2 lines of information?
- Please see above. The W-2 has two lines in Boxes 15-20. Refer to the screenshot.
Was the same information for 15-17 on both lines of each W-2?
- Information is different. Each line represents one of the companies. My understanding is that the PEO tracks state income/taxes separately for each company.
Did it include more than one state?
- No

Thanks.

Re: Duplicate entries for boxes 15-17

MonikaK1 — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:23:41 GMT

Because all of the income is on one W-2, with a single EIN, and the items in boxes 15 through 17 have different State ID's, but are all under $1: add the Box 15 through 17 items on the two lines together and report them on one line in TurboTax using one of the State ID's.

Thank you for including a screenshot, but be careful when doing so not to reveal any critical personally identifiable information.

The program won't allow you to submit a W-2 with two different Box 15 through 17 lines for the same state. It also won't allow you to submit two W-2's with the same EIN.

See this thread for a discussion of a similar topic.