topic How can I report the taxes withheld due to my RSU vesting? I don't see them reported on the Box 2 section on my W2 in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

How can I report the taxes withheld due to my RSU vesting? I don't see them reported on the Box 2 section on my W2

max4 — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 15:38:49 GMT

You wouldn't see them reported on the various "taxes" box...

TomYoung — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 15:38:51 GMT

You wouldn't see them reported on the various "taxes" boxes of your W-2 since they typically are not broken out separately in Box 14, even though the compensation created by the vesting of the RSU usually is. "Compensation" requires "withholding" and the only place to report the withholding is on your W-2.

If you are asking the question because when you entered the sale or sales of the stock your taxes went way up and you somehow think that now you need to report the withholding to bring that number down, that's almost certainly not the case. You only get to deduct the withholding once. The more likely culprit here is that you're using the wrong basis; you basis is not $0 as reported by the broker on the 1099-B. Your correct per share basis is the same per share "fair market value" used by the employer to calculate the compensation created by the vesting.

Tom Young

Thanks very much for the response. I haven't sold those R...

max4 — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 15:38:53 GMT

Thanks very much for the response. I haven't sold those RSU's so I did not get a 1099-B from the broker. Yes, you are right that taxes went way up when I entered my W2. The taxes withheld on my W2 just denote the one paid due to my salary. How can I report the one withheld due to the RSU's vesting?

"Compensation" requires "withholding" and all of that sho...

TomYoung — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 15:38:55 GMT

"Compensation" requires "withholding" and all of that should be reported on the W-2.

How did you raise the cash for the withholding?  Take if from your own pocket and hand it to your employer?  Then it should be on the W-2.  Did you sell some stock or was some stock withheld for taxes?  That, too, should be on the  W-2.

My response posited the entering of a 1099-B, not a W-2, where the WRONG BASIS was used; since brokers only report the "out of pocket: cost for this stock, ($0), and not the correct basis, this is often questions like this get asked.

If stock wasn't sold or withheld for taxes and you didn't hand the employer cash for them, how do you even know that taxes were withheld?  Ask your payroll department to see if the taxes associated with the vesting are, in fact, on your W-2.