Office location moved from NY to NJ in May 2024. I'm a NJ resident

[malhotrag86]

My firm moved from NY to NJ in May 2024.

I've received 1 NY filing copy and 2 NJ filing copies. For example,

Federal wages box 1 - 140K (Total Gross Pay to derive this is 150K in additional notes)

Total State Taxes in box 17 of Federal filing copy - 11K

NY filing copy box 1 is same as Federal wage, which I understand. I have additional notes in W2, which shows NY Reported W2 wages Box 16 - 65K

NY Tax in box 17 - 6K

The confusion is with NJ copies

NJ filing copy 1 - This is explained as the income earned in NJ

State Wages Box 16 - 77K (derived from NJ Gross pay of 85K in additional notes)

State Tax Box 17 - 4.5K

NJ filing copy 2 - This is explained as the income earned in NY while living in NJ

State Wages Box 16 - 45K (derived from NJ Gross pay of 50K in additional notes)

State Tax Box 17 - 0.5K

The gross pay of NY + NJ copy 1 matches the overall Gross pay used for Federal calculations. NJ copy2 adds another, possibly duplicate, component.

However, when I add up taxes for NY + NJ copy 1 + NJ Copy 2, they match the total state taxes in box 17 of the Federal copy.

If I report both NJ wages, which I feel is duplicate, the wages don't add up and I get a duplicate error in Turbo Tax filing. If I delete the wages from NJ copy 2, but keep the taxes, then my refund become a bit too high, leading me to believe this could be wrong too.

I've spoken to my company payroll which explained the 2 NJ copies as I mentioned above. I also spoke to Turbo Tax live experts, who believe the W2 is wrong and are unable to help.

I'm already filing NY tax as non-resident. For NJ, should I keep both NJ wages and just delete the NY as duplicate. Please help with the 3 issues:

1. What are the correct wages and taxes to report for NJ?

2. Why is the income (both gross and taxable) earned in NY and reported to NJ, so much smaller than the NY Gross Pay?

2. How do I fix the duplicate error in TurboTax?

This is the closest I found in the forums but my case with 2 copies is a bit different. -Firm moved from New York to New Jersey

[ThomasM125]

You should just file one W-2. Enter the Federal wages as stated on the W-2 you have and the same for the New York wages and withholdings. Make a separate entry for the New Jersey wages and tax withheld on the W-2 entry in TurboTax, reporting the wages and tax withheld for New Jersey.

[TomD8]

Since you are an NJ resident, all your income is taxable by NJ, regardless of where you earned it.

NY can tax the portion of your income that you earned in NY.

NJ will credit you for the tax paid to NY on the portion of your income taxed by both states.

In TurboTax, complete the non-resident NY tax return first, before you do your resident state NJ return, so that the program can calculate and apply the credit.

[malhotrag86]

Thanks. In my scenario, I'm trying to understand "all my salary" from NJ perspective.

Is it the taxable income for NY + NJ Copy 1(income earned in NJ)

OR 

Is it the 2 NJ copies, where the total amount doesn't even come close to the federal wages?

[malhotrag86]

Thanks.

Just so I'm clear, you recommend adding the 2 NJ wages and taxes into a single row. I would expect the sum of wages to be close to the federal wages, but not exactly thee same. However, it 122K NJ consolidated vs 140 federal.

[TomD8]

Your federal wages (Box 1) may not match your total NJ wages from the Box 16's of your NJ W-2's.  See Enter the correct amount of income? in this NJ tax reference:

NJ Division of Taxation - Common Filing Mistakes

First, prepare your non-resident NY return.

Then combine the two Box 16 and Box 17 amounts on your NJ W-2's into a single row in order to determine the correct figures for your NJ return.

If you are concerned that your NJ W-2 amounts are incorrect, then all I can suggest is that you double-check with your employer.