My employer applied a NYC/Yonkers resident tax but I don't live in either of those places. I'm getting a new W2 but how do I get the money back that's already been taxed?

[ruck94]

Even when I get that new W2, I'm still going to be out of a lot of money from those taxes. How do I report the money that I've lost? Is there somewhere that I can enter both the incorrect W2 and the correct W2?

[DanielV01]

It depends.  You are not taxed in NYC unless you are a resident of NYC, and you are not taxed in Yonkers if you did not live or work in Yonkers.  If that situation applies to you, then you want the "incorrect" W-2 that shows the NYC or Yonkers' withholdings.  Please click on this website for more information:  New York City, Yonkers and MCTMT - Department of Taxation and ...

In TurboTax, you will enter your W-2 as it appears, with a box 20 entry of either NYC if your W-2 says New York City (or any of the 5 boroughs) or Yonkers if it says Yonkers.  When you prepare the New York resident return (for New York State), NYC resident and Yonkers resident or nonresident wage tax is reconciled as part of the state return.  Therefore, if you were not an NYC resident, and did not either live or work in Yonkers, any taxes withheld to either of these municipalities will be included as part of your NYS refund (your refund will be increased by the mistaken city withholdings).

It is good that you have corrected this going forward with your employer, as you do not want these taxes withheld if you do not have to pay them.  However, if you did pay in on them last year, you want that included on the return so that the amount you paid is fully refunded.

[ruck94]

I should have been more clear; I was taxed as both a NYC Resident and a Yonkers Resident despite the fact that I don't live in either place. How would I go about reporting these on TurboTax? Would both be folded back into the State refund?

[DanielV01]

Yes.  That's what my answer explains.  You will input the mistakenly withheld resident taxes just like it is entered on your W-2 (and you will need to do 2 separate lines for the local tax, one for NYC and one for Yonkers), and these withholdings are added to your NYS taxes withheld.  Once the system calculates your NYC/Yonkers tax (of zero), these extra withholdings get included in your New York refund.

[rbwalleye]

If you have any problems after filings where you are charged a full year NYC or Yonkers tax call NYS at (518) 485-9791 where they will give you a number to send a copy of your corrected W-2 .

[vishwauvce]

I did exactly as mentioned by "TurboTaxDanielV" and the turbo tax app asks me to fix the return by asking me to check this "TP Yonkers Income - Yes". And as soon as i do that i see my YONKERS tax get deducted from my estimated NY Returns.

[fcanko84]

My W2 has box 15 as NY state with boxes 16 and 17 with income and tax amounts. Boxes 18-20 are blank but I am not able to move past this section as the software wants me to input NYC or Yonkers into Box 20. I did not live nor work in NYC or Yonkers and my W2 does not state that. Why is the software stuck on this???

[DaveF1006]

You must have accidentally indicated or checked a box in your NYS return that you were a resident of those cities.When you scroll through your NYS return, there is a question that states New York City Residency Information for XXX. Here you will indicate that you are a non-resident.  If you have a spouse, it will ask the same question for them. Then there will be a question that asks Yonkers Residency Information for xxx.  Again indicate non-resident. then there will be a series of questions if either of you have Yonkers based income.  Here you will also say no.

Chances are you already recorded this information but you can edit it from the final summary page.  Here is the path to edit the information. 

You Just Finished Your New York Return>New York City and Yonkers Information>update. ​​​​​​​Then go through the questions as i have outlined above.

[taxkid1]

Hey DanielV01, I have the same issue. As you suggested, I entered the local income tax withheld for Yonkers while also making sure I entered that I was non-resident of Yonkers. However, the software won't let me e-file unless I indicate I received income or withholding from Yonkers sources during my period of non-residence. Shouldn't I maintain that I did NOT receive Yonker's income? I did not live in Yonkers for the entire tax year.

[AmyC]

You want to stay a nonresident of Yonkers. You do have Yonkers withholding on your w2 it sounds like. That should satisfy that you had withholding from Yonkers source. On the w2, local wages for Yonkers are zero. You have the questions and answers posted above you so I feel sure you have been through that part but can review it.

@taxkid1

[taxkid1]

Yes, I'm stating that I'm a nonresident of Yonkers and I did not receive any income from Yonkers while I was a nonresident. However, I had Yonkers local income tax withheld (box 19 of W-2) which I made sure to enter. Before I e-file, the software wants me to checkmark "yes" to say that I received Yonker's income while I was a nonresident of Yonkers and this is not correct.

[MarilynG1]

Say Yes and enter the amount in Box 18.  As a non-resident, you should get Yonkers tax refunded.

Once the system calculates your Yonkers tax (of zero), these extra withholdings get included in your New York refund.

[Terry1969]

Did this get successfully resolved? I can't seem to get it done and have the same issue.

[Terry1969]

Box 18 where? I can't e-file my NYS return because of this. Like the prior posts, I was not a resident of Yonkers and did not earn income in Yonkers. For a portion of the year, my employer incorrectly took out Yonkers taxes. But I can't e-file because TurboTax wants me to "fix" my return, which then results in me having to pay those taxes. This seems like a common issue, and one which TurboTax can't figure out how to solve.

[Cynthiad66]

Box  18 is on the W-2 see the picture below.

Box 18 shows the local wages, Yonkers and the withholding is box 19.  Ok so you did not live or work in Yonkers and therefore will be credited for that withholding back into your NY refund.  You must complete the Yonkers Non-resident portion in order to get the credit for the amount incorrectly withheld.  You must answer yes I had Yonkers income because according to the W-2 you did.  Then follow the prompts.  This will resolve your issue.

@Terry1969