I wasn't sure how to approach asking this, but I'm sort of at a loss. My former employer has been of little help, and even getting the W-2 from them has been a frustrating endeavor.
Effectively, I believe officially I was on short term disability and/or FMLA? from December 2019 until the end of February 2020 due to a foot injury. I was given a small weekly medical pay check, and then went back to work after.
However, I got a new employer in May of 2020. But now its come time to file my taxes and while I've done past years without problem (I think?) I have run into a snag this year; I don't know how to properly file/answer the tax questions regarding this. I was never aware of, given, or told about a 1099-G until I looked into it while starting the filing process yesterday, and who I talked to in my former company said it doesn't apply to me.
But I *was* given small weekly paychecks for 3 months while I was on leave due to an injury so...how exactly do I best approach this? I started on the Turbotax free edition as always (as I still make below the 39k limit), but now I'm wondering if I should've gone for the paid version for agent help? What are my best avenues here?
If you were placed on short term disability due to your foot injury, then the weekly paychecks that you received may not be taxable depending on whether you or your employer paid the premiums for the short term disability insurance.
If you paid the premiums through payroll deductions, then the payments you received are not taxable and would not be included on your return. That may be the reason you did not receive a tax document reporting the amount you received.
If your employer paid the premiums for the short term disability coverage, then the payments you received would be taxable and you should have received a tax document.
If your weekly payments during the time of your injury were being paid by a third party, try contacting that company for further information.
I mean they're on my return, because I spent 3~ months on it between december and february, and I quit in May, but the amount earned/listed is roughly what I would've earned by that point in time.
I did not receive a second tax document, just a standard W-2. I didn't see anything marked, listed, or included with it other than the "4105" I earned for 2020. And they insist that I didn't qualify for/need/have a 1099-G.
As for being paid through another company, I cannot fully recall? I think the short term disability system was handled by a third party, but I cannot recall who/what company, and my former employer has not been forthcoming.
When I contacted them, literally all I got told was "Well you don't need/qualify from a 1099-G from us and your short term disability payments were combined with your normal pay for one lump sum on your W-2." (Almost her word for word at end of conversation) And then she told me if I had further questions/concerns, I "should contact a tax professional."
No information or contact details for another company, no mention. It's why I'm kind of at a loss as to how to proceed 😕
Based on the information you provided, just enter your W-2 in the Wages and Salaries interview of TurboTax - your "paid medical leave was not reported separately, but was included "with your normal pay for one lump sum on your W-2."
"Paid medical leave", "short-term-disability", "paid family leave", and "sick pay" are often reported on Form W-2, along with normal wages. How and where these types of pay are reported depends on who is making the payment, i.e. your employer, an insurance company, etc..