No, your 2020 Form W2 paper document should not contain zeros in boxes 15-17, which are the state information boxes. If you are from a state that does not have a state income tax, then the boxes may be blank. Not zeros, but blank.
A zero is not the same as a blank on tax reporting documents.
If you worked in a state that does have a state income tax, then the state name 2 letter code goes in box 15 in the first part and the state ID # of the employer is in the second part. Box 16 is asking for state wages amount and box 17 is asking for the state income tax that was withheld by the employer.
Box 18 is a locality box, not a state box. If your employer does not collect locality tax, then boxes 18-20 should be blank. Not all states have taxable locality taxes. That is the only time that the boxes 18-20 would contain entries. If box 18 has an entry, so would boxes 19 and 20 on the W2.
I am a US citizen working for an international organization. My Box 3 (social security wages) of W-2 is blank. When I try to file my returns, TT says that Box 3 cannot be blank. Should I put a zero in Box 3? I understand that I still have to pay self-employment taxes via Schedule SE on my international organization income.
$0 may not work however, $1 in that area may allow you to move forward in preparing your return. Try entering the $1 then proceed to prepare your return including the Self-Employment tax computation.
Individuals employed within the United States by a foreign employer are generally subject to Social Security and Medicare tax withholding by the foreign employer. Click here for more information.
You may have to enter $1 to get get the system to corporate.