I'm stuck on a "Check This Entry" page that wants me to enter something in a box titled "Excess FICA withheld." What does this mean?.

[xmasbaby0]

Are you filing a joint return?  Did you enter each spouse's W-2 under your individual names?  MAKE SURE!  If you entered all of the W-2 information under only one name on a joint return it can cause the return to show excess Social Security withheld.  That causes you to get an artificially increased refund which will in turn result in a nasty IRS letter in about a year, charging you penalties and interest.

Look at box 4 of your W-2(s).  What does it show?    Does ONE of you have more than $8239.80 in Box 4?  If not, you have made a mistake in entering your W-2's.

[VolvoGirl]

There are 2 different situations when it will say Employer may have paid too much Social Security.  It's saying either 1 employer took out too much SS -OR- that you paid too much SS because you had more than 1 employer.  This should cover both.

More than 1 Employer:

For 2019,  If you had more than one employer and  the total of box 4 (only box 4 not box 6) on all your 2019 W2s  for Social Security is more than $8,239.80 you get the excess back on your tax return.  And it is for each spouse separately, not combined.  Check 1040 schedule 3 line 11 for it.  Then schedule 3 goes to 1040 Line 18d.  If only one employer took out more than $8,239.80 you have to get the difference back from that employer and get a corrected W2 form.

Or check W2 box 12.  You may have entered Code A by mistake.

One Employer:

Check boxes 3 & 4 on your W2. Box 4 should be 6.2% of box 3 up to a max of $8,239.80.   So take the amount in box 3 and multiply it by .062. If box 4 is more than that you need to get a corrected W2 from your employer.  But also go back and double check your W2 entries, you may have entered box 3 & 4 wrong.  A lot of people who have asked this found they did enter an amount wrong.

A sure way to fix this is to delete the W2 and re-enter it.  That may clear something out.