In the wages area. I have a paystub and I'm not sure what to apply for State taxes information. I need help understanding the difference between wages and tax withhold?

[Chicafchica10]

There's usually a alphabet system to know what goes where from your W2, but not on a paystub?

[xmasbaby0]

You should be using your W-2 instead of a pay stub.   What have you done to obtain your W-2?

TurboTax does not have your W-2.   W-2’s come from employers.  There is not a federal or national website that provides W-2’s.   If your employer is partnered with TurboTax to allow the W-2 data to be imported into the software you can do that---but you need the actual W-2 so that you can enter the EIN and the amount from box 1 to import the other data from the W-2---which just saves you the little bit of keying in of the other information.

Every 2024 W-2 that you received must be reported on your 2024 tax return, even if they are for small amounts.  Remember that each one of those W-2’s has your Social Security number on it, and that income was reported to the IRS by the employer.  You do not want trouble with the IRS for under-reporting your income or have your refund delayed by having missing income.

ALL of your W-2’s must be entered on the SAME tax return.  

Go to Federal>Wages & Income to enter a W-2.

After you enter the first one, you click Add Another W-2.

W-2's come from your employer, and they have until January 31 to issue it.  Some employers allow you to import the W-2 through the software, but for security reasons you still need information from the actual W-2 to import it. Some employers have payroll sites that will have your W-2. You might need to phone, drop in, email and/or snail mail an old employer to make sure they know where to send your W-2.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-forms/get-copy-w-2/L8FTim9MO_US_en_U...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/import-enter-w-...

Other ways to get W-2’s:

Pay Social Security $62 per tax year for your W-2’s.:

https://faq.ssa.gov/en-US/Topic/article/KA-02501

https://www.irs.gov/help-resources/tools-faqs/faqs-for-individuals/frequently-asked-tax-questions-an...

You can get a wage and income transcript from the IRS:  It will not show the actual W-2, 1099’s, etc, but will show the income information the IRS received.  It will not, however, show your state information. It will only show the federal information.

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/irs-tax-forms/what-is-a-w-2-form/L6VJbqWl5

[VolvoGirl]

Do not use your paystub to fill out the W2.  You need to use the actual W2.  Your paystub won't match the W2.  There are several items that affect the amounts.  Most people that use the paystub have to send in an Amended return later.  If you don't have your W2 ask the employer for another copy.

[Opus 17]

You can,

A. Get another copy of your W-2.

B. If your employer filed a W-2, you can get a record from the IRS. Request a Wage and Income Transcript online.  https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

C. If your employer did not file a W-2, you can create a "substitute W-2" in the tax program.  You should not do this unless you have proof that your employer did not file a W-2 (like, you send them an email and they tell you no, save that proof.)  If this is what you need to do, we can try and help you, but it is not recommended, and you need proof that you tried to get your W-2 first, and it will delay any refund you try to claim while the IRS investigates.

D. If you are not getting your W-2 because your employer wants to treat you as a self-employed independent contractor and you think you should be treated as an employee, that is a different problem altogether.  You need to file a form SS-8 and the IRS will investigate and determine if you are an employee or contractor.   Then, you file form 8919 as part of your tax return to report your wages and pay social security and medicare tax.  This is also something you should only do if you really believe you are wrongly classified and you are prepared to go through an investigation.