Multiple W2s, Box 15

[fburglee]

Hello.

I have 2 W2s from the same employer that I'm pretty sure I imported in to the PC software. Now it's telling me I need to enter the Employer ID in to box 15, but neither form contains a number. One has a state abbreviation, and the other says "TOTAL STATE"

Is this number critical? 

[ErnieS0]

Did you work in more than one state? Total State means there are state forms for more than one state. Total State is the sum off of all state W-2 forms.

Total State does not go anywhere in TurboTax. Instead you should have a separate row of each state in Boxes 16-20. Check the copies of other W-2s on your sheet. They may have other state information.

If one copy has a state abbreviation and no Employer ID, it might mean you worked in a state with no income tax. We'd have to know more about your situation to tell you how to deal with that—whether you were a part-year resident of more than one state—or lived in one state and worked in another.

[fburglee]

Thank you for the reply.

I worked in Maryland as an employee of a company based in New Jersey. I see on the W2 where NJ tax was withheld, and there is an Employer ID# in Box 15. The W2 for MD shows state wages, but no tax was withheld. 

When I did the check at the end of the return, it gave me an error because that box was blank.

Also, under NJ adjustments, it allows me to split wages, whether I earned all or some of the wages in NJ. Does that mean any income I earned while physically working in NJ? I did not work there at all, so is it safe to put $0.00 in that field?

Thanks.

[ThomasM125]

New Jersey normally does not tax income for work unless the worker was physically present in New Jersey when doing the work. There is an exception during Covid that provides for work to be sourced to a state dependent on the employer's jurisdiction, as determined by the employer.

So, it seems your employer has determined that your income should be assigned to New Jersey. The only thing you can do for practical purposes is convince the employer to correct the W-2 form, or treat the income as New Jersey income. The problem is that as long as the income is assigned to New Jersey on the W-2 form, the state of New Jersey will consider it New Jersey income no matter what you say.

So, you should treat the New Jersey income reported as such on your W-2 form, and enter a credit for taxes paid to another state on your Maryland tax return so you don't get double taxed on the income.