Election Judge W2

[tjmmdennis]

My wife and I worked the last election cycle. Our wages were reported to us on the W2 under Box 14 instead of Box 1. I reached out to the election board about this error. They said it is correct.

I have never seen it reported in box 14 and turbotax is tellinng me that I cant file electronically because of box 1 being zero. 

When I read the IRS ruls for lection workers it looks like it belongs in box one. 

What can I do? What is the correct way for it to be reported?

[PattiF]

You cannot enter the W-2 with no amount in box 1 as you have discovered.

To report this as Other Income for you and your wife, follow these steps:

1. Open your return.
2. Click on Federal Taxes.
3. Go to Wages & Income
4. Scroll to the bottom under Less Common Income select Start (or Update) for Miscellaneous Income.
5. Choose the appropriate category and enter your Other Income

[tjmmdennis]

Thank you for the quick response.

That wont solve my problem with Electronnic filing I assume. Do I delete the W2 entry when I report it another way?

[BillM223 · Accepted solution]

Yes, delete the W-2, and enter the amount paid to you just as PattiF described. Make notes as to what you did and why and save it in your tax archives in case anyone asks.

The IRS should have received a copy of your W-2, so they might wonder why you did not include the W-2 in your return. If you get a letter asking about this, just explain that there was no amount in Box 1, so your return would not e-file through TurboTax. 

Since you did not have any Social Security or Medicare tax withheld, nor any other information on the W-2, the IRS agent will probably scratch his/head and wonder why the Elections Department did this, but will accept the response.

[tjmmdennis]

Thank you.

Oddly enough my wifes had 0 in box 1 but income shown in box 3 and 5 with taxes withheld for social security and medicare.

Mine was all zeros.

The threshhold for is $600 correct? I was just under $2000 and she was just over $2000.

[MarilynG1]

The threshold is $600 for issuing a 1099-Misc (which would have been appropriate in your case, since you are not an Employee requiring a W-2).

Your spouse would also report her income as 'Other Income', since the IRS will not accept a W-2 entry with a $0 in Box 1.

@tjmmdennis