Where should CA SDI be on W2? Employer used Box19, not box14. Are there advantages to either? If I chose to use Box14 (not 19), do I need to get a corrected W2?

[gvragle]

Wanting to know if the CA SDI should have been reported in box 14 instead of box 19 and if there is a tax advantage to one place or the other.  My employer used box 19.  If I chose to use box 14, do I need to get a corrected w2 copy so as not to raise any flags?  Please advise.

One more thing - my employer used box 12a to report my 401k contribution but it should  go in 12d.  Do I report in in turbo tax the way I know it should be and do I need to get my employer to issue a corrected w2?  

[macuser_22 · Accepted solution]

The 12a-12d are simply line numbers to allow several codes to be entered.  It makes no difference whatsoever what order or what line it goes on as long as it is in in box 12 somewhere.

CASDI in box 19 is the old way to do it and some employers still do that.  TurboTax recognizes both places but box 14 is preferred.  It is okay for you to enter it in box 14 with the drop-down menu for CASDI rather than box 19.  No correction is necessary.

CASDI only matters if you itemize and choose to deduct state taxes rather then sales tax since CASDI is a deductible state tax.   TurboTax should carry that tax to Schedule A whether it is in box 14 or box 19.