What do the codes ISODQ, QESPP, and RSU1 mean on my W-2?

[TomYoung · Accepted solution]

You don't state which Box these are appearing on, but my guess is that you are seeing this in Box 14 of your W-2.

In the main, Box 14 is a simple "memo" box where the employer tells the employee some information that the employee might need to know in order to prepare their income tax return.  In the main, (but not always), entering the Box 14 information in TurboTax, or not entering it, has no effect.  There are no "official" guidelines about how most information is reported in this Box, so employers make up abbreviations on their own.

My GUESS is that ISODQ is telling you about the amount of compensation included in Box 1 of your W-2 related to your DisQualifying disposition of stock acquired via an Incentive Stock Option.  Likewise, I'd guess that QESPP is telling you about the amount of compensation included in Box 1 due to your Qualifying disposition of stock acquired via an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.  Finally, my guess is that RSU1 is telling you about the compensation included in Box 1 due to the vesting of a Restricted Stock Unit, probably "unit" number 1.

The information presented in Box 14 can be relevant to you when you report the sale of the employer stock you've received.

Tom Young