If I am an employee w/tax withheld in Jan and then switched to self-employed w/no tax withheld in Feb-Dec, should I get two W2's from that employer, one for each status?

[ckncsc92]

I worked for a church last year. I was an employee with taxes withheld during January, but they switched me to self-employed (with no tax withheld) on Feb 1. I am thinking they should have given me two W2s - one for January when I was an employee, and one for the rest of the year when I was self-employed. Is this correct?

[MichaelL1 · Accepted solution]

You should get a W-2 for when you were an employee and a 1099MISC for when self-employed. 

Unless you stayed an employee, and after Jan. you just had no taxes deducted, then they would issue one W-2 for the entire time. 

If social security was taken out of the pay in Jan, then you should get two W-2's.  Because the 2nd W-2 (with no Social Security Paid) you will  get a screen after the W-2 enter that should be checked "Religious Employment".

This screen is titled, "Do any of these uncommon situations apply to this W-2?

[ckncsc92]

Since I am a member of clergy, I'm supposed to get a W2 instead of a 1099MISC. I'm having trouble reconciling the one W2 I received from the church because it shows the small portion of tax withheld for January, but I still have to pay self-employment tax on the rest of the year's income. So the IRS would not know from the one W2 whether to classify me as an employee or self-employed. That's why I was wondering if I should just get two W2s - one for the employee income of January, and one for the rest of the year on which I need to pay self-employment tax. It's a bit different since it's for clergy income and not filed under a 1099MISC.

[MichaelL1]

thanks for the clarification.  I added some more information to the bottom of the answer. Post another comment if this does not answer your question.