Your W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) is the core document employers issue each January, summarizing your pay and withholding.
| Box | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Box 1 | Taxable wages (after pre-tax deductions like 401(k), health insurance) |
| Box 2 | Federal income tax withheld |
| Box 3 | Social Security wages (may differ from Box 1 if you have pre-tax deductions that don't reduce SS wages) |
| Box 4 | Social Security tax withheld |
| Box 5 | Medicare wages |
| Box 6 | Medicare tax withheld |
| Box 12 | Codes for items like 401(k) contributions (Code D), HSA (Code W) |
| Box 17 | State income tax withheld (if applicable) |
Employers must furnish W-2s by January 31 for the prior tax year, either by mail or through an employee self-service portal.
Contact your employer's payroll department first — they can issue a corrected W-2 (Form W-2c). Don't file your return with incorrect figures if you know there's an error.
If you haven't received your W-2 by mid-February, contact your employer, then the IRS if still unresolved.