Some employees may see a difference between Box 1 Federal Wages and Box 16 State Wages due to the value of certain pre-tax transportation benefits.

Should Box 1 Match Box 16 on my W-2?

Box 16: This is your state taxable wages and should match the amount in Box 1.

Why is Box 1 on W2 blank?

Why is box 1 of my Form W-2 blank? The IRS requested that for people with the Difficulty of Care exclusion for the entire year, we leave boxes 1 and 2 blank on their Form W-2. I qualified for Difficulty of Care, but I want to show my wages on my W-2.

What are the boxes on the W-2 form?

See Form 1040 instructions to determine if you’re required to complete Form 8959. Box 6 — Shows the amount of Medicare tax withheld. This amount includes these: Box 7 — Shows any tip income you reported to your employer. Box 8 — Shows tip income allocated to you by your employer. This amount isn’t included in W-2 Boxes 1, 3, 5, or 7.

Where does state withholding go on the W-2?

We’re here to set the record straight. In Box 16 most states report the amount of wage that was earned in that state. So if you had state withholding in more than one state, you would see the first state listed in box 15 followed by the wage earned in that state in Box 16.

Why does box 1 and box 16 not match?

There are several reasons box 1 and box 16 do not match (e.g. pre-tax transportation benefits or wages from two states.) It is best to contact your employer to determine the reason the amounts differ.

What happens if you have more than one state on your W-2?

So, even if only 2 weeks of your yearly wage was in New York, Box 16 will show whatever is in Box 1, and if you have another state along with New York when both wage amounts from Box 16 are added together you could potentially have more than your federal wages in Box 1. Does this mean you’re being double taxed on those wages?