A W-2 is the form most employees receive from an employer reporting wages, tips, and other compensation — and the federal and state income taxes withheld during the year. The W-2 includes key boxes: wages (box 1), federal income tax withheld (box 2), Social Security wages and tax (boxes 3–4), Medicare wages and tax (boxes 5–6), and often state wages and withholding. These numbers feed directly into your individual return; the tax authority receives copies too, so your W-2 and return are matched. That matching is why it’s important to review your W-2 as soon as you receive it: verify your name, Social Security number, and the dollar amounts. If something is wrong, contact the employer promptly to request a corrected W-2 (a corrected form). A missing or incorrect W-2 can delay filing and trigger notices later.

When preparing your tax return, use the W-2 to populate wage and withholding fields exactly as shown. Keep copies of your W-2 with your tax records for several years in case of questions or audits. If you worked multiple jobs during the year, expect multiple W-2s — one from each employer — and include them all on your return. For employees who changed jobs or had short stints, watch for late-arriving W-2s and avoid filing prematurely without them (or use a reasonable estimate and amend later if necessary, though obtaining the actual W-2 is preferable). If electronic delivery is available, ensure you can download and store a copy. Finally, compare W-2 withholding to your year-end paystubs to make sure totals align; large discrepancies should be verified with the payroll department.