W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement)

Category: tax

The official IRS form used by employers to report annual wages paid and taxes withheld for employees.

The W-2 is the master document for W-2 earners. It details total annual income, Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld, and federal/state income tax deductions. Employers must issue this by January 31st each year so employees can file their personal income tax returns.

Common Examples

• Your employer is legally required to provide a W-2 form, which summarizes your total earnings and the taxes withheld throughout the calendar year.
• If you have multiple W-2 forms from various employers, you must aggregate them all into a single annual federal tax return.