Confused about filing taxes with W-2C after already requesting extension in April - what's the correct way?

So I filed an extension back in April because I found out my employer had withheld taxes in a state where I didn't actually work. Total mess! My employer finally got their act together and issued me a W-2C to correct the original W-2. Now I need to actually file my real taxes before the extension deadline, but I'm completely confused about how to handle these forms. Do I need to submit both the original W-2 AND the W-2C? Or should I just delete all the wrong W-2 info and only use what's on the W-2C? I'm using TurboTax and honestly the boxes on the software don't seem to match up perfectly with what's on my W-2C form. I really want to make sure I'm doing this correctly and don't get in trouble with the IRS because of my employer's mistake! Any help would be so appreciated!!!

0 coins

20 comments

Isaiah Thompson

•8M

You'll want to use both your original W-2 and the W-2C information when filing your taxes. The W-2C only shows the corrections, not a completely new set of information. Think of the W-2C as an amendment to the original W-2, not a replacement. In TurboTax, you should first enter all the information from your original W-2. Then look for an option to enter a W-2C or corrected W-2. TurboTax will guide you through entering the correction amounts. The software will handle the calculations properly once you've entered both forms. The boxes might not align perfectly because the W-2C only includes boxes where corrections were needed. Don't worry about the empty boxes on the W-2C - those values remain the same as on your original W-2.

0 coins

Isaiah Thompson

•8M

You should still enter the original W-2 first, then enter the W-2C information. TurboTax needs the complete picture to correctly calculate everything. For your specific situation with the state tax issue, when you enter the W-2C information, you'll indicate the correction to state withholding - zeroing out the New York withholding and adding the correct New Jersey withholding. TurboTax will handle allocating the withholding to the correct state returns. This actually helps ensure you get proper credit for all taxes withheld while correctly allocating them by state.

0 coins

Alexander Evans

•8M

After struggling with a similar W-2C situation last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which totally saved me. I was confused by the correction boxes and worried about making mistakes, but their document analysis system spotted things I would have messed up for sure. You upload your W-2 and W-2C and it gives you a breakdown of exactly what changed and how to enter everything in TurboTax step by step. The tool explained which values were corrections vs. which were totals, and how to handle the state tax withholding issue specifically. Made the whole process way less stressful than trying to figure it out on my own.

0 coins

Alexander Evans

•8M

Yes, it works with any tax software - I actually switched from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA mid-filing last year and the instructions were still applicable. The tool shows you the concepts rather than software-specific buttons. For those mismatched boxes, that's exactly what it helps with. The W-2C form is confusing because it shows the original amounts, the correct amounts, AND the difference between them. The tool breaks down which numbers actually need to be entered where. In my case, it showed me that box 12a on my W-2C didn't need a separate entry but needed to be combined with another value. Saved me from a potential audit flag.

0 coins

Benjamin Carter

•8M

Just wanted to follow up - I finally tried taxr.ai and it was actually really helpful! I was absolutely wrong to be skeptical. The tool identified that my W-2C was correcting retirement contributions that had been misclassified, something I completely missed. It gave me clear instructions showing exactly which fields to adjust in my tax software. The document analysis caught that my employer had also slightly changed my federal withholding amount (by about $45) which I hadn't even noticed when comparing the forms myself. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with corrections like this!

0 coins

Maya Lewis

•8M

After getting my W-2C last year, I spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS to confirm I was filing correctly. Literally called 13 times and never got through. Finally found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. The agent walked me through exactly how to handle my W-2C situation and confirmed I needed to report both forms. Turns out there are specific rules about how corrections affect your tax liability that aren't obvious from the forms. Getting that official confirmation saved me so much stress about doing it wrong.

0 coins

Maya Lewis

•8M

It uses a system that navigates the phone tree and waits on hold for you. When it reaches a human IRS agent, it calls your phone and connects you directly. I was super skeptical too but it worked exactly as advertised. The technology basically sits on hold instead of you having to do it personally. I was able to just go about my day, and then I got a call when an actual human at the IRS was ready to talk. The agent I spoke with was incredibly helpful with my W-2C questions and confirmed the correct filing procedure.

0 coins

Lucy Taylor

•8M

I need to publicly eat my words. After my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr yesterday. I had been trying for WEEKS to talk to someone about my amended return with W-2C issues. Got connected to an IRS rep in about 15 minutes! The agent confirmed that with TurboTax I needed to enter my original W-2 first, then use their "corrected W-2" option to enter the W-2C information. She also explained that the "previously reported" column on the W-2C should match my original W-2, and the "correct information" column is what should ultimately be reflected in my final tax return. Literally resolved my issue in one conversation when I'd been stuck for weeks.

0 coins

Connor Murphy

•8M

TurboTax doesn't have a specific attachment feature for W-2Cs when e-filing. They transmit the corrected information electronically, but the actual form images aren't sent. What happens is your employer submits both the original W-2 and the W-2C to the Social Security Administration, which eventually shares that data with the IRS. Sometimes there's a delay in processing the W-2C, so the IRS only sees the original data when they first process your return. That's why keeping paper copies is essential - you'll need them if there's any discrepancy or delay in the government systems updating.

0 coins

Sean O'Brien

•5M

Just went through this exact situation last month! One thing I learned that might help - when you're entering the W-2C in TurboTax, pay close attention to the "difference" column on the form. That's usually what you'll need to enter as adjustments, not the "correct information" column. Also, if your employer changed your state withholding like yours did, make sure to check that TurboTax is calculating the correct state refunds/payments. I almost missed that my New Jersey return needed to be filed because the software initially only showed my original (incorrect) state. You might need to manually add the NJ state return if it doesn't automatically appear after entering the W-2C. The good news is that since you filed an extension, you have until October 15th to get this sorted out properly. Better to take your time and get it right than rush and make mistakes!

0 coins