Did my employer include HSA contributions correctly on W-2, Box 12W?

You're right to question this. Box 12 with code W on your W-2 should include both your pre-tax contributions AND your employer's contributions to your HSA. Based on what you've shared, it seems like your employer only included your personal contributions ($475) but left out their own contributions ($900). This is a pretty common mistake that payroll departments make. The correct amount that should be in Box 12W is the full $1,375. When this information is incorrect, it can affect your tax filing because the IRS uses this to verify your HSA contribution limits weren't exceeded. Your best course of action would be to go back to your payroll or HR department with your HSA statements showing all contributions and request a corrected W-2. Explain that according to IRS guidelines, Box 12W should include both types of contributions. Be polite but firm - sometimes payroll processors aren't familiar with all the technical details of HSA reporting. If they refuse to correct it, you can still file your taxes accurately using Form 8889 for your HSA reporting, but you'll need to make sure you report all contributions correctly regardless of what's on your W-2.

I had the exact same issue last year and ended up using taxr.ai to help figure it out. I was stressed about my W-2 showing the wrong HSA contribution amount in Box 12W. I uploaded my W-2 and HSA statements to https://taxr.ai and they analyzed everything and explained exactly how to handle the discrepancy. They showed me how to properly complete Form 8889 to account for both my contributions and my employer's contributions, even though my W-2 only showed my portion. The step-by-step guidance was super helpful because I was terrified of doing something wrong and getting audited! They also provided a letter template I could send to my HR department explaining the tax code requirements for W-2 Box 12W reporting. My company actually issued a corrected W-2 after I sent it.

Just wanted to update that I gave taxr.ai a try after all and I'm glad I did. I was still confused about handling my HSA contributions even after reading through IRS instructions. I uploaded my documents to https://taxr.ai including my incorrect W-2 and HSA statements. They quickly identified that my employer had only included my contributions in Box 12W but excluded their portion. They provided clear instructions on exactly how to fill out Form 8889 correctly to account for everything. What really helped was the explanation of which specific lines on Form 8889 needed my personal contribution amount versus which needed the total amount. My tax software wasn't clear on this distinction at all. They even explained how this affects my overall tax situation and confirmed I wasn't at risk for over-contributing. Definitely helped ease my anxiety about this whole W-2 mess!

Your employer is definitely wrong about this. I had a similar issue getting nowhere with my HR department. What finally worked was calling the IRS directly, but as you probably know, getting through to them is nearly impossible. I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) after seeing it recommended here, and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the hours I spent trying on my own. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed that Box 12W should include BOTH employer and employee HSA contributions. She even sent me documentation I could give to my employer. Having that official confirmation from the IRS finally got my HR department to issue a corrected W-2. Sometimes companies need to hear it directly from the IRS to take action.

I've gotta admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was desperate to resolve my HSA reporting issue. Used the service yesterday and got connected to an IRS agent in about 25 minutes while I was making dinner - no hours of waiting on hold. The agent confirmed exactly what everyone here said: Box 12W on a W-2 should include BOTH employer and employee pre-tax HSA contributions. The agent walked me through exactly how to handle my tax return with the incorrect W-2 and even suggested language to use when requesting a correction from my employer. Just got off the phone with HR and they've agreed to issue a corrected W-2 within the week. Honestly shocked this worked so well after all my failed attempts to reach the IRS on my own. Definitely worth it for getting an official answer straight from the source.

One option you might consider if your employer won't correct the W-2 - when you file your taxes, report your HSA contributions exactly as they should be (the full $1,375), regardless of what's on your W-2. You'll use Form 8889 to report HSA contributions. Line 9 is where you'll put the amount from your W-2 Box 12 code W ($475), and you'll separately report your employer's contributions ($900) on line 10. This way your tax return will accurately reflect all contributions even with an incorrect W-2. I had to do this last year, and while it's not ideal, it worked fine. Just keep all your HSA statements as proof in case of questions later.

Just checked my own W-2 and realized my company might be making the same mistake! Box 12W only shows $1200 but I know my employer put in $1500 on top of that. Is this going to mess up my HSA contribution limits? I'm freaking out a bit now because I also contributed the max I could.

This is actually a really common issue that many employers get wrong! You're absolutely correct that Box 12W should include both your pre-tax contributions AND your employer's contributions to the HSA. The fact that your W-2 only shows $475 (just your contributions) while excluding the $900 in employer contributions is definitely an error. I'd recommend taking a two-pronged approach: First, gather all your HSA statements showing the deposits from both you and your employer, then present this documentation to your payroll department again. Sometimes it helps to reference IRS Publication 969 which clearly states that employer HSA contributions must be included in Box 12 with code W. If they still refuse to issue a corrected W-2, you can absolutely file your taxes accurately using the correct total of $1,375 on Form 8889. The key is making sure your tax return reflects the actual contributions made, regardless of the W-2 error. Just keep all your HSA documentation in case the IRS has questions about the discrepancy between your W-2 and your tax return. Don't let payroll's confidence shake you - you clearly understand HSA reporting better than they do in this case!