Employer sent me a W2C to fix SSN error - completely lost on what to do next

This is actually a pretty common issue, so no need to panic! The W2C form is just a corrected version of your original W2. For this year's taxes that you haven't filed yet, you'll simply use the corrected W2C information instead of the original W2 when you file through TurboTax. TurboTax has fields specifically for W2C forms, so just enter the information exactly as shown on the W2C when prompted. For last year's return that you already filed, it depends on what boxes were corrected. Since it was just the SSN that was wrong (not any dollar amounts), you technically don't need to file an amended return. The IRS likely matched your return to your account through other identifying information like your name and address, which is why you didn't encounter any issues. However, it's still good practice to have your employer report the correct information to the IRS. If you want to be 100% by the book, you could file a Form 1040X (amended return) for last year, but in this specific case where only the SSN was incorrect and no tax amounts changed, most tax professionals would advise it's not necessary.

I went through exactly the same situation last year and discovered taxr.ai after struggling to figure out what to do with my W2C. My employer had my birthdate wrong which affected some calculations, and I was completely confused about how to handle it in TurboTax. I uploaded both my original W2 and the W2C to https://taxr.ai and it analyzed the differences and explained exactly what changed and what I needed to do. The system highlighted which boxes had different values and gave me step-by-step instructions for entering the information correctly in TurboTax. What really helped was that it explained which changes actually impacted my tax liability and which were just administrative corrections. For me, it showed that the birthdate correction didn't affect my actual tax owed, so I didn't need to file an amended return for the previous year.

Wanted to follow up and say I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here. It seriously saved me hours of confusion! I uploaded my W2C where my employer had corrected state withholding amounts, and it immediately showed me exactly which numbers changed and explained why they made the correction. The step-by-step guide for entering everything in TurboTax was super helpful - it even pointed out that I needed to make sure I didn't enter both the original and corrected W2 or I'd double-count my income. Just finished filing my taxes with the corrected information and everything went through without a hitch. Definitely worth checking out if you're confused by these correction forms!

If you're still having trouble understanding what to do with your W2C or have questions about potential implications, you might want to speak directly with an IRS agent. I was in a similar situation last year with multiple corrected forms and tried calling the IRS for weeks without getting through. I finally discovered https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS representative in about 20 minutes after I'd been trying for days on my own. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was able to verify that both my original and corrected W2 information were in their system and confirmed I didn't need to file an amended return since the correction didn't change any tax amounts. They also put notes in my account about the SSN correction to prevent any future confusion. Honestly, getting that official confirmation gave me so much peace of mind compared to just guessing what to do.

I need to apologize and follow up on my skeptical comment. After struggling for THREE DAYS trying to get through to the IRS about my own W2C issue (kept getting disconnected after 30+ minutes on hold), I finally tried Claimyr out of desperation. Holy crap, it actually worked exactly as described. Got a call back in about 35 minutes, and was connected directly to an IRS agent. They confirmed that for my situation (employer had my address wrong on W2), I didn't need to file an amended return since it didn't affect any tax calculations. The agent also noted my account with the correction. Completely changed my mind about the service - saved me countless hours of frustration. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!

Just wanted to add another option - you can also take both your original W2 and the W2C to a tax professional like H&R Block or a local CPA. They deal with this kind of thing all the time and can make sure everything is entered correctly. For a simple correction like an SSN digit being wrong, it shouldn't even cost that much extra compared to their regular filing fee. They'll know exactly how to handle both this year's taxes and whether you need to do anything about last year's return.

Just to clarify something important - when you have a W2C, pay close attention to the boxes that actually changed. The form will show the previously reported information and the corrected information. In your case, if only the SSN was wrong and all the dollar amounts are the same, using TurboTax should be pretty straightforward. But if any dollar amounts changed (like your wages or withholding), that's when you need to be extra careful about entering everything correctly.

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar last month. I had a W2C where my employer corrected my state tax withholding amount (they had under-reported it by about $200). The key thing I learned is to treat the W2C as your "real" W2 - don't enter both forms into TurboTax. When you get to the W2 section, there's actually a checkbox that asks if you have a corrected W2. Check that box and TurboTax will walk you through entering just the corrected information. For your situation with just the SSN being wrong, you're in good shape since that won't affect any of your tax calculations. The dollar amounts should all be identical between your original W2 and the W2C. Just double-check that all the wage and withholding amounts match up before you submit. One thing that helped me was laying both forms side by side and going through each box to see exactly what changed. In your case, it should literally just be the SSN field that's different. This gave me confidence that I was entering everything correctly in TurboTax.