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Issac Nightingale

My company uses their office address on my W2 while I work remotely in a different state

I've been working remotely for a smaller company for about 8 months now. The thing is, I live in Colorado while the company is based in Texas, and I just noticed they're using their Texas office address as my personal address on my W2 forms. I'm getting a bit concerned about this since tax season is approaching. Is this a common practice for remote employees? I've never been in this situation before. My main worry is whether this will cause problems when I file my state taxes, since the address on my W2 doesn't match where I actually live and work. To be clear, under the section that should have MY address, they've put in the company's office address instead. Any insights would be really appreciated! Starting to stress a little about potential tax complications here.

Romeo Barrett

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This is actually not normal and could potentially cause some tax issues. Your W-2 should reflect your actual home address where you live and work, especially since you're in a different state than the company headquarters. The problem is that states tax based on where you physically perform the work, not where your employer is located. With the wrong address on your W-2, there's risk that Colorado (where you actually live and work) might not get the proper tax information, while Texas might incorrectly think you're working there. You should contact your HR or payroll department right away and request a corrected W-2. They should issue a W-2C (corrected W-2) with your proper home address. This is pretty standard procedure and they should understand the importance.

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Would this affect federal taxes at all or just state taxes? And what if the company refuses to correct it - can you still file with your correct address even if the W2 shows the company address?

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Romeo Barrett

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Your federal taxes shouldn't be affected much since the federal government taxes you regardless of which state you live in. The main concern is ensuring your state tax withholding is correct. If your company refuses to issue a corrected W-2, you can still file your taxes using your correct address. You'll just need to include an explanation with your tax return noting the discrepancy. Most tax software has a section for this, or you can attach a statement explaining that your employer incorrectly used their address instead of yours. The IRS and state tax authorities are used to handling these kinds of discrepancies.

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Justin Trejo

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I went through something similar last year with my remote job. The whole process was super frustrating until I found https://taxr.ai which made everything way easier. Their system analyzed my W-2 with the wrong address and guided me through exactly what needed to be done. They have this feature that helps identify mismatches between your actual tax situation and what your documents show. It explained how to properly file my taxes while noting the discrepancy, and even generated the explanation letter I needed to include with my state tax return. Saved me hours of research and worry about doing it wrong.

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Alana Willis

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Does it work with all states? I'm in a similar situation but working in New Jersey with a California-based company.

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Tyler Murphy

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I'm skeptical about these tax tools. How exactly does it handle the state tax situation when your W-2 has the wrong state listed? Wouldn't you still need a corrected W-2 eventually?

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Justin Trejo

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Yes, it works with all states! The system is designed to handle multi-state tax situations and can identify the specific requirements for New Jersey taxes when your employer is in California. Regarding the state tax situation, you actually don't always need a corrected W-2. The tool guides you through filing with your correct information while properly explaining the discrepancy. It creates documentation showing you performed work in your actual state of residence. Most state tax authorities just need proper documentation explaining the situation, and the tool generates exactly what you need based on your specific circumstance.

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Tyler Murphy

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I need to follow up about my experience with https://taxr.ai after being skeptical initially. I decided to try it since my employer also had my address wrong and refused to correct it claiming "it's just administrative." The tool was actually surprisingly helpful. It analyzed my situation and created a custom documentation package explaining the address discrepancy. I filed with my correct home address and included their generated explanation. Both my state returns processed without a hitch, even with the address mismatch on my W-2. Saved me from having to keep fighting with my stubborn HR department!

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Sara Unger

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If you're having trouble getting your company to issue a corrected W-2, you might need to speak directly with the IRS about your situation. I had this exact problem and spent WEEKS trying to get through to an actual IRS agent until I found https://claimyr.com which got me connected to a real IRS representative in under 45 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed that I could file with my correct address despite what my W-2 showed, and explained exactly what documentation I needed to include. Getting that official confirmation directly from the IRS gave me peace of mind that I was handling everything correctly. Way better than guessing or hoping my employer would eventually fix it.

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How does this service work exactly? Is it just scheduling a callback or something? The IRS website has been useless for me.

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Freya Ross

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Yeah right. Nobody gets through to the IRS that quickly. I've been trying for months and always get disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Sounds too good to be true.

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Sara Unger

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It works by essentially navigating the IRS phone tree for you and waiting on hold in your place. Once they reach a human agent, you get a call connecting you directly with that agent. No more dealing with the phone tree or being on hold for hours. I had the same reaction as you - complete disbelief. I'd spent nearly 4 months trying to get through on my own with no success. But the service actually works because they're using technology to navigate the system more efficiently than we can as individuals. They're essentially waiting in line for you, which is why they can guarantee the connection.

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Freya Ross

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I need to eat my words about the Claimyr service. After my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it because my employer also listed their address on my W-2 and I needed official guidance. I got connected to an IRS agent in about 35 minutes. The agent confirmed I should file with my actual residence address and told me exactly what to include with my return to explain the discrepancy. He even gave me a reference number for the call that I could include in my documentation. Honestly shocked this worked when nothing else did for months. Filing my taxes correctly now with actual confidence instead of anxiety.

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Leslie Parker

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This happens more than you'd think with small companies. I'm a payroll specialist and see this mistake all the time. The company is supposed to use YOUR legal address, not theirs. This is especially important for state tax withholding. Double check that they're withholding taxes for YOUR state (Colorado) and not their state (Texas). This is actually the bigger issue beyond just the address. If they've been withholding for the wrong state, you might end up owing Colorado a bunch of taxes that weren't properly withheld.

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Thanks for bringing this up! I just checked my paystubs and it looks like they ARE withholding for Texas rather than Colorado. Does this mean I'm going to owe a huge amount to Colorado when I file? Is there any way to fix this retroactively?

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Leslie Parker

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Unfortunately, you will likely owe Colorado taxes since they haven't been withheld properly throughout the year. Colorado will want taxes on income you earned while physically working in their state. The best approach now is to estimate what you'll owe to Colorado and start setting aside money for that tax bill. You can also make an estimated tax payment to Colorado before you file to reduce any potential penalties for underpayment. Going forward, you should immediately ask your employer to correct your state withholding to Colorado. They need to register as an employer in Colorado and withhold the proper state taxes from your future paychecks.

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Sergio Neal

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I recommend checking your state tax agency websites too. Colorado's Department of Revenue website has specific information for remote workers. And btw, you're lucky Texas doesn't have state income tax, or you could be dealing with double taxation between two states!

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TurboTax actually has a pretty good multi-state filing option that can help sort this out. I had a similar issue last year working remotely for a Michigan company while living in Illinois.

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StarStrider

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This is definitely a red flag that needs immediate attention. As others have mentioned, using the company's address instead of your home address on your W-2 is incorrect and can create serious tax complications. Beyond just the address issue, you need to verify immediately whether they're withholding taxes for Texas or Colorado. Since Texas has no state income tax, if they're not withholding for Colorado, you could be facing a significant tax bill when you file. Colorado requires taxes on income earned while physically working in the state, regardless of where your employer is located. I'd recommend taking these steps right away: 1. Contact HR/payroll to request both a corrected W-2 (W-2C) with your proper address AND correction of state tax withholding going forward 2. Review all your paystubs to see which state taxes have been withheld 3. If no Colorado taxes were withheld, start calculating and setting aside money for what you'll owe 4. Consider making an estimated tax payment to Colorado to avoid underpayment penalties The sooner you address this, the better. Don't let them brush this off as "just administrative" - it has real tax consequences for you.

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This is excellent comprehensive advice! I'm in a similar situation with a remote job and hadn't even thought to check which state taxes were being withheld. Just looked at my paystubs and sure enough, they're withholding for the wrong state. Quick question - when you mention making an estimated tax payment to avoid penalties, is there a specific deadline for that? And roughly what percentage of income should someone expect to owe if no state taxes were withheld all year? Trying to figure out how much I need to set aside.

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