Received 3 W-2 forms from the same employer with completely different amounts - how to file?

So I'm getting ready to file my 2024 taxes and just got my W-2 forms in the mail. The weird thing is I have THREE different W-2s from the same employer, and they all show different income amounts and withholding. I worked at this company all year but changed positions twice - once in March and again in August. Each W-2 seems to cover a different period, but they all have the same employer EIN. The first one shows about $12,800 in income, the second shows $19,500, and the third shows $25,700. The withholding amounts are all different too. Do I need to add these all together when I file? Or should I enter them as three separate employers? My tax software is asking me to enter each W-2 separately but I'm confused since it's the same company. Will this mess up my return or potentially flag me for an audit if I enter multiple W-2s from the same place? I've never had this happen before and I'm worried about messing something up. Last year I only had one W-2 from a different job. Any help would be appreciated!

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20 comments

Malik Johnson

•8M

You're absolutely fine! When a company issues multiple W-2s for the same year, you need to enter each one separately in your tax software, exactly as they appear. Even though it's the same employer, each W-2 represents a different period or position during the year. Your tax software will combine all the income and withholding amounts automatically when calculating your total income. The IRS receives all three W-2s as well, so they'll be expecting to see all three reported on your return. The employer EIN being the same on all forms is completely normal since it's the same company. This situation is actually pretty common when people change positions, departments, or payroll systems within the same company. Just make sure you enter each W-2 completely and accurately.

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Malik Johnson

•8M

The IRS does know they're from the same employer because the Employer Identification Number (EIN) is identical on all three forms. That's the unique identifier that tells the IRS it's the same company. If you received a notice last year, it might have been due to a timing issue or possibly a discrepancy between what you reported and what the employer reported. Sometimes employers send corrected W-2s to the IRS but not to employees, which can cause confusion. Always double-check that the numbers you enter match exactly what's on your forms.

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Ravi Sharma

•8M

I had this exact situation last year and was pulling my hair out trying to figure it out. I tried using TurboTax but kept getting confused about how to handle multiple W-2s from the same place. After hours of frustration, I found https://taxr.ai which analyzes all your tax docs and tells you exactly how to handle them. The tool instantly identified that my multiple W-2s were from position changes and explained I needed to enter each one separately. It even flagged that one of my W-2s had an incorrect SSN digit (which I hadn't noticed) that would have caused problems with the IRS! The peace of mind was worth it because I was seriously stressing about getting audited.

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Ravi Sharma

•8M

It absolutely works with complicated situations. The AI is specifically trained on tax documents, so it can handle W-2s, 1099s, K-1s, and pretty much any other tax form. What makes it different is it finds potential issues before you file, like missing forms or incorrect information. It's completely different from regular tax software. Tax software just gives you boxes to fill in, but this actually reads and analyzes your documents to identify problems. It's not a replacement for tax filing software - it's a tool to make sure you're entering everything correctly before you file.

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Freya Larsen

•8M

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after posting my question and wow, it actually delivered! I uploaded my mess of tax documents (3 W-2s and 4 different 1099s) and it created a complete summary showing exactly what needed to go where. It even flagged that one of my 1099-NECs was missing my correct address which could have caused issues. What impressed me most was how it showed the total income across all forms so I could verify everything was accounted for. Super helpful for making sure I don't miss anything when entering forms one by one into my filing software. Definitely using this every year from now on!

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Chloe Taylor

•8M

If you're having trouble getting answers about your multiple W-2 situation, good luck trying to call the IRS directly! I spent literally 5+ hours on hold trying to get someone to confirm how to handle my multiple W-2s last year before giving up. I ended up using https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in less than 20 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They basically wait on hold for you and call when an agent is available. The IRS agent confirmed I needed to enter all W-2s separately, even with the same employer, and explained exactly how to handle it correctly.

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Chloe Taylor

•8M

They use a system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree until it gets through, then calls you when an actual agent is on the line. They basically handle all the hold time so you don't have to sit there for hours. I was skeptical too at first, but they only connect you with official IRS representatives - they're not answering tax questions themselves. Think of it like having someone wait in a physical line for you. They're not replacing the IRS service, just helping you access it without the ridiculous wait times.

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Diego Ramirez

•8M

Alright, I need to apologize and eat my words here. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr just to prove it wouldn't work - and was shocked when I got a call back in about 35 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line! The agent confirmed exactly how to handle my multiple W-2 situation (I also had 2 from the same employer) and even helped me understand why I received a CP2000 notice last year. Turns out I had entered one of my W-2s incorrectly which triggered the notice. The agent was super helpful and now I feel confident filing this year with multiple forms. For anyone dealing with multiple W-2s, the official word from the IRS: enter each W-2 exactly as it appears, even if they're from the same employer. The system is designed to handle this.

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Anastasia Sokolov

•8M

No, don't add them up separately. Handle the state withholding exactly the same way - enter each W-2 completely as it appears, and the tax software will combine all state withholding amounts correctly. Some W-2s might have different state withholding amounts because of changes in your pay rate, benefits, or deductions during different periods. Just make sure you're entering everything exactly as shown on each form, and the software will handle the calculations properly.

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Ava Thompson

•5M

This is actually more common than you might think! I had a similar situation a few years ago when my company switched payroll systems mid-year. The key thing to remember is that each W-2 represents a different period of employment, even though it's the same employer. You're doing it right by entering each W-2 separately in your tax software. The IRS expects to see all three forms reported individually on your return, and your software will automatically combine the totals for your overall tax calculation. One thing I'd suggest is double-checking that the total income across all three W-2s ($12,800 + $19,500 + $25,700 = $57,000) matches what you think you earned for the year. If it seems off, you might want to compare it against your final pay stub or contact your HR department. Don't worry about audits - having multiple W-2s from the same employer due to position changes is completely legitimate and the IRS sees this frequently. Just make sure you enter each form exactly as it appears and you'll be fine!

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