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Kaitlyn Otto

What does your W2 say for 'Other' deductions? Trying to understand this section

Hey everyone, I'm trying to make sense of a W2 that I just got from my job yesterday. I was looking at it and noticed there's a section for "Other" under the deductions portion. There's a code with a dollar amount next to it, but I don't understand what that's for. What does your W2 typically say for this "Other" section? Is this something that should match up with what was taken out of my paycheck throughout the year? I'm not super familiar with all the tax stuff and want to make sure everything looks right before I file.

Axel Far

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The "Other" section on your W2 is box 14, which employers use for additional information that doesn't fit elsewhere on the form. It's not standardized, so what appears there varies by employer. Common entries include union dues, health insurance premiums, educational assistance, transportation benefits, or state disability insurance deductions. The code next to the amount is your employer's way of labeling what that deduction represents. You should be able to match this amount to deductions on your paystubs. If you're not sure what the code means, your payroll department or HR can explain exactly what it represents. These amounts may or may not be deductible on your taxes - it depends on what they are.

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Does the amount in box 14 affect my federal tax return at all? I have something for "LTD" in that section but wasn't sure if I need to do anything with it when I file.

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Axel Far

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It depends on what the specific code represents. Most items in box 14 don't directly impact your federal tax return and are just informational. For example, if "LTD" stands for Long-Term Disability insurance premiums, those typically aren't deductible on your federal return. Some box 14 items might be deductible in specific situations, like union dues for some state returns or mandatory pension contributions. Your tax software will usually ask about box 14 items and help determine if they're relevant to your situation.

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Does it work for all employers or just certain ones? My company uses some weird abbreviations I've never seen anywhere else.

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Miguel Harvey

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My W2 box 14 has "RTH" with $2,340 next to it. Turns out it's my employer's Roth 401k contributions which already got taxed during the year. My coworker has the same code but his amount is way higher because he contributes more of his check to retirement. Definitely check your paystubs to make sure it matches what you've been contributing!

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Ashley Simian

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Is that something we need to report separately on our tax return? I have a similar code but wasn't sure what to do with it.

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Miguel Harvey

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For Roth 401k contributions, you generally don't need to report them separately on your tax return. The amount has already been included in your taxable wages (Box 1) on your W2. The code is mostly informational so you can verify the right amount was contributed throughout the year. Your 401k administrator will send you a separate Form 5498 showing your total contributions, but even that is just for your records.

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Oliver Cheng

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My W2 box 14 has "PARKING" listed with about $1200. Apparently it's for the subsidized parking at our office building. Anyone know if that's taxable or not? Our HR department is useless when it comes to tax questions.

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Axel Far

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If your employer subsidizes your parking as a qualified transportation fringe benefit, up to a certain monthly limit ($300/month for 2025) can be excluded from your taxable income. If that's the case, it's likely just listed in Box 14 for informational purposes and was already excluded from your Box 1 wages.

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