What is a W-2 Form?
The W-2 form reports your annual wages and the taxes withheld from your paycheck. Employees will use this form to prepare and file federal, state, and for some individuals, local tax returns.
When Will You Receive Your W-2?
A physical copy of your W-2 will be mailed to your home address before January 31. To update your home address, please contact your HR consultant or submit a ticket here.
Digital copies of your W-2 will be available in Cardinal. For help on registering and accessing Cardinal, as well as how to view your W-2, please visit the Cardinal Support section of the Employee Portal.
How to Read Your W-2
The W-2 contains several boxes with important amounts you will use when filing your taxes. Here is what the amount in each box represents:
- Box 1: Federal taxable wages
- Box 2: Federal income tax withheld
- Box 3: Social Security (OASDI) taxable wages
- Box 4: Social Security tax withheld
- Box 5: Medicare (HI) taxable wages
- Box 6: Medicare tax withheld
- Box 10: Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account contributions
- Box 12:
- C – Imputed Life – the value of Group Life Insurance coverage over $50,000
- E – Pre-tax 403(b) plan contributions
- G – Pre-tax 457 plan contributions
- M – Uncollected Social Security tax on Group Life Insurance coverage over $50,000
- N – Uncollected Medicare tax on Group Life Insurance coverage over $50,000
- BB – Roth 403(b) plan contributions
- DD – Cost of employer-sponsored health coverage – employee and employer portions combined
- EE – Roth 457 plan contributions
- Box 15: State
- Box 16: State taxable wages
- Box 17: State income tax withheld
- Box 18: Name of the local taxing entity
- Box 19: Local taxable wages
- Box 20: Local income tax withheld
Why W-2 Wages May Differ from Your Final Pay Stub
- Pre-tax deductions (VRS/Retirement, Health Insurance, 457/403(b) contributions, Flexible Spending Accounts)
- Non-taxable benefits (Educational assistance payments)
- Multiple state/local jurisdictions
To reconcile your W-2 to your final pay stub, first find the Total YTD Earnings amount from the pay stub. To calculate boxes 1 and 16 of your W-2, subtract the Total Before-Tax Deductions amount from the pay stub and add in the Imputed Life YTD amount from the Employer Paid Benefits section. This should match boxes 1 and 16 of your W-2.
Total Earnings YTD from pay stub – Total Before-Tax Deductions YTD + Imputed Life YTD = boxes 1 and 16 from the W-2
To calculate boxes 3 and 5, subtract the YTD Health Insurance, FSA contribution, and FSA fee amounts from your Total YTD Earnings and add in the Imputed Life YTD amount. This should match boxes 3 and 4 from your W-2.
Total Earnings YTD from pay stub – Health Insurance, Flexible Spending contributions, and FSA fee YTD amounts + Imputed Life YTD = boxes 3 and 5 from the W-2
Where on the W-2 does it show overtime worked?
The IRS offered transitional relief to employers for the inclusion of tip and overtime information on W-2s for 2025. As a result, the Department of Accounts did not include that information for tax year 2025.
The amount of overtime that you worked for 2025 will appear on your final pay stub of the year in the Hours and Earnings section. The two lines for overtime are listed as Overtime – Salaried Time + Half and Overtime – Salaried Straight.
Please review IRS guidance for employees who received overtime during 2025.
What If There’s an Error?
- Contact your Payroll Analyst immediately. For full-time faculty and staff, email Matt Carbaugh at mcarbaugh@laurelridge.edu. For wage staff and adjunct (credit and non-credit) faculty, email Courtney Barnhart at cbarnhart@laurelridge.edu.
- If corrections are necessary, you will receive a W-2C to use when filing your tax returns.
If you lose your W-2 or do not receive the physical copy
- Access a digital copy of your W-2 in Cardinal.
- Check in Cardinal to ensure your mailing address is correct going forward.
Helpful Resources
Quick Tips
✔ Review your W-2 as soon as you receive it
✔ Report any errors promptly
✔ Keep it in a safe place for tax filing