Form W-2 Explanation
| Box # | Name | Description |
| Box 1 | Wages, Tips, Other Compensation | This is reportable federal taxable wages (total gross wages less all pre-tax items such as: medical premiums, dependent care, flexible spending, health savings account, parking, and Retirement plans PERS, UWRP, VIP, LEOFF & TRS). This amount does include taxable employer provided benefits, such as tuition assistance benefits, gift certs, etc. |
| Box 2 | Federal Income Tax Withheld | Total amount of Federal tax withheld, including additional withholding. |
| Box 3 | Social Security Wages | Total amount of reportable wages less pre-tax items which are not subject to Social Security taxes such as: medical premiums, dependent care, flexible spending, health savings account, parking. Retirement plans are not pre-tax items for Social Security tax purposes and are included in the reportable total. There is an annual maximum of Social Security wages subject to tax. |
| Box 4 | Social Security Tax Withheld | Total amount of Social Security tax withheld. There is an annual maximum of this tax each year. |
| Box 5 | Medicare Wages and Tips | Total amount of reportable wages less pre-tax items which are subject to Medicare taxes such as: medical premiums, dependent care, flexible spending, health savings account and parking. Retirement plans are not pre-tax items for Medicare tax purposes and are included in the reportable total. There is no yearly limit for Medicare wages. |
| Box 6 | Medicare Tax Withheld | Total amount of Medicare tax withheld. There is no yearly limit for Medicare tax withheld. |
| Box 7 | Social Security Tips | This category is not applicable to UW. |
| Box 8 | Allocated Tips | This category is not applicable to UW. |
| Box 10 | Dependent Care Benefits | Total amount of dependent care withheld. Excludible amount allowed under Internal Revenue Code Section 129. |
| Box 11 | Nonqualified plans | This category is not applicable to UW |
| Box 12 | "See instructions for box 12" |
Code E - Elective deferrals to an IRS Section 403(b) (VIP contributions). Code G - Elective deferrals to an IRS Section 457(b) deferred compensation plan. |
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Code P - Excludable moving expenses. Code W - Combined employee and employer contributions to Health Savings Account. The employer amounts are provided by the Washington State Health Care Authority. |
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Code BB - Designated Roth contributions under a Section 403(b) plan Code DD - Cost of employer-sponsored health coverage. This amount reported with Code DD is not taxable. More information available on the Benefits Office website. |
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| Any contributions to PERS & UWRP, LEOFF & TRS plans are mandatory contributions, not elective deferrals and will not be itemized in this box. They are exempt from taxation and have been accounted for in Box 1. | ||
| Box 13 | Retirement Plan | This will be checked if enrolled in any basic retirement plan. |
| Box 14 | Other |
Additional information Code UND: Union dues Code CFD: Charitable contributions to the Combined Fund Drive |
| Box 15 | Name of State | For Employees working outside of Washington State only. Employee's tax residence state. |
| Box 16 | State Wages, Tips, etc. | For Employees working outside of Washington State only. Total of reportable state taxable wages. |
| Box 17 | State Income Tax | For Employees working outside of Washington State only. Total amount of state tax withheld, including additional withholding. |
| Box 18 | Local Wages, tips, etc. | For Employees working outside of Washington State only. Total reportable state local wages. |
| Box 19 | Local Income Tax | For Employees working outside of Washington State only. Total amount of local tax withheld. |
| Box 20 | Locality Name | For Employees working outside of Washington State only. Locality code. |