Understanding Your W-2
Box 1 - Wages, Tips, Other Compensation
This is the taxable amount reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This is your gross wages excluding all pre-tax deductions including: Pre-tax medical, dental, 403(b), flex spending, parking and transportation. It also includes any taxable fringe benefits (such as tuition remission benefits greater than $5,250), imputed income (such as student health/dental insurance awards), gifts, bonuses, taxable moving, as well as the taxable value of group-term life insurance in excess of $50,000 (see box 12, below).
Box 2 – Federal Income tax withheld
This is the total amount of federal income tax withheld from your wages during the calendar year.
Box 3 - Social Security Wages
The applicable limit on Social Security wages in 2019 is $132,900. Income subject to the Social Security tax is not reduced by your contributions to a retirement plan (403(b)), but is affected by all other pre-tax deductions, which include parking, healthcare, flex spending, etc. The only applicable exceptions are student employees working at ºÚÁÏÃÅwhile enrolled full-time and attending classes, as well as certain nonresident alien employees.
Box 4 - Social Security Tax Withheld
The Social Security tax rate for is 6.2%, and a matching amount of 6.2% is paid by Loyola. The only applicable exceptions are student employees working at ºÚÁÏÃÅwhile enrolled full-time and attending classes, and certain nonresident alien employees.
Box 5 - Medicare Wages and Tips
There is no applicable limit on Medicare wages. Income subject to the Medicare tax is not reduced by your contributions to a retirement plan (403(b)), but is affected by all other pre-tax deductions, which includes parking, healthcare, flex spending, etc. The only applicable exceptions are student employees working at ºÚÁÏÃÅwhile enrolled full-time and attending classes, and certain nonresident alien employees.
Box 6 - Medicare Tax Withheld
The Medicare tax rate is 1.45%, and a matching amount is paid by Loyola. Employees who have taxable wages in excess of $200,000 are subject to an additional 0.9% tax. The only applicable exceptions are student employees working at ºÚÁÏÃÅwhile enrolled full-time and attending classes, and certain nonresident alien employees.
Box 10 - Dependent Care Benefits
ºÚÁÏÃÅmust report the pre-tax amount paid into a dependent care flexible spending account as part of the ºÚÁÏÃÅBenefits Plan. Only dependent care benefits are reportable. Other pre-tax deductions withheld under the Benefits plan are not reportable.
Box 12 - Codes
The Codes shown in box 12 are described below.
- C Taxable cost of group-term life insurance over $50,000
- E 403(b) Retirement Contributions
- G Elective deferrals and employer contributions (including non-elective deferrals) to a Section 457(b) deferred compensation plan.
- P Excludable moving expense reimbursements paid directly to employee
- T Adoption Assistance benefits
- DD Cost of employer-sponsored health coverage including the employee and employer share. These amounts are not taxable.
- W Employer contributions (including amounts the employee elected to contribute using a Section 125 cafeteria plan) to your health savings account (HSA).
Box 13 - Checkboxes
The “Retirement plan” box must be checked if you contributed to any of the University’s defined contribution plans. Thus, all ºÚÁÏÃÅEmployees who fall into this category will have an X in this block. By checking the “Retirement plan” block, an employer notifies the IRS that an employee’s eligibility for a deductible Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) may be limited.
Box 14 - Other Information
GRTUI - Taxable Graduate Tuition Benefits
Box 15 - State
This box identifies the state your wages are reported to.
Box 16 - State wages, tips, etc.
The amount of your wages subject to state tax. This amount might differ from the amount shown in Box 1.
Box 17 - State income tax
The amount of tax withheld for the state in Box 15.