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January 15, 2025
Solved

What if my employer didn’t take federal income tax withholding from my paychecks throughout 2024 year?

  • January 15, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 0 views
On my W2 box #2 is blank what can I do?
    Best answer by rjs

    All you can do at this point is enter your W-2 as it is, with box 2 empty, and see what happens. It's too late to have any tax withheld for 2024.


    If you end up owing a large payment on your 2024 tax return, you should give your employer a new W-4 for 2025. You can use the Tax Withholding Estimator on the IRS web site to figure out what to put on your W-4 form to get the approximate refund amount that you want.

     

    3 replies

    DoninGA
    January 15, 2025

    You may be alright.  What is the amount in box 1 and what is your filing status, ie Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, etc.?

    rjs
    rjsAnswer
    January 15, 2025

    All you can do at this point is enter your W-2 as it is, with box 2 empty, and see what happens. It's too late to have any tax withheld for 2024.


    If you end up owing a large payment on your 2024 tax return, you should give your employer a new W-4 for 2025. You can use the Tax Withholding Estimator on the IRS web site to figure out what to put on your W-4 form to get the approximate refund amount that you want.

     

    January 15, 2025

    There is nothing to do, you had no tax withheld.

     

    If you owe tax, then either your W-4 was filled out incorrectly or your employer processed it incorrectly.  You should fill out a new one, use the IRS calculator to get an idea of what you should claim.

    https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator

     

    If you owe tax and a penalty, pay the tax but wait for the IRS to bill you for the penalty.  You can apply for a waiver/penalty relief at that time (for example, because this was your first time, or because your employer handled your W-4 wrong and you didn't notice.)

     

    But you may not owe tax, depending on your income and family size.  We would need to know more.