Skip to main content
March 22, 2023
Question

Is W-2 form for current employee only?

  • March 22, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

I am the wife of late husband. I received a W-2 form from the employer he worked for. Is W-2 form only for current employee only? Or does it apply to spouse who received the benefit from late husband?

 

On the W-2 form, Box 11 shows an amount for non-qualified plans. I was not employed, but my late husband was employed. Is the W-2 form correct when Box 11 shows an amount on it?

1 reply

March 22, 2023

I am sorry for your loss. A tax return needs to be prepared for your late husband and can be filed as married-separate or married-joint for the year that he died. If you file it as married-joint, which normally results in the lesser tax, then you need to include the W-2 he received on the tax return that the two of you file together. Otherwise the two of you can file separate tax returns and only enter his W-2 form information on his tax return, but your overall tax may be higher that way. The W-2 form is likely correct when it reports an amount in line 11 for non-qualified pension plans. It can represent money contributed to a non-qualfied pension plan or money withdrawn from such a plan. After you enter your W-2 in TurboTax, you will be asked what the amount in box 11 represents and it will be listed as taxable if it is a distribution but will not be deductible if it was a contribution to a pension plan, since the plan is non-qualified.

 

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
March 23, 2023

Sorry I didn't make my question clear. My husband passed away a few years ago and I'm getting money as his spouse beneficiary. It's from excess savings as non-qualified. The amount shown on Box 11 in W-2. Does W-2 apply for current working employee? Or does it apply to spouse beneficiary? Last year I got this on 1099-MISC. I got confused which tax form is correct?

LindaS5247
March 23, 2023

Is the W-2 in your name? 

 

In general, they do report some non-qualified pension plan distributions in Box 11.  

 

Box 11

If you received certain deferred compensation income from your employer from a non-qualified plan, this information is reported in Box 11.

 

It will have the same tax effect as it would if you reported it on a Form 1099-MIsc.  They both will be taxed as ordinary income.


Enter the Form W-2 as it is shown and TurboTax will ask you follow up questions about it.  

 

Please feel free to come back to TurboTax Community if you have additional questions.

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"