Unit 2 · Income
Module 4 — The W-2 Worker
Most of the people who walk through a tax office door are W-2 workers. This module teaches you how to handle them right.
📋 Ralph Martinez — Before We Start Module 4
The W-2 form is the foundation of most tax returns you’ll prepare. Amazon Anthony, the Garcias, Elena at the salon — they all get W-2s. Learn to read one cold and you’ll be ready for the majority of clients who walk through your door in any given season.
A W-2 looks simple. It has boxes with numbers. But every box tells a story about what the client earned, what was withheld, and what benefits they received. Miss a box and you miss something on the return. Read every box and you understand the whole picture before you type a single number into the software.
A W-2 looks simple. It has boxes with numbers. But every box tells a story about what the client earned, what was withheld, and what benefits they received. Miss a box and you miss something on the return. Read every box and you understand the whole picture before you type a single number into the software.
— Ralph Martinez · Ruskin, FL · Est. 2001
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7 Lessons in Module 4
Lesson 1: Reading a W-2 Box by Box — Anthony gets his W-2 and we walk every box together
Lesson 2: Multiple W-2s — Marcus worked two jobs and things get complicated fast
Lesson 3: Box 12 Codes That Matter — the codes every beginner needs to recognize
Lesson 4: Bonuses & Supplemental Wages — why clients think their bonus is taxed more
Lesson 5: Common Employer Benefits — 401(k), HSA, FSA, and what shows up on the W-2
Lesson 6: State Withholding & Local Taxes — boxes 15–20 explained
Lesson 7: Building Your First W-2 Return — walk through Anthony’s complete return start to finish
Lesson 2: Multiple W-2s — Marcus worked two jobs and things get complicated fast
Lesson 3: Box 12 Codes That Matter — the codes every beginner needs to recognize
Lesson 4: Bonuses & Supplemental Wages — why clients think their bonus is taxed more
Lesson 5: Common Employer Benefits — 401(k), HSA, FSA, and what shows up on the W-2
Lesson 6: State Withholding & Local Taxes — boxes 15–20 explained
Lesson 7: Building Your First W-2 Return — walk through Anthony’s complete return start to finish