What If I Have Nothing in Box 13 for W-2? See How to Fill It Out
POINTS
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A blank Box 13 usually means no workplace retirement plan coverage.
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A 401(k) participant will generally have Box 13 checked.
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Employer contributions can trigger Box 13 coverage.
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Box 13 can affect your Traditional IRA deduction.
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Box 12 can show contributions even when Box 13 is blank.
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Incorrect Box 13 information should be corrected by your employer.
A blank Box 13 on Form W-2 can raise questions when you’re entering your tax information.
It means your employer did not mark any of its three designated indicators for the year.
Those indicators cover statutory employee status, retirement-plan participation, and third-party sick pay.
Can't Find Your 401(k) on Your W-2?
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Is It Normal for Box 13 to Be Blank?
Yes, if you’re looking at Box 13 on your W-2, it’s perfectly normal for it to be blank if none of the three situations apply to you.
Box 13 contains three checkboxes:
- Statutory employee
- Retirement plan
- Third-party sick pay
Your employer checks only the boxes that apply to you.
So, if you see nothing checked in Box 13, you generally don’t need to do anything.
Can I Have a 401(k) and Still Have a Blank Box 13?
Yes, you can have a 401(k) and still have Box 13 blank, depending on what happened with your 401(k) during that particular tax year.
| If You... | Box 13 |
|---|---|
| Contributed to your 401(k) this year | Should be checked |
| Didn't contribute and your employer didn't contribute | Can be blank |
| Your employer contributed for you | Should be checked |
| Only contributed in a previous year | Can be blank |
| Only had investment growth in your old 401(k) | Can be blank |
But if you’re still unsure, check whether you or your employer contributed to your 401(k) during the year.
This is generally to determine whether the Retirement Plan box should be checked.
What If My Employer Checked Box 13 Incorrectly?
If you think your employer checked Box 13 incorrectly, you can still fix it.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Contact your employer or payroll department and explain what you think is incorrect.
- Ask them to review your W-2 and, if necessary, issue a corrected Form W-2c.
- Don’t change the W-2 yourself. Wait for your employer to provide a corrected form if one is needed.
My Box 13 Is Blank, But I Contributed to a 401(k)
Trust me, this rarely happens, but if you contributed to your 401(k) during the year but Box 13 is blank, it’s worth having your W-2 checked.
What you should do
| Step | What You Should Do | What It Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check Box 12 on your W-2. | Code D = traditional 401(k); Code AA = Roth 401(k). |
| 2 | Check Box 13. | If you contributed to your 401(k) this year, the “Retirement plan” box should generally be checked. |
| 3 | Contact your employer if Box 12 shows a 401(k) contribution but Box 13 is blank. | Ask your employer or payroll team to verify your W-2. |
| 4 | Request a corrected W-2 if your employer confirms there’s an error. | Your employer can issue a corrected W-2. Don’t change the W-2 yourself. |
What Should I Do If Box 13 Is Blank?
If Box 13 on your W-2 is blank, you need to follow the steps below to determine whether you should leave it blank or contact your employer for clarification.
| Step | What to Do | Steps |
|---|---|---|
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1
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Find Box 13 on your W-2. | Confirm that all three options are blank: Statutory employee, Retirement plan, and Third-party sick pay. |
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2
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Check Box 12. | Look for any retirement-related codes or contributions. |
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3
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Check whether you participated in a retirement plan. | Determine whether you had a 401(k), 403(b), pension, or another employer retirement plan during the year. |
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4
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If you did not participate in a retirement plan, review the other Box 13 options. | Make sure you were not a statutory employee and did not receive third-party sick pay. |
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5
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Leave Box 13 blank if none of the options applies. | Do not add a checkmark yourself. |
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6
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Enter your W-2 into your tax software. | Enter the information exactly as it appears on your W-2. |
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7
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If the software requires you to select something for Box 13, stop and review the information. | Do not guess or select an option just to continue. |
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8
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If you believe the W-2 is incorrect, contact your employer or payroll department. | Ask them to verify Box 13 and correct the W-2 if necessary. |
Once you’ve completed these steps, you can continue entering your W-2 information without adding anything to Box 13 unless you confirm that a correction is needed.
W-2 Box 13 Retirement Plan Checkbox FAQs
Yes, a blank Box 13 can be normal if you were not an active participant in a qualifying retirement plan during the year.
It means you were an active participant in a qualifying employer retirement plan during the year, such as a 401(k), 403(b), SEP, or SIMPLE plan. A 457(b) plan generally does not trigger the checkbox.
Yes, if you had a 401(k) but made no contributions and received no employer contributions that year. If money was added to your account, a blank Box 13 may indicate an error.
A blank Box 13 generally means you were not covered by a workplace retirement plan for IRA deduction purposes. However, your spouse's retirement-plan coverage can also affect your deduction.
Ask your employer to correct the W-2 and issue a Form W-2c. If the error affects your tax return, you may also need to amend your return.
If you contributed to a 401(k), Box 13 should generally be checked. Contact your employer or payroll department and request a corrected W-2.
If your employer made contributions to your retirement account, Box 13 should generally be checked. Ask your employer to correct the W-2 if it was left blank.
Retirement-related Box 12 codes can help show whether you participated in a plan. For example, codes D, E, F, S, AA, or BB generally correspond with a checked Box 13, while code G for a 457(b) plan generally does not.
First, compare Box 13 with your pay stubs and retirement-plan records. If the box is wrong, contact your employer for a corrected W-2 and make sure your tax return reflects your actual retirement-plan coverage.
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