Learn how to access and read your W-2, what to do if you haven’t received one and more.
Active employees: View and download your W-2
Each year, your W-2 is mailed by Jan. 31 to the mailing address you have on file on Dec. 20. The form can also be accessed digitally shortly after it’s mailed. Follow these steps to view yours:
- Log into my.cu.edu.
- Select the CU Resources tab. (CU System employees will skip this step.)
- Select the top left CU Resources Home dropdown menu, then select My Info and Pay.
- Click the W-2 tile. The form contains personal information, so you must verify your identity to access it.
- Select the Year End Form link to view your W-2.
Didn't receive your W-2?
Current employees: Access your W-2 in the employee portal using the instructions below. Please do not submit a W-2 Reissue Request Form.
Former employees: Access your W-2 via the ADP portal. Please call Employee Services at 303-860-4200, option 2 for instructions.
Student employees: Recipients of stipends (scholarship, fellowships and grants) are expected to self-report amounts, if taxable, regardless of whether they are reported on a W-2.
Request a new W-2
If you need to request a new W-2, submit a W-2 Reissue Request Form. Before submitting a request, please read the information below.
Current employees
You can quickly access a digital version of your W-2 in the employee portal:
- Log into my.cu.edu.
- Select the CU Resources tab. (CU System employees will skip this step.)
- Select the CU Resources Home dropdown menu at the top, then select My Info and Pay.
- Click the W-2 tile. Since your W-2 contains personal information, you must verify your identity to access it.
Former employees
The last three years of W-2s are provided in the ADP Portal. Please call Employee Services at 303-860-4200, option 2 for instructions.
For older W-2 forms, please submit a W-2 Reissue Request Form.
Working retirees
As a working retiree, you have two W-2s in the employee portal. One for CU and one for CUR. If you send your W-2s to the IRS, do not send the two separate W-2s. Instead, send the W-2 with the combined CU and CUR information that was sent to your mailing address.
Only see two versions in the portal? Contact Employee Services at 303-860-4200, option 2 for instructions on accessing the combined W-2 in the ADP portal.
How to read your W-2
Click the circles on the image below and we’ll walk you through what each section means. Note: Turn off your popup blocker to view the hotspot.
Box 1 - Wages, Tips, Other Compensation
This amount includes total wages and other compensation paid during the calendar year. This includes taxable fringe benefits (e.g., the value of group-term life insurance in excess of $50,000, tuition benefits greater than $5,250.00, non-cash rewards, gifts and taxable moving reimbursements). Pretax deductions/ premiums, for insurance plans (health, dental and flexible spending accounts for health or dependent care benefits) and contributions to the retirement plan will reduce your total wages.This box reports your federal taxable wages.
Note: Wages exempt from tax under a Tax Treaty will not be included in Box 1 but will be reported in Box 2 of Form 1042-S.
Box 2 - Federal Income Tax Withheld
This is the amount of federal income tax withheld from your wages reported in Box 1. Your W-4 was used to determine the tax withholding rate. Your filing status is available on the employee portal and on your paystub (aka, your pay advice).
Box 3 - Social Security Wages
This amount includes total wages and other compensation plus fringe benefits, minus pre-tax deductions for health insurance and any flexible spending accounts up to the annual maximum Social Security wage base. This box can differ from Federal wages (Box 1) as retirement plan contributions do not reduce the Social Security wages reported in Box 3.
The following groups are exceptions and are not subject to Social Security:
- PERA employees
- Full-time undergraduate student employees (enrolled in at least six credit hours)
- Full-time graduate student employees (enrolled in at least three credit hours)
- Nonresident alien employees
Box 4 - Social Security Tax Withheld
This amount represents 6.2% of the Social Security wages (Box 3) withheld from Social Security wages during the year.
Box 5 - Medicare Wages and Tips
The wages subject to Medicare tax are the same as those subject to Social Security tax; however, there is no wage limit for the Medicare Tax.
Box 6 - Medicare Tax Withheld
This amount represents 1.45% of the total Medicare wages (Box 5) during the year.
However, employees who earn more than $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly) are also subject to an additional 0.9% Medicare tax.
Box 10 - Dependent Care Benefits
This amount is the total amount paid into your dependent care flexible spending account for the year.
Box 12 - See Notice to Employee
Certain payments are reported in Box 12 along with alpha codes. The Notice to Employee on the back of your Form W-2 shows a complete listing of the codes used. The following codes are among the most common.
- 12 C - Taxable Cost of GTL (Group Term Life): The calculated value of group-term life insurance exceeding $50,000 that has been added into Box 1 as "other compensation."
- 12 E - Section 403(b) Salary Reductions: Your total elective deferrals to your CU 403(b) Voluntary Retirement Plan.
- 12 G - Section 457(b) Contributions: Any amount you contributed to the PERA 457 Plan.
- 12 P - Excludable Moving Expense Reimbursements: Non-taxable moving expenses for which you were reimbursed directly (not included in taxable wages in Box 1).
- 12 DD – Cost of Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage: This is the cost of your employer-sponsored health coverage. The amount reported is not taxable. This figure includes both the employee- and employer-paid health insurance premiums, and is for informational purposes only.
Note: Form W-2 only allows space to report four "Box 12" codes. Employees with more than four codes will receive two W-2 forms. The second form will only include additional Box 12 codes.
Box 13 - Retirement Plan
This box is checked when an employee is an active retirement plan participant (CU 401(a) Retirement Plan or the Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) Retirement Plan) for any part of the year. When checked, special limits may apply to the amount of IRA contributions that an employee may deduct.
Box 14 - Other
This box is used to report miscellaneous information, such as:
- FAMLI - This figure reflects employee premiums paid into CU's FAMLI program. It does not reflect FAMLI leave use.
- Vehicle - The taxable value of the personal use of company-provided vehicles
- PreTax - The total amount of pretax deductions from your cafeteria plan elections
- Moving expenses - Acard
- Moving expense - Taxable
- Business Expense – Taxable
- Imputed Cash Award
- Be Colorado Move. Payment
Box 16 - State Wages, Tips, Etc.
This amount equals Box 1 and should be used with your state income tax return.
Box 17 - State Income Tax Withheld
This is the amount of state income tax withheld from your wages, reported in Box 16.
Box 18 - Local Wages, Tips, Etc.
This amount is your local taxable wages.
Box 19 - Local Income Tax Withheld
This is the amount of local income tax withheld from your wages, reported in Box 19. You may receive multiple W-2 forms if you worked in more than one location within the tax year (e.g., Denver and Aurora).