Why convert a W-2 to CSV?
A W-2 packs about thirty numbers into a grid designed for paper. When you need those numbers somewhere else, like a tax-prep spreadsheet, a mortgage application, or a comparison of several jobs in one year, retyping them is slow and error-prone. A single transposed digit in box 1 or box 2 can throw off a whole return.
StubCSV reads the text inside your W-2 PDF, finds each labeled box, and gives you a CSV with one row per box: box number, description, and value. Download the one-row summary instead if you want each W-2 as a single row to stack into a yearly ledger.
How to extract W-2 data into Excel
Download your W-2 from your employer's payroll portal as a PDF and drop it into the converter above. Review the preview, then download the CSV. Double-click the file to open it in Excel, or use File → Import in Google Sheets.
Had more than one job this year? Convert each W-2 and download the one-row summary CSV for each. Paste the rows under each other and you can total wages and withholding across employers in a single sum. Paid plans can also export a formatted .xlsx workbook.
Built-in sanity checks
After extraction we check the relationships the IRS expects. Social Security tax in box 4 should be 6.2% of box 3, and Medicare tax in box 6 should be at least 1.45% of box 5. If something doesn't line up, you'll see a warning before you download, so you know which values to double-check against the PDF.
Where to get a W-2 PDF that works
Most employers deliver W-2s through their payroll portal (ADP, Paychex, Gusto, Workday, and others) as a downloadable PDF. Those digital PDFs have a text layer and convert cleanly. If you only have a scan or a photo of a paper W-2, open the portal copy instead, or use Print → Save as PDF from the portal's viewer.