To fill out the W-4 form, follow these main steps:
- Enter personal information: Name, address, Social Security number, and tax filing status (e.g., single, married filing jointly, or head of household).
- Account for all jobs and spouse's income: If you have more than one job or your spouse works, either use the IRS withholding estimator for accuracy, complete the Multiple Jobs Worksheet on the highest-paying job's W-4, or check the box if both jobs have similar pay.
- Claim dependents: If your income is below certain thresholds, enter the number of qualifying children and dependents multiplied by the tax credit amounts.
- Refine withholding: Include any other income not subject to withholding (e.g., retirement or interest), claim deductions other than the standard deduction, or request additional tax withholding.
- Sign and date the form and give it to your employer.
You can choose to fill out only Steps 1 and 5 if applying default withholding, but including Steps 2-4 adjusts your withholding more precisely to your tax situation. Using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator online can help complete the form most accurately. This form determines how much federal income tax is withheld from each paycheck, affecting whether you owe taxes or get a refund when filing your tax return.
