How do you fill out a W-4?

Answer 1

Form W-4 is an Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, which guides your employer in withholding federal income tax from your pay. Attached to this form is the Personal Allowances Worksheet, which you should keep for your records. This Worksheet gives you information for box 5 on Form W-4.

On line A, enter 1 for yourself if no one is claiming you as a dependent.

On line B, enter 1 if you're single with only one job, or you're married, only one job, and your spouse doesn't work, or wages from your second job or your spouse's wages or the total of both are $1,500 or less.

On line C, you can enter 1 for your spouse or enter 0 if you're married and either your spouse works or you have more than one job.

On line D, enter any dependents, other than yourself or your spouse, that you'll be claiming on your tax return.

On line E, enter 1 if you're filing as head of household on your tax return.

On line F, enter 1 if you'll be claiming a credit for at least $1,800 of child/dependent care expenses.

On line G, if you'll be claiming the child tax and/or additional child tax credit, enter 1 for each eligible child plus an additional 1 if you have 6 or more eligible children and your total single income is between $61,000 and $84,000 [$90,000-$119,000 if married].

On line G, if your total single income is less than $61,000 [$90,000 if married], enter 2 for each eligible child and then minus 1 from that figure if you have 3 or more eligible children.

Line H is a total of lines A through G. It should be noted that the amount on line H may be different from the number of exemptions that you actually claim on your return. Go from here to the W-4 unless you're planning to itemize or claim adjustments to income and want to reduce your withholding accordingly or if you have more than one job or you and your spouse both work and your combined earnings exceed $40,000 [$25,000 if married] and need an additional amount withheld. In either case, you should complete the Deductions and Adjustments Worksheet or the Two-Earners/Multiple Jobs Worksheet.

In box 1, fill in your first name and middle initial. In the next box goes your last name.

Box 2 is for your social security number.

To the left of box 3 is a line for your home address [house number and street name]. Check the choice in box 3 that applies: single, married, married but withhold at higher single rate. [Note: In some cases, such as both spouses are working married people don't have enough tax withheld at the married rate, so they can either have their tax withheld at the higher single rate or they can have an additional amount withheld in box 6].

To the left of box 4 is a line for your city/town, state, and zip code. Check box 4 if your last name differs from that shown on your social security card, and it also is noted that you have to call 1-800-772-1213 for a replacement card.

In box 5, enter the total number of allowances that you figured on line H of the Personal Allowances Worksheet or on line 10 of the Deductions and Adjustment Worksheet or on line 3 of the Two-Earners/Multiple Jobs Worksheet.

Only fill in box 7 by writing in the word 'exempt' if you had no tax liability last year and were refunded all of your withheld federal income tax and the same will occur this year. Then all you have to do is sign and date the form on the line between boxes 7 and 8.