Employees know that keeping up with the taxes withheld from their paychecks can be a complicated process. Social Security and Medicare are based on a flat percentage and are easy enough to understand, but varying incomes, exemptions, and withholding rates can make things difficult.
The first thing any employee needs to understand is the concept of allowances. An allowance is a pre-determined amount of one’s paycheck that their employer ignores for tax withholding purposes. Employees establish their allowances on their Form W-4, which is completed when one starts working at a new job.
Form W-4s include a “Personal Allowance Worksheet” intended to help individuals determine their allowances by asking questions and providing scenarios. No one is obligated to actually claim the number of allowance that the worksheet suggests, but its tips can be useful.
Employees are, however, required to report their marital status. This can create confusion because, regardless of marital status, employees have a choice on the number of allowances they would like to claim.
Remember, the higher the number of allowances one claims, the less money is withheld from their paycheck. Married people typically choose to have less withheld because they can claim exemptions for two people when it comes time to file, reducing the overall amount of tax they must pay.
However, single people who will owe more taxes, as well as married people with multiple sources of income and taxpayers who—for whatever reason—would like more money withheld, use the single withholding rate.
At the same income, and with the same number of allowances, the single withholding rate withholds more taxes than the married rate.
It is also worth noting that married people who use the single withholding rate on their Form W-4 are not required to claim the single filing status when they file their taxes. What one claims on their Form W-4 is purely for withholding purposes.
Of course, if one withholds too little, they will owe more taxes at the end of the year. In contrast, if one withholds too much, they will receive a tax refund.
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FS-2019-4, March 2019 The federal income tax is a pay-as-you-go tax. Taxpayers pay the tax as they earn or receive income during the year. Taxpayers can avoid a surprise at tax time by checking their withholding amount. The IRS urges everyone to do a Paycheck Checkup in 2019, even if they did
one in 2018. This includes anyone who receives a pension or annuity. Here’s what to know about withholding and why checking it is important. An employer generally withholds income tax from their employee’s paycheck and pays it to the IRS on their behalf. Wages paid, along with any amounts withheld, are reflected on the
Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, the employee receives at the end of the year.
Note: August 2019 – this Fact Sheet has been updated to reflect changes to the Withholding Tool.Understand tax withholding
How withholding is determined
The amount withheld depends on:
- The amount of income earned and
- Three types of information an employee gives to their
employer on Form W–4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate:
- Filing status: Either the single rate or the lower married rate.
- Number of withholding allowances claimed: Each allowance claimed reduces the amount withheld.
- Additional withholding: An employee can request an additional amount to be withheld from each paycheck.
Note: Employees must specify a filing status and their number of withholding allowances on Form W–4. They cannot specify only a dollar amount of withholding.
Everyone should check withholding
The IRS recommends that everyone do a Paycheck Checkup in 2019. Though especially important for anyone with a 2018 tax bill, it’s also important for anyone whose refund is larger or smaller than expected. By changing withholding now, taxpayers can get the refund they want next year. For those who owe, boosting tax withholding in 2019 is the best way to head off a tax bill next year. In addition, taxpayers should always check their withholding when a major life event occurs or when their income changes.
When to check withholding:
- Early in the year
- If the tax law changes
- When life changes occur:
- Lifestyle – Marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, home purchase, retirement, filing chapter 11 bankruptcy
- Wage income – The taxpayer or their spouse starts or stops working or starts or stops a second job
- Taxable income not subject to withholding – Interest, dividends, capital gains, self-employment and gig economy income and IRA (including certain Roth IRA) distributions
- Itemized deductions or tax credits - Medical expenses, taxes, interest expense, gifts to charity, dependent care expenses, education credit, Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit
How to check withholding
- Use the Tax Withholding Estimator on IRS.gov.
The Tax Withholding Estimator works for most employees by helping them determine whether they need to give their employer a new Form W-4. They can use their results from the estimator to help fill out the form and adjust their income tax withholding. If they receive pension income, they can use the results from the estimator to complete a Form W-4P, Withholding Certificate for Pension and Annuity PaymentsPDF, and give it to their payer.
- Use the instructions in Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.
Taxpayers with more complex situations may need to use Publication 505 instead of the Tax Withholding Estimator. This includes employees who owe, the alternative minimum tax or tax on unearned income from dependents. It can also help those who receive non-wage income such as dividends, capital gains, rents and royalties. The publication includes worksheets and examples to guide taxpayers through these special situations.
Change withholding
To change their tax withholding, employees can use the results from the Tax Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new Form W-4 and submit to their employer. Don’t file with the IRS.
Those who don’t pay taxes through withholding, or don’t pay enough tax that way, may still use the Tax Withholding Estimator to determine if they have to pay estimated tax quarterly during the year to the IRS. Those who are self-employed generally pay tax this way. See Form 1040-ES, Estimated Taxes for Individuals, for details.
More resources
- Pay as You Go, So You Won't Owe
- Estimated Taxes
- Form W-4S, Request for Federal Income Tax Withholding from Sick Pay
- Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request