Video: Guide to the W-4 Tax Form: Employee's Withholding Certificate
When you started your last job, did you complete a W-4? Also known as the Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, the W-4 is used to update your tax withholding–how much is taken out for taxes–from each paycheck. Learn all about the implications of tax withholding and whether updating your W-4 could be advantageous based on your financial situation.
The One Big Beautiful Bill that passed includes permanently extending tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including increasing the cap on the amount of state and local or sales tax and property tax (SALT) that you can deduct, makes cuts to energy credits passed under the Inflation Reduction Act, makes changes to taxes on tips and overtime for certain workers, reforms Medicaid, increases the Debt ceiling, and reforms Pell Grants and student loans. Updates to this article are in process. Check our One Big Beautiful Bill article for more information.
Video transcript:
Are you withholding enough tax from your paycheck? We'll explain how a W-4 form helps you adjust your withholding.
When you started your job, you likely filled out a W-4 form. The information on your W-4 form tells your employer how much income to withhold from your pay.
Ideally, the amount withheld should be close to what you’ll owe in taxes for the year.
So, why does this matter? If not enough tax is withheld, you might owe the IRS money when you file your taxes, or even face a penalty.
On the other hand, if too much is withheld, you'll likely get a tax refund, but that means your paychecks are smaller during the year.
The good news?
You may be able to avoid both of these scenarios. To do so, you’ll need to give your employer an updated W-4 form to adjust your withholding.
You also might want to submit a new form if,
One: you start a side job.
Two: your spouse’s employment status changes.
Three: you get married or divorced, since your filing status will change.
Or four: you have a baby or adopt a child.
If you’re not sure how much tax should be withheld from each paycheck, you can test different scenarios using TurboTax's W-4 calculator by following the link in this video's description.
Ready to fill out a new W-4 form?
Here's how: There are five potential steps to complete on the W-4 form.
Step one is where you provide your personal information.
Step two only needs to be completed if you have more than one job, or if you file jointly and your spouse also works.
Step three is used to provide information about tax credits you expect to claim.
Step four is only necessary if you want taxes withheld for non-wage income. Expect to claim certain tax deductions or want additional tax to be withheld from your paycheck.
And finally, step five is where you sign and date the form. TurboTax helps you report your withholding and get full credit for taxes already paid.
Visit TurboTax.com for more info to help you file your taxes with confidence.

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