How to Fill Out the W-4 Form (2026)

If you just started a new job, got married or had a baby, IRS Form W-4 is a critical addition to your annual tax return. Redesigned in 2020, the W-4, which is also called the Employee’s Withholding Certificate, tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from your paycheck. The biggest change is that it no longer discusses allowances, which many people found confusing; instead, you simply state the additional amount you want withheld per pay period.

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Why Do I Need to Fill Out Form W-4?

A W-4 form tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from your paycheck. This means you must complete a new W-4 every time you start a new job. If your new company forgets to give you one, be sure to ask.

If you do not have a W-4 form, the IRS will consider you a single tax filer, which you will fall into the highest possible tax bracket for your taxes. You can get back the amount you overpay but only in the new year when you file your tax return.

Do I Need to Submit the New Form W-4?

Complete the redesigned W-4 only if you have started a new job or if your filing status or financial situation has changed.

You do not need to fill out the new form if you have not changed employers. Your company can still use the information provided on the old W-4 form.

How Long Does It Take for W-4 Changes to Be Implemented?

When you submit a W-4, you can expect the information to go into effect fairly quickly. However, your employer’s payroll system will ultimately determine how long exactly before your paycheck reflects the changes. Ask your employer when you turn in the form.

How Is the New W-4 Different from the Old W-4?

The biggest change is the removal of the allowances section. You no longer need to calculate how many allowances to claim to increase or decrease your withholding.

The new form instead asks you to indicate whether you have more than one job or if your spouse works. It also asks how many dependents you have and if you have other income (not from jobs), deductions or extra withholding.

The new form also provides more privacy in the sense that if you do not want your employer to know you have more than one job, you do not turn in the multiple-job worksheet.

How to Fill Out the W-4 Form

A woman reviewing how to fill out a W-4 form.

As far as IRS forms go, the new W-4 form is pretty straightforward with just five steps.

How you complete the form depends on your filing status.

If you are single, have one job, have no children, have no other income and plan on claiming the standard deduction on your tax return, you only need to fill out Step 1 (your name, address, Social Security number and filing status) and Step 5 (your signature).
If you have more than one job or your spouse works, you’ll need to fill out Steps 1, 2 and 5.
If you have children, Steps 1, 3 and 5 applies to you.
If you have other income aside from jobs, you’ll be itemizing your deductions on your tax return, or if you want an extra amount withheld (including from other jobs), you can indicate your adjustments in Step 4. Also complete Steps 1 and 5.

IRS Form W-4 Instructions

	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4	Step 5
Single, have one job, have no children, have no other income and claim standard deduction	✔				✔
Have more than one job or your spouse works	✔	✔			✔
Have children	✔		✔		✔
Have other income aside from jobs	✔			✔	✔

Step 1: Basic Information

This is where you fill out the basic information concerning your personal data. Enter your name, address, SSN and filing status.

Be sure to complete this section as it is required for all filers.

Step 2: Multiple Jobs or Spousal Employment

If your spouse works and you file jointly or have a second or third job, you can use either the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator or the Multiple Jobs Worksheet on page three of the W-4 instructions to calculate how much extra should be withheld. Add this to Step 4.

If there are only two jobs (i.e., you and your spouse each have a job or you have two), simply check the box. Your spouse should do the same on their form, or you check the box on the W-4 for the other job, too.

Step 3: Claim Dependents

Complete this if you earn a maximum of $200,000, or $400,000 maximum for joint filers, and have dependents.

This requires a simple calculation: multiply the number of children under age 17 by $2,000 and the number of other dependents by $500, then add the two sums.

Step 4a: Other Income (Not from Jobs)

If you have interest, dividends or capital gains that you owe taxes on, indicate the total amount of non-pay income here.

Your employer will then calculate your total withholding based on this amount.

Step 4b: Deductions

The deductions worksheet requires some math.

You’ll need to know how much you claimed in deductions on your last tax return. If you claimed the standard deduction, you don’t need to fill this out. If you claimed more than the standard amount, this worksheet will help you calculate the additional amount.

Once you have this calculated, add any student loan interest, deductible IRA contributions and other deductions. You then include this total on your W-4 form.

If you get stuck, use the IRS’s withholding app or consult a tax professional for one-on-one support.

Step 4c: Extra Withholding

If you will owe more in taxes than what your salary alone would indicate, this is where you indicate the total amount that you want withheld per pay period.

If the extra amount is due to an extra job or your spouse’s employment, enter the amount you calculated in Step 2, plus any additional amount you want withheld.

Step 5: Signature

The W-4 form is only valid if you sign and date it on step 5.

W-4 vs. W-2: How Do the Forms Differ?

When comparing a W-4 vs. a W-2, both relate to your employment and tax withholding, but each serves a very different purpose..

A W-4 is completed by the employee. You fill it out when you start a new job or when your personal or financial situation changes. The information you provide, such as dependents, multiple jobs or other expected adjustments, guides your employer on how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck.

A W-2 form, by contrast, is completed by the employer. It reports your actual earnings for the year, including wages, tips and other taxable compensation. It also lists how much your employer withheld for federal, state and local taxes, as well as payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare. Employers must send W-2 forms to employees and also file copies with the IRS and Social Security Administration each year.

While the W-4 influences how much tax is withheld throughout the year, the W-2 summarizes both your earnings and your total withholdings. You use your W-2 to complete your annual tax return so you can determine whether you owe additional tax or are due a refund.

Bottom Line

If you aren’t switching jobs or going through a significant life change, you don’t need to refile your W-4 just because the form has changed since 2019. However, all new employees need to fill out a W-4 to avoid overpaying taxes. While the form is now more straightforward and doesn’t require allowances like before, it’s still important to ensure that you properly and accurately list all your information on your W-4 so not to interfere with your overall tax filing.

Tax Planning and Your Financial Plan

Income taxes are just one aspect of tax planning. If you want to preserve what you’ve earned and grow it in the most tax-efficient way, a financial advisor can potentially help. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Starting a new job? Even before you fill out your W-4, you can get an estimate for how much your take-home pay will be. Just use our paycheck calculator.