A Form W-4 is used to determine the amount of federal taxes your employer is required to withhold from your paycheck each pay period. Each time you begin a new job or have a change in your financial situation, you should complete a Form W-4. Your employer determines the amount of taxes to withhold from your pay by referring to lines 5 and 6 of Form W-4. Therefore, if you wish to receive a larger refund, you must adjust the form to withhold a larger amount of taxes throughout the year.
Enter "0" into lines A through H.
Complete lines 1 through 4 by entering your name, Social Security number, address and filing status.
Enter "0" into line 5. This is the number your employer refers to when determining the amount of taxes to withhold from your paycheck. By entering "0," your employer will withhold the maximum amount of taxes allowed for your tax bracket.
Enter "0" into line 6 if you do not wish to have your employer withhold an additional amount of money from your paycheck. If you wish to receive an even larger refund, consider entering "10" or "20." This requires your employer to withhold the maximum amount of taxes and an additional $10 or $20 dollars from each paycheck.
Place a line through line 7.
Sign and date the form and return it to your employer.
References
- IRS: 2011 Form W-4
- Internal Revenue Service. "About Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate." Accessed Feb. 3, 2020.
- Internal Revenue Service. "W-4 Employee's Withholding Certificate," Page 1. Accessed Jan. 20, 2020.
- Internal Revenue Service. "Topic No. 306 Penalty for Underpayment of Estimated Tax." Accessed Jan. 20, 2020.
- Internal Revenue Service. "Topic No. 753 Form W-4 – Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate." Accessed Jan. 20, 2020.
- Internal Revenue Service. "Form W-4 (2019)," Page 1. Accessed Jan. 20, 2020.
- Internal Revenue Service. "W-4 Employee's Withholding Certificate," Pages 1-4. Accessed Jan. 20, 2020.
- Internal Revenue Service. "Publication 505 (2019), Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax." Accessed Jan. 20, 2020.
Writer Bio
Angela M. Wheeland specializes in topics related to taxation, technology, gaming and criminal law. She has contributed to several websites and serves as the lead content editor for a construction-related website. Wheeland holds an Associate of Arts in accounting and criminal justice. She has owned and operated her own income tax-preparation business since 2006.