How to Fill Out a W4 Tax Form

A W4 is the form your employer refers to in order to calculate the appropriate federal withholdings from your paychecks. It is important to fill these out accurately, however, the forms can be a bit confusing to complete. Here's how to fill out a W4 tax form.

Instructions

1. Fill out your personal allowances.

   This is the portion of the tax form lettered A-H. It helps decipher your federal withholdings based on your personal financial situation. Read over these tax questions carefully and mark the matching number in the adjacent line if a statement is true for you.

2. Sum your line totals.

   Add the numbers you accumulated from lines A-G on the tax form. Write the total in the line H.

3. Complete the bottom of the W4.

   Include your name, address, marital status, social security number, etc. Filling out this part of the form with your personal information allows your employer to withhold taxes from your paycheck.

4. Claim any exemptions, exceptions, or allowances.

   On the lower section of the form, mark on the W4 if you have any special exceptions, or exemptions that apply to your tax situation. You can also designate how much additional money, if any, you would like withheld from your paycheck.

5. Sign the W4.

   The simplest and most important part of the W4; your signature makes the form valid.

Resources

• How to Get a Copy of your W2 Online
• How to Get the Most Money Back with Tax Returns