Sign your W-4 for your new job

Step 1 — personal information and filing status

Enter your first name, middle initial, last name, address and Social Security number. The form asks you to check that your name matches your Social Security card; if it doesn't, contact the SSA so your earnings are credited to you.

Then tick one filing status: Single or Married filing separately; Married filing jointly or Qualifying surviving spouse; or Head of household — only if you're unmarried and pay more than half the cost of keeping up a home for yourself and a qualifying individual. The status you pick sets the standard deduction and tax rates used to work out your withholding.

Step 2 — more than one job, or a spouse who works

Complete this step if you hold more than one job at the same time, or you're married filing jointly and your spouse also works. Choose one of three options. Option (a) is the IRS estimator, the most accurate choice and the one to use if either of you has self-employment income. Option (b) is the Multiple Jobs Worksheet on page 3; its result goes in Step 4(c). Option (c) is a checkbox for households with exactly two jobs in total — tick it on the W-4 for both jobs.

The checkbox splits the standard deduction and brackets in half for each job. That's accurate when the two jobs pay about the same; the bigger the pay gap, the more it over-withholds. Fill in Steps 3 to 4(b) on only one W-4 — ideally the one for the highest-paying job — and leave them blank on the others.

Step 3 — dependents and other credits

If your total income will be $200,000 or less ($400,000 or less if married filing jointly), multiply the number of qualifying children under 17 by $2,200 and other dependents by $500, and add any other credits you expect, such as education credits. A qualifying child generally has to live with you for more than half the year and have the required Social Security number. Entering credits here raises each paycheck and lowers any refund.

Step 4 — other adjustments

4(a) is for income that has no withholding of its own, like interest, dividends or retirement income, if you want tax on it taken from your pay. 4(b) is the result of the Deductions Worksheet on page 4 — for itemized deductions and the deductions the 2026 worksheet lists for qualified tips, overtime pay, passenger vehicle loan interest, student loan interest, IRA contributions and seniors. 4(c) is any extra amount you want withheld each pay period.

Prefer not to tell your employer about other income? The form offers alternatives: use the worksheet in Step 2(b) instead of the checkbox, or put an extra flat amount in 4(c) instead of listing income in 4(a).

Claiming exemption from withholding

The 2026 form has a separate “Exempt from withholding” box below Step 4(c). You can tick it only if you had no federal income tax liability in 2025 and expect none in 2026. If you claim exemption, complete Steps 1(a), 1(b) and 5 and nothing else. The exemption lasts for one calendar year: the form says to submit a new W-4 by February 16, 2027 to keep it. Social Security and Medicare taxes are still withheld.

Step 5 — signing, and what payroll does with the form

The signature line says it plainly: the form is not valid unless you sign it. You sign under penalties of perjury, and a false W-4 can bring a $500 penalty. Leave the “Employers only” box at the bottom for payroll.

Employers may set up their own electronic W-4 system — if yours has one, use it. If HR asks for a signed PDF instead, filling it in here works. Don't edit the form's wording: IRS rules make a W-4 with unauthorized changes or additions invalid, and employers can't accept homemade substitute forms from employees.

If you never hand in a W-4, the employer must withhold as if you were single with no adjustments. When you give them a replacement form, it has to take effect no later than the first payroll period ending on or after the 30th day after they receive it.

Nonresident aliens

Different rules apply: read IRS Notice 1392 first. Nonresident aliens can't claim exemption, request withholding as single whatever their actual status, generally can't claim dependents in Step 3, and write “Nonresident Alien” or “NRA” in the space below Step 4(c).

Sources

• IRS — Form W-4 (2026), Employee's Withholding Certificate
• IRS — Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide: Form W-4 rules
• IRS — Tax Withholding Estimator