How to fill out Form W-4 for 2026, step by step
A plain-English summary of the instructions printed on the 2026 Form W-4. Your employer uses it to withhold the correct federal income tax from your pay. If too little is withheld you will generally owe tax when you file; if too much, you will generally get a refund.
Fill out the 2026 W-4 now (free, private)
Step 1 — Personal information
Enter your name, address and social security number. Step 1(c), your anticipated filing status, determines the standard deduction and tax rates used to compute your withholding. Head of household is only for someone unmarried who pays more than half the costs of keeping up a home for themselves and a qualifying individual.
Step 2 — Multiple jobs or spouse works
Use it if you hold more than one job at the same time, or you are married filing jointly and both of you work. Submit a separate W-4 for each job. Option (a), the IRS estimator, is the most accurate; option (b), the Multiple Jobs Worksheet, is a little less accurate. If there are only two jobs in total you may instead check the box in option (c) — and it must also be checked on the W-4 for the other job. Then complete Steps 3–4(b) on the W-4 for only one of the jobs, ideally the highest paying one.
Step 3 — Dependents and other credits
Only 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 age 17 by $2,200 and the number of other dependents by $500, add other credits, and enter the total. A qualifying child must be under 17 as of December 31, generally live with you for more than half the year and have the required social security number.
Step 4 — Other adjustments (optional)
- 4(a) Other income not from jobs that won't have withholding, such as interest, dividends and retirement income.
- 4(b) Deductions: the result of the Deductions Worksheet (page 4) if you expect deductions other than the basic standard deduction. If you skip it, withholding is based on the standard deduction.
- 4(c) Extra withholding: any additional tax you want withheld each pay period. If you would rather not report other income in 4(a), the form says you may enter an extra amount here instead.
Exemption from withholding
You may claim exemption for 2026 only if you had no federal income tax liability in 2025 and expect none in 2026. To claim it, check the box in the “Exempt from withholding” section and complete only Steps 1(a), 1(b) and 5. You will need to submit a new W-4 for 2027.
Step 5 — Sign
The form is not valid unless you sign it. Give it to your employer, not to the IRS. The “Employers Only” section is for your employer.
Summary of the instructions in https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf (Form W-4 2026 (Created 12/8/25)), checked 2026-10-20. Not tax advice; see the full form and Pub. 505.