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Internal Revenue Service (IRS) · United States (federal)

Form W-4: Employee's Withholding Certificate

Current revision: Tax year 2026 (checked on irs.gov, Oct 15, 2026)

Complete the IRS's current Form W-4 step by step: filing status, multiple jobs, dependents, adjustments. Sign it and hand it to your employer, not the IRS.

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Form

W-4

Issued by
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Applies in
United States (federal)
Edition
Tax year 2026

Official source

PDFBetter is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for Internal Revenue Service (IRS). We open the form from irs.gov, and you fill it in our editor. Check the issuer's instructions before you file.

What it is

What Form W-4 is for

Form W-4 tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from your pay. You fill it out when you start a job or want to change your withholding, and you give it to your employer, who keeps it. The current version is the 2026 Form W-4.

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From irs.gov to your filled copy

  1. 1

    Fetched from irs.gov

    The agency's own, current PDF — not a retyped copy.

  2. 2

    Opens in the editor

    Fillable fields work as they are; on a flat page you type with text boxes.

  3. 3

    Your filled copy

    Download, print, sign or send it — the original stays untouched.

Who files it

  • New employees on or before their first payday
  • Employees who marry, divorce, have a child or take a second job
  • Two-earner married couples adjusting for both incomes
  • Employees claiming exemption from withholding (must be renewed each year)
  • Anyone whose refund or balance due was larger than expected

What you need

  • Name, address and Social Security number
  • Your expected filing status
  • Pay information for every job you and your spouse hold (for Step 2)
  • Number of qualifying children under 17 and other dependents
  • Expected non-job income, such as interest or dividends
  • Expected deductions beyond the standard deduction, if any

Line by line

How to fill out Form W-4

  1. 1

    Step 1 — Personal information

    Enter your name, address and SSN and check one filing status. The name should match your Social Security card.

  2. 2

    Step 2 — Multiple jobs or spouse works

    Do only one option: use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, use the Multiple Jobs Worksheet on page 3 and enter the result in Step 4(c), or check the box in 2(c) if there are exactly two jobs and you check it on both W-4s.

  3. 3

    Step 3 — Dependents and other credits

    If your income is $200,000 or less ($400,000 married filing jointly), multiply qualifying children under 17 by $2,200 and other dependents by $500, then add other credits. Complete Step 3 on the W-4 for only one job.

  4. 4

    Step 4(a) — Other income

    Enter non-job income you want tax withheld for, such as interest, dividends or retirement income.

  5. 5

    Step 4(b) — Deductions

    Use the Deductions Worksheet on page 4 if you expect more than the standard deduction. For 2026 it includes the new deductions for qualified tips, overtime and passenger-vehicle loan interest.

  6. 6

    Step 4(c) — Extra withholding

    Enter any additional amount to withhold each pay period, including the result from the Multiple Jobs Worksheet.

  7. 7

    Exempt from withholding

    Check this box only if you meet both conditions for exemption described on page 2. When you claim exemption, complete only Steps 1(a), 1(b) and 5.

  8. 8

    Step 5 — Sign

    Sign and date. The form is not valid unless you sign it. The “Employers Only” box is for your employer.

Where to send it

Give the completed W-4 to your employer's payroll or HR team. Do not send it to the IRS. Your employer keeps it and uses it to calculate withholding from your next paychecks. If you claimed exemption, you must give your employer a new W-4 by February 16, 2027 to keep it.

Filing rules change. Confirm the address or portal on irs.gov before you send.

Form W-4: questions people ask

Do I send Form W-4 to the IRS?

No. Give it to your employer. The IRS may later ask your employer for it if your withholding is reviewed.

Is there a new W-4 every year?

The IRS releases a new W-4 for each tax year; the current one is the 2026 version. You don't have to file a new one each year unless you claim exemption or your situation changes.

Should I use the estimator or the worksheets?

The IRS says its Tax Withholding Estimator at irs.gov/W4App gives the most accurate result, especially if you or your spouse have self-employment income or you start a job mid-year.

Can I sign my W-4 electronically?

Many employers collect W-4s through an electronic payroll system, which IRS rules allow when the system meets their requirements. If your employer asks for a PDF, check that a typed or drawn signature is acceptable to them.

What's the most common mistake?

Filling in Steps 3 and 4(b) on every job's W-4. Complete those steps on only one W-4, ideally the highest-paying job, or you will under-withhold.

Is my information private?

Steps 2(c) and 4(a) ask about income from other sources. If you'd rather not tell your employer, the form suggests using Step 2(b) or the estimator and entering extra withholding in Step 4(c) instead.