What the W-4 does
The W-4 tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck. You hand it to your employer — usually on your first day — and they keep it; it does not go to the IRS. Withhold too little and you may owe money (and possibly a penalty) at tax time; withhold too much and you are giving the government an interest-free loan until your refund arrives.
The five steps
- Step 1 — Personal information. Name, address, Social Security number and filing status. Required.
- Step 2 — Multiple jobs or spouse works. Only if you hold more than one job at a time or are married filing jointly and your spouse also works. The form offers three ways to account for it: the IRS online estimator, the worksheet on page 3, or a checkbox for when there are exactly two jobs of similar pay.
- Step 3 — Dependents. Credits for qualifying children and other dependents.
- Step 4 — Other adjustments. Other income, deductions beyond the standard deduction, and any extra amount you want withheld per pay period.
- Step 5 — Sign. Required.
Steps 2–4 are optional: an employee who completes only Steps 1 and 5 gets withholding based on the standard deduction and tax rates with no other adjustments.
Using this file
This is the official 2026 W-4, 5 pages and 48 fields. The form itself is on page 1; pages 2–5 hold instructions and the worksheets. In Fill & Sign, place your drawn signature on the Step 5 line of page 1 — click there after drawing it. If you work through the multiple-jobs worksheet, copy the result into Step 2 or Step 4(c) on page 1, because that is the page your employer reads.
FAQ
Do I need a new W-4 every year?
Not as a rule — your existing W-4 stays in effect. File a new one when your situation changes (a new job, marriage, a child). The exception: a claim of exemption from withholding has to be renewed each year.
Does the W-4 go to the IRS?
No, it goes to your employer, who uses it to run payroll.
Is this the current version?
It is the 2026 W-4 as published by the IRS, unmodified.