Plan · Form W-4
W-4 Withholding Calculator
Work through Form W-4 step by step — filing status, the Step 2 multiple jobs checkbox, dependent credits, other income, deductions and extra withholding — and see the estimated federal tax taken from each paycheck plus whether you are on pace to be over- or under-withheld for 2026.
Your job and pay
Official Form W-4 personal details
Used only to fill the official 2026 IRS Form W-4 in this browser. Your SSN is masked outside this field and never included in the estimate report.
Form W-4, Steps 1 and 2
Form W-4, Steps 3 and 4
Per paycheck
26 paychecks a year, tax year 2026.
- Gross pay
- $3,269.23
- Federal income tax withheld
- $379.62
- Social Security + Medicare
- $250.10
- State income tax
- $153.58
- Local income tax
- $109.99
- Estimated take-home
- $2,375.95
Year-end outlook
On track
Your projected federal withholding is close to your estimated federal tax for the year. No Form W-4 change is indicated.
- Federal tax withheld for the year
- $9,870.00
- Estimated federal tax for the year
- $9,870.00
- Projected refund
- $0.00
Estimates only. Withholding uses the IRS Publication 15-T (2026) percentage method; the annual comparison uses the 2026 annual rate schedules and standard deduction. Everything is calculated in your browser — nothing you type is sent anywhere or stored.
Save or print this withholding estimate. The file is created privately in your browser and nothing you entered leaves this device.
Enter annual wages above zero to download or print this withholding estimate.
This separate action fills the genuine IRS 2026 Form W-4. Review and sign it before giving it to your employer.
Complete the personal details section to create the official form.
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Calculations are estimates for informational purposes and are not tax, legal, or financial advice. Actual withholding and take-home pay may differ.
How to fill out Form W-4
Step 1 — Filing status
Pick the status you expect to file under. Each status has its own withholding rate schedule and standard deduction amount, so this single choice moves your paycheck more than anything else on the form.
Step 2 — Multiple jobs
With two similar jobs in the household, each employer would otherwise assume it is your only income. Checking the box moves you to the IRS Step 2 schedule so the lower brackets are not applied twice.
Steps 3 and 4 — Credits, income, deductions
Step 3 reduces withholding by your annual credit total. Step 4(a) raises it for untaxed income, 4(b) lowers it for deductions above the standard amount, and 4(c) adds a flat dollar amount to every paycheck.
Checking your result
A large projected refund means your own money is sitting with the IRS all year; a large balance due can bring an underpayment penalty. Adjusting Step 4(c) is usually the most precise way to land near zero.
Continue with a full paycheck breakdown
This page focuses on federal withholding. For a complete paycheck with state and local tax, overtime, tips, bonuses and deductions, open the main paycheck calculator or a state calculator below.
Our withholding tables, sources and review dates are documented in the tax methodology and data sources pages.
Form W-4 questions
What each step of the form does, how the over- and under-withholding estimate is produced, and what this tool deliberately leaves out.
What does Form W-4 actually control?
Form W-4 tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck. It does not change how much tax you owe for the year — only the timing. Withhold more than your liability and you get a refund; withhold less and you owe a balance at filing time.
When should I check the Step 2 box?
Check Step 2(c) when you hold two jobs in total, or when you are married filing jointly and your spouse also works, and the two jobs pay roughly similar amounts. The box switches your employer to the IRS Step 2 rate schedule, which withholds at a higher rate because the standard deduction and lower brackets are not counted twice.
What goes on Step 3?
Step 3 is an annual dollar amount of credits, not a count of people. The Form W-4 worksheet multiplies qualifying children under 17 by $2,000 and other dependents by $500. The total reduces the tax withheld across the year, spread evenly over your paychecks.
What is Step 4(a), 4(b) and 4(c)?
4(a) is other annual income with no withholding, such as interest, dividends or retirement distributions. 4(b) is deductions above the standard deduction, from the Form W-4 Deductions Worksheet. 4(c) is a flat extra dollar amount withheld from every paycheck — the simplest way to close a projected shortfall.
How is the over- or under-withheld figure calculated?
Per-paycheck withholding uses the IRS Publication 15-T (2026) percentage method for automated payroll systems — the same engine as our main paycheck calculator. That amount is projected across your pay periods and compared with an estimated annual federal tax built from the 2026 annual rate schedules and standard deduction. Amounts within $250 either way are reported as on track.
Is this a substitute for the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator?
No. This is an independent estimate for a single job with regular wages. It does not model self-employment tax, capital gains, itemized-deduction detail, mid-year job changes or credits beyond Step 3. Treat it as a planning aid and confirm large changes with a tax professional.
Is anything I enter stored or sent anywhere?
No. Every calculation runs in your browser. Nothing you type is transmitted to a server, saved to an account or shared with a third party — there is no account to create.