Money & Taxes

W-4 Helper

Your new job handed you a W-4 and you have no idea what to put. Tell us your situation, and we'll tell you exactly what to write on each line.

What Is a W-4?
The W-4 tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from your paycheck. Get it right, and you'll owe nothing (or get a small refund) at tax time. Get it wrong, and you'll either owe the IRS money in April or get a huge refund (which means you gave the government a free loan all year).

You fill out a W-4 when you start a new job. You can also submit a new one anytime to adjust your withholding.
// What's Your Situation?

Pick the one that best describes you. This determines what you need to fill out.

// Your W-4 Line by Line
// Check Your Withholding

Enter your pay info to see roughly what gets withheld and whether you'll owe or get a refund.

// Common Questions
Sources: IRS Form W-4 (2025), IRS Publication 15-T (Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods), IRS Tax Withholding Estimator. Federal tax brackets for 2025. This tool covers federal withholding only — state withholding varies. Not tax advice. See our Paycheck Decoder and Tax Refund Estimator for related tools.