How can I adjust my W4 form to get a bigger tax refund instead of owing?

While you can adjust your W4 to get a bigger refund, it's important to understand that a refund just means you overpaid throughout the year - it's your money being returned, not a bonus from the IRS. To increase your withholding (and therefore your refund), focus on Form W4 Sections 3 and 4. In Section 3, claim your children as dependents ($2,000 credit per qualifying child). In Section 4(a), don't report additional income. In Section 4(c), you can specify an additional amount to withhold from each paycheck. For a $12,000 refund, you'd need about $1,000 in extra withholding per month, so put about $460 per paycheck (assuming bi-weekly pay). Homeschooling doesn't typically provide additional federal tax benefits, though some states offer tax benefits for homeschooling expenses. Your filing status of married filing jointly is usually more advantageous than filing separately with your income level and having three dependents.

I had the exact same issue last year! After owing $2,500 unexpectedly, I discovered taxr.ai which helped me figure out the perfect W4 strategy. I uploaded my previous tax returns and pay stubs, and it analyzed exactly how much extra withholding I needed in Section 4(c). The site (https://taxr.ai) gives personalized recommendations for your W4 form based on your specific situation - it basically projected what my tax picture would look like with different withholding amounts. For someone wanting a specific refund amount like you're looking for, it can calculate the exact number to put in box 4(c). Much easier than trying to guess or do complicated math yourself!

Update: I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it was exactly what I needed! I uploaded my last two years' tax returns where I owed money, entered my current pay information, and it showed me that I needed to add $425 per paycheck in Section 4(c) to hit my refund goal of around $11K. What surprised me was seeing how the Child Tax Credits work with my withholding - apparently I wasn't maximizing those properly before. The simulation feature let me try different scenarios (joint vs separate filing, different withholding amounts) and showed exactly how my take-home pay would change versus my refund amount. Totally worth checking out if you want to dial in a specific refund amount rather than guessing and possibly owing again.

If you're still dealing with the IRS about those past years where you owe $3k each, I recommend Claimyr. I was in a similar situation owing back taxes and couldn't get through to anyone at the IRS for weeks. Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) got me connected to an actual IRS agent in less than 20 minutes, and I was able to set up a payment plan. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Before using it, I spent HOURS on hold only to get disconnected. With your situation of owing for multiple years while trying to adjust your current withholding, it might help to speak directly with the IRS to make sure everything is set up correctly.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since I've been trying to reach the IRS for MONTHS about my missing refund. It actually worked! I got a call back in about 30 minutes, and then was connected to a real IRS agent who helped resolve my issue. I saved literally days of frustration and hold time. For the original poster - talking directly with the IRS about your W4 might be helpful. The agent I spoke with actually explained some nuances about withholding that I hadn't considered, and gave me personalized guidance based on my specific situation.

Just be careful about intentionally overwithholding too much. While it's perfectly legal to request additional withholding on your W4, the IRS doesn't like it when people use them as a forced savings account. In extreme cases, they may send your employer a "lock-in letter" that restricts your ability to adjust your withholding if they think you're having too much withheld. This usually happens when the withholding seems unreasonable compared to your expected tax liability. At your income level with 3 kids, a $12k refund is probably pushing it, but should be okay. Just something to be aware of.

Homeschooling parent here! While homeschooling doesn't give you federal tax benefits directly, don't forget to keep track of your homeschooling expenses for other potential benefits: 1. Some states offer tax credits or deductions for homeschooling expenses 2. Certain educational expenses might qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit 3. If you have a 529 plan, some homeschool expenses may qualify (rules changed in 2018) 4. If you run a home business related to your homeschooling, some expenses might be deductible None of this directly affects your W4 withholding question, but since you mentioned homeschooling, I thought this might be helpful additional info!