How do I complete a W4 as a high school student for my first job?

The W4 can definitely be confusing when you're new to the workforce! The good news is that for most minors with their first job, it's pretty straightforward. The W4 is basically telling your employer how much tax to withhold from each paycheck. As a student with one job and likely not making enough to owe much (if any) tax, you'll want to keep it simple. For Step 1: Just fill in your personal info accurately (name, address, SSN, and filing status - which for you would be "Single"). Skip Steps 2 and 3 completely - those are for people with multiple jobs or dependents, which doesn't apply to you. Step 4 is optional. You can leave it blank unless you want additional tax withheld for some reason (which most minors don't need). Step 5: Just sign and date! That's really it! The simplest approach is best for your situation. Your employer should withhold the correct amount based on how much you earn each pay period.

I went through the same confusion a couple years ago! I finally found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me so much stress with my first job paperwork. I uploaded a picture of my W4 and it literally walked me through exactly what to put in each field based on my situation as a student worker. It explained everything in normal human language instead of tax jargon and even had specific guidance for minors who are still dependents on their parents' taxes. Definitely worth checking out if you're stuck!

I was super skeptical about using any kind of online tax help until my dad lost the instructions for my W4. Decided to try taxr.ai that someone mentioned here and was actually surprised how helpful it was. It explained that as a student working part-time, I could claim exempt if I didn't owe any federal tax last year AND don't expect to owe any this year (which was my case). Saved me from accidentally having too much withheld from my small paychecks. The explanations were actually way clearer than what my manager told me!

If you're struggling with tax forms and can't reach someone who knows what they're doing, you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). When I was filling out my first W4 last summer, I had some specific questions about my situation that weren't covered in the standard advice. I tried calling the IRS directly but kept getting stuck on hold forever. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS representative in about 15 minutes instead of the 2+ hours I was waiting before. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The rep walked me through exactly what I needed to do for my situation as a minor with income from different summer jobs.

OK I need to update my previous comment because I actually tried Claimyr yesterday after getting desperate with my tax situation. I was 100% convinced it was going to be a waste of money but I had already spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to the IRS myself with no luck. The service actually worked exactly as advertised - I got a call back in about 45 minutes with an actual IRS person on the line. The agent answered my question about filling out my W4 as a minor with two different summer jobs and confirmed I was doing it right. I'm still shocked it worked but wanted to admit I was wrong in my skepticism.

One thing nobody mentioned - if you're a minor and don't expect to earn more than $12,950 in 2025 (the standard deduction amount), you can actually write "EXEMPT" on your W4 form in the space below Step 4(c). This means your employer won't withhold any federal income tax from your paycheck. BUT be aware that: 1) You still have to complete the form each year to claim exempt status 2) You might still have Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld 3) This only works if you had no tax liability last year AND expect none this year Most high school students with part-time jobs fall into this category, but if you're making good money or have investment income, this might not apply to you.

Btw make sure your parents know what you're doing!! My daughter filled out a W4 for her first job and messed up her filing status which caused issues with our family taxes. Since ur still a dependent on their return u should coordinate with them!!!

If ur using the online system to fill out the W4, take screenshots of each page after u fill it out!! My first job had a glitch in their system and lost part of my tax info, then tried to blame me for filling it out wrong. Having proof of what u submitted saved me a huge headache when payroll messed up my first check.

Hey Avery! I totally get the stress - I remember being super overwhelmed with my first W4 too. The good news is that as a 16-year-old with just one part-time job, you're in the simplest possible situation for filling this out. Here's exactly what you need to do: **Step 1**: Fill in your name, address, SSN, and check "Single" for filing status (yes, even though you're a dependent on your parents' taxes - that's totally separate). **Steps 2-4**: Skip these entirely! They're for people with multiple jobs, dependents, or who want extra withholding - none of which apply to you. **Step 5**: Sign and date it. That's literally it! Don't overthink it. The system will automatically calculate the right amount to withhold based on your income level. One extra tip: If you don't expect to earn more than about $12,950 this year (which is pretty unlikely for a part-time mall job), you could even write "EXEMPT" in the space below Step 4(c) to have no federal taxes withheld at all. But if you're unsure, just leave it blank - you'll get any overpaid taxes back when you file next year anyway. You've got this! And definitely take screenshots of each page when you submit it online - just in case their system has any glitches.

Don't stress too much about this - I remember feeling the exact same way when I got my first job last year! The W4 seems way more complicated than it actually is for someone in your situation. Since you mentioned you need to get this done by tomorrow morning and your parents aren't available, here's the quickest approach: stick with the basic advice everyone's giving about keeping it simple (Step 1 only, skip 2-4, then sign), but also consider calling your employer's HR or payroll department if you get stuck on the online form. Most places are super understanding that this is confusing for first-time workers and they'd rather help you get it right than deal with payroll issues later. Also, remember that the W4 isn't permanent - if you realize later that you want to change how much tax is withheld (like if you decide you want to claim exempt status after you see how much you're actually earning), you can always submit a new W4 to update it. So don't worry about making the "perfect" choice right now. You're going to do great at your new job! The hardest part is just getting started, and filling out tax forms definitely gets easier with experience.

As someone who just went through this exact situation a few months ago, I wanted to add one more tip that really helped me: if you're feeling overwhelmed by the online form, you can also ask to fill out a paper W4 instead! I know it sounds old-fashioned, but sometimes seeing it on paper makes it way less intimidating than clicking through multiple online screens. Also, don't feel bad about not knowing this stuff - literally nobody teaches us this in school! I had to learn everything the hard way too. The fact that you're being proactive and asking for help shows you're going to be great at your new job. One last thing - make sure you keep a copy of whatever you submit (whether it's screenshots or a paper copy). You'll want to have it for reference when you file your taxes next year, and it's also good to have proof of what you submitted just in case there are any payroll questions later. Congrats on landing your first job! The mall can be a really fun place to work, especially during busy seasons. You've got this! 🎉

Hey Avery! I just wanted to chime in as someone who works in payroll and sees a lot of first-time W4s. You've gotten some really solid advice here, and I want to reassure you that you're not alone in feeling confused - probably 90% of new employees ask these same questions! One thing I'd add that might help ease your nerves: for someone your age with a part-time mall job, there's really no way to mess this up badly enough to cause serious problems. The worst case scenario is that you have a bit too much or too little tax withheld, and that gets sorted out when you file your tax return next year (which will probably result in a nice refund anyway). The "keep it simple" approach everyone's suggesting is perfect for your situation. Step 1 with your basic info and "Single" status, skip the complicated middle sections, and sign it. Done! And honestly? Even if you did accidentally check the wrong box somewhere, your payroll department has seen it all before and can help you submit a corrected form. We'd much rather help you get it right than deal with confused employees later. You're going to do great at your new job! The fact that you're being responsible and asking for help shows you've got a good head on your shoulders. Enjoy your first paycheck! 💰

Hey Avery! I totally understand the stress - filling out your first W4 can feel really overwhelming when you have no idea what any of it means! But honestly, you're in the easiest possible situation as a high school student with just one part-time job. Here's what I wish someone had told me when I was in your shoes: for your situation, you literally only need to worry about Step 1. Fill in your name, address, Social Security number, and check "Single" for filing status (yes, even though your parents claim you as a dependent - that's completely separate). Then skip Steps 2, 3, and 4 entirely, and just sign and date it in Step 5. That's it! The system will automatically calculate the right withholding based on your income level. Since you're probably not going to earn enough to owe much (if any) federal income tax anyway, keeping it simple is definitely the way to go. Don't stress about making it perfect - you can always submit a new W4 later if your situation changes. Focus on being excited about your new job instead! And definitely save screenshots of what you submit, just in case there are any system glitches. You've got this! 🙌

Hey Avery! I completely understand the panic - I was in the exact same situation last year when I got my first job at a local restaurant. The W4 form looked like it was written in a foreign language! Here's the super simple version for your situation as a high school student with one part-time job: **Step 1**: Fill in your personal info (name, address, SSN) and select "Single" for filing status. Don't worry - selecting "Single" doesn't affect your parents claiming you as a dependent on their taxes. **Steps 2-4**: Leave these completely blank or skip them entirely. These sections are for people with multiple jobs, dependents, or specific deduction situations that don't apply to you. **Step 5**: Sign and date it. That's literally all you need to do! The system will handle the rest automatically based on your pay level. Quick tip: Since you're working part-time and probably won't earn more than around $12,950 this year, you might even qualify to write "EXEMPT" in the space below Step 4(c) to avoid having any federal taxes withheld. But if you're unsure, just leave it blank - you'll get any overpaid taxes back as a refund when you file next year anyway. Don't stress about perfection - you can always submit a new W4 if you need to change anything later. Good luck with your new job! 🎉