How should I fill out W-4 allowances when working two jobs?
I'm trying to figure out the right way to handle my taxes with multiple jobs and I'm completely lost. I currently work two different places - my main job pays about $57,000 annually and my part-time gig brings in roughly $19,000. I have no idea what I should be claiming for allowances on each W-4 form. Do I need to put different allowances on each job's W-4? Should I be claiming fewer allowances at my second job? I'm worried about owing a bunch at tax time because I'm not having enough withheld from each paycheck. Last year I only had one job so this is new territory for me. I've tried looking at the IRS website but honestly got overwhelmed with all the tax jargon. Can someone explain this in normal human terms? What's the right approach when filling out W-4 forms for multiple jobs?
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Ethan Scott
The W-4 form changed significantly in 2020 and no longer uses "allowances" - it now has a different approach for handling multiple jobs. Here's what you should do: For the most accurate withholding with two jobs, use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator tool on the IRS website. It walks you through everything step by step and tells you exactly what to put on each W-4. If you don't want to use the online tool, you have a few options on your W-4 forms: 1. Check the box in Step 2(c) on both W-4 forms - this is the simplest but slightly less accurate 2. Use the Multiple Jobs Worksheet and enter the result on the W-4 for your higher-paying job ($57k) 3. Do more precise calculations using the worksheets in Publication 505 The key is making sure enough tax is withheld between both jobs, since each employer doesn't know about the other job and withholds as if that's your only income.
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Lola Perez
•Wait, so there aren't allowances anymore? I'm so confused. My employer still gave me a form that asks for allowances. Is this an old form they're using or am I missing something? Also, if I use that IRS estimator thing, do I need to do it again every time my hours change at my part-time job?
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Ethan Scott
•Your employer might be using an outdated form. The federal W-4 form was redesigned in 2020 and no longer uses allowances. Some states still use allowances on their state withholding forms, but the federal form has been updated. If your hours fluctuate significantly at your part-time job, it's a good idea to revisit the estimator maybe once or twice a year or whenever you have a major change in income. Minor variations in hours week-to-week don't usually require updates, but if your annual income projection changes by several thousand dollars, it's worth recalculating.
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Nathaniel Stewart
I had the exact same problem last year with my two jobs! I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) after messing around with those confusing IRS worksheets for hours. It analyzed my situation and showed me exactly what to put on each W-4 form. The tool looks at both jobs together and calculates the right withholding so you don't get surprised at tax time. What I really liked is that it explained everything in plain English instead of tax jargon. You can even upload pictures of your pay stubs and it figures everything out automatically. Saved me from owing $3k at tax time like the previous year!
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Riya Sharma
•How accurate was it compared to what you would have done yourself? I've been using the IRS calculator but it's super time consuming and I feel like I'm still getting it wrong.
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Santiago Diaz
•Does it actually work for gig workers too? I have a regular job plus I drive for Uber and do some freelance design work. Would it handle all those different income sources?
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Nathaniel Stewart
•The accuracy was way better than what I would have done myself. When I tried filling out the forms on my own, I was way off - would have had too little withheld. The IRS calculator is good but taxr.ai was faster and explained things better. For gig workers and freelancers, it absolutely handles multiple income sources including self-employment. It actually helped me set up quarterly estimated payments for my side hustle so I wouldn't face penalties. You can input all your different income streams and it factors everything together.
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Santiago Diaz
Just wanted to update everyone - I tried taxr.ai after posting here and wow, what a difference! I was seriously underpaying on both my W-4 forms. The tool showed me I needed to add an extra withholding amount on line 4(c) of my main job's W-4 to cover both jobs. It even generated the completed W-4 forms that I could just print and give to my employers. No more tax anxiety for me this year! Definitely recommend if you're working multiple jobs.
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Millie Long
If you're struggling to get answers from the IRS about your W-4 withholding for multiple jobs, Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) got me through to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes when I was completely stuck. I'd been trying for weeks to get someone on the phone. The IRS agent walked me through exactly how to fill out both W-4 forms for my situation. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was honestly shocked it worked - I was expecting to wait on hold for hours like usual. The agent even explained how the tax brackets work when you have two jobs, which was super helpful.
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KaiEsmeralda
•Wait, this seems like a scam. Why would I need a service to call the IRS? Can't you just call them directly? How much does this cost?
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Debra Bai
•Does this really work? I've literally spent HOURS on hold with the IRS and never got through. What exactly do they do differently that gets you to the front of the line?
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Millie Long
•It's definitely not a scam - calling the IRS directly can mean waiting on hold for hours or just getting a busy signal. Claimyr basically keeps dialing and navigating the phone tree for you, then alerts you when there's an actual agent ready to talk. The technology uses a priority callback system that significantly reduces wait times. I was skeptical too, but it works because it navigates the IRS phone system more efficiently than manually calling. Think of it like having someone wait in line for you.
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KaiEsmeralda
OK I take back what I said above. I was super skeptical about Claimyr, but I was desperate after trying to call the IRS for three days straight. I decided to give it a shot and it actually worked! Got through to someone in about 20 minutes who answered all my W-4 questions. The agent explained that with two jobs, I need to be careful because each employer calculates withholding as if that's my only income, which can lead to underwithholding. She helped me figure out the exact extra amount I should put on line 4(c) of my higher-paying job's W-4. Would have never figured that out on my own!
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Gabriel Freeman
Don't overthink this. Just claim 0 allowances on both W-4s. That's what I do with my two jobs and I always get a refund. Better to get money back than owe.
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Riya Sharma
•But the new W-4 doesn't have allowances anymore. It was redesigned in 2020. Are you using an old form?
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Gabriel Freeman
•Oh crap, you're right. My company is still using the old form I guess. I haven't updated my W-4 in years. Sounds like I should probably fill out a new one! Thanks for catching that.
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Laura Lopez
Has anyone actually used the Multiple Jobs Worksheet on the W-4? I tried following it and got completely confused by step 2. Is there a simpler way to handle this?
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Ethan Scott
•The Multiple Jobs Worksheet can definitely be confusing. The simplest approach is just checking the box in Step 2(c) on both W-4 forms. It's slightly less accurate but way easier. This tells each employer to withhold at a higher single rate. If your jobs have very different salaries though (like yours do - $57k vs $19k), using the IRS Withholding Estimator online will give you more accurate results. It takes about 10-15 minutes but walks you through everything.
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Ellie Simpson
I'm in a similar situation with multiple jobs and found that the key is understanding that each employer withholds taxes as if that's your only income. This usually results in under-withholding when you add up your total tax liability. Here's what worked for me: I used the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator (it's free on the IRS website) and entered information for both jobs. It calculated that I needed to have an additional $150 per month withheld from my higher-paying job to avoid owing at tax time. The estimator will tell you exactly what to put in each section of your W-4 forms. For most people with two jobs, you'll end up putting an extra dollar amount in Step 4(c) "Extra withholding" on one of your W-4s (usually the higher-paying job). Don't forget to update your withholding if either job's income changes significantly throughout the year. I learned this the hard way when my part-time hours increased and I ended up owing $800 at tax time!
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AstroAce
•This is super helpful! I'm in almost the exact same boat as the original poster with similar income levels. Did you find that $150 extra per month was enough, or did you have to adjust it again later? Also, when you say "if either job's income changes significantly" - what would you consider significant? Like if my part-time hours go from 15 to 20 hours a week, is that worth recalculating? I've been putting off dealing with this but reading everyone's experiences here is making me realize I really need to get my W-4s sorted out before I end up owing a bunch at tax time like you did.
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