How to Change W-4 from 0 to 1 - How Much Extra Take-Home Pay?

I'm looking to increase my take-home pay by adjusting my tax withholding. Currently making about $3900 bi-weekly and feeling like too much is coming out for taxes. I'm thinking about changing my W-4 from claiming '0' to claiming '1' allowances. I'm a 34-year-old guy, no dependents, single filing status. Right now they're withholding around $935 from each paycheck just for federal taxes, which seems excessive. Anyone know approximately how much more I'd get in my paycheck if I make this change? Would I get like half that amount withheld instead? I understand I might owe more at tax time, but I'd rather have the money now than give the government an interest-free loan. Appreciate any insights from people who've done this before!

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20 comments

Louisa Ramirez

•8M

Changing your withholding from 0 to 1 won't cut your withholding in half, but you'll definitely see more in your paycheck. For someone making around $3900 biweekly with no dependents, switching from 0 to 1 would probably increase your take-home pay by about $80-120 per paycheck. Remember that the W-4 form was redesigned in 2020, so it no longer uses the old "allowances" system with numbers like 0 or 1. The new form asks about your filing status, multiple jobs, dependents, and other income or deductions. You'll need to fill out the current form rather than just changing a number from 0 to 1. You might want to use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator on their website to get a more precise idea of how to fill out your new W-4 based on your specific situation and how much you want withheld.

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Louisa Ramirez

•8M

While the official IRS W-4 form was redesigned in 2020 to remove the allowances system, some employers and payroll systems still use the old terminology internally. They might ask you about "0 or 1" but then translate your preference to the new form format when they process it. If your employer gave you an actual W-4 form to fill out, it should be the new version without allowance numbers. If they're just asking verbally or through an internal system, they're probably converting your answer to the appropriate selections on the new form. You could ask your HR department to clarify exactly how they're handling the withholding calculations.

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Angel Campbell

•8M

I went through the same thing last year trying to get more money in my checks instead of waiting for a tax refund. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my withholding situation and it was super helpful! The tool showed me exactly how changing my W-4 would affect my paychecks vs my year-end tax situation. Instead of just changing from 0 to 1 (which is the old system anyway), I learned how to properly fill out the new W-4 form to get just the right amount withheld - not too much, not too little. It analyzed my specific situation and helped me avoid owing a big chunk at tax time while still maximizing my biweekly pay.

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Angel Campbell

•8M

It was surprisingly accurate. My paycheck increased almost exactly by the amount it projected (within about $5-10). The tool factors in the current tax brackets and withholding tables, so it was pretty spot-on for my situation. For state taxes, it primarily focuses on federal withholding calculations, but it does provide guidelines on how state withholding typically relates to federal. For California specifically, it gave me enough information to make adjustments for both, though the state calculations were more general guidance rather than exact figures.

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Amun-Ra Azra

•8M

If you're tired of waiting on hold with the IRS to get answers about withholding questions (I waited 2+ hours last time!), check out https://claimyr.com - they have a service that calls the IRS for you and gets you connected to an actual human. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I used it when I had questions about how to fill out my W-4 correctly after getting married and changing jobs in the same year. Wasn't sure how to handle the multiple jobs worksheet and needed official guidance. Got connected to an IRS agent in like 20 minutes instead of the 3+ hour wait I was quoted when I tried calling directly. The agent walked me through exactly how to fill out the form for my situation.

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Amun-Ra Azra

•8M

It's definitely not about "jumping the line" - the service uses an automated system that calls the IRS repeatedly and navigates through all the phone tree options until it finally gets placed in queue. Then when a spot opens, it calls you and connects you directly to the IRS agent. The company never pretends to be the IRS or acts as an intermediary during your actual conversation. Regarding legitimacy concerns, I was skeptical too at first. But they don't participate in your actual call with the IRS - they just handle the waiting part. Once you're connected, you're talking directly with an actual IRS representative through the official IRS phone system. They've also been featured in legitimate news sources, which helped ease my concerns before I tried it.

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Gael Robinson

•8M

Wanted to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since I needed answers about my withholding situation that only the IRS could provide. The service worked exactly as advertised. I got a call back when an IRS agent was available, and I could tell it was definitely the real IRS (they verified my identity the same way they did when I called directly in the past). Saved me hours of waiting on hold and I got the W-4 guidance I needed. Changed my withholding properly and now I'm getting about $115 more per check!

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Edward McBride

•8M

Just a reality check - changing your withholding to get more in your paycheck now means you'll potentially owe more at tax time. Make sure you're actually adjusting it to reflect your true tax liability and not just trying to get more cash now at the expense of a big bill later. I did this last year, changed from 0 to 1 (or equivalent on new W-4) and ended up owing $2800 at tax time when I usually get a small refund. It was a nasty surprise and I didn't have the cash saved up.

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Edward McBride

•8M

There is definitely a sweet spot, but it's unique to your situation. The safest approach is to use the IRS Withholding Estimator on their website - it takes about 10-15 minutes to complete if you have your latest pay stub and last year's tax return handy. In your case, with $3900 biweekly and no dependents, you might consider a partial adjustment rather than the full change to 1. On the new W-4 form, you could use the "Extra withholding" line (Step 4c) to specify an additional amount to withhold per paycheck. For instance, if changing to the equivalent of "1" would reduce your withholding by $100 per check, you might put $40 in line 4c, so you still get $60 more per check but have some buffer against owing at tax time.

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CosmicCadet

•4M

I've been in a similar situation and found that the key is being strategic about it rather than just making a blanket change. At your income level ($3900 biweekly), you're definitely having a lot withheld - probably more than you'll actually owe in taxes. Here's what I'd recommend: First, use the IRS Withholding Estimator that others have mentioned - it really is accurate and will give you a much better picture than guessing. Second, consider making a gradual adjustment rather than a big change all at once. When I was overwithholding, I started by reducing my withholding by about half of what the calculator suggested I could safely do. This gave me an extra $75-80 per paycheck without creating a big tax liability. After seeing how it worked out over a few months, I made a small additional adjustment. The peace of mind of knowing you won't owe a huge amount in April is worth taking the conservative approach, especially in your first year of making this change. You can always adjust again next year once you see how it plays out.

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