I don't understand how to fill out W4s. Completely confused by the new form!

The W4 changed significantly in 2020, so it's definitely confusing if you're used to the old version! The good news is that for a single person with one job, it's pretty straightforward. Here's a simple breakdown: Step 1 is just your personal info. Step 2 only applies if you have multiple jobs or a working spouse, so you can skip it. Step 3 is for claiming dependents - if you don't have kids or other dependents, enter zero or leave blank. Step 4 is optional - use it only if you have other income like investments (4a), want extra withholding (4c), or plan to claim deductions beyond the standard deduction (4b). For most single people with one job, you can literally just fill out Step 1, sign at the bottom, and you're done! The old "allowances" system with claiming "0" or "1" is gone. The new form is designed to be more accurate, but simpler for basic situations. If you fill it out as I described, you should have approximately the correct amount withheld.

I had the same confusion when I started my job earlier this year! I actually found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that walks you through filling out your W4 based on your specific situation. It asks simple questions about your job, income, and whether you have dependents, then tells you exactly what to put in each box. It also explains WHY you're entering certain information, which helped me understand the form better. I was especially confused about the multiple jobs worksheet since I have a side gig, and the tool made it super clear how to handle that. Might be worth checking out if you're still confused after reading the other advice here.

Just wanted to follow up that I tried taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment. It was actually really helpful and didn't push me to pay for anything! The free guidance was all I needed for my situation. I was able to complete both my federal W4 and state withholding form in about 10 minutes, and now I actually understand what I'm putting on the forms. They broke it down in plain English instead of tax jargon. Wish I'd known about this tool months ago when I was stressing over the same forms!

If you're still having trouble understanding your W4 and need more personalized help, you might want to call the IRS directly. I tried for WEEKS to get through to someone and kept hitting those automated messages saying "high call volume" before disconnecting me. Super frustrating! Finally found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was surprisingly helpful and walked me through each line of the W4 form based on my specific situation. They explained what would happen if I filled it out different ways and helped me decide what was best for my tax situation.

I'm back and need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it since I've been trying to reach the IRS about a withholding issue for literally months. It actually worked exactly as advertised. I got connected to a real IRS agent in about 35 minutes (they said wait times vary). The agent confirmed she was from the IRS and after I verified my identity, she had access to all my tax records. She helped me figure out exactly what to put on my W4 to catch up on some underwithholding I had from earlier this year. Totally worth it after I had already wasted hours trying to call them myself and getting nowhere.

Pro tip: use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator on their website if you want to be super precise about your W4. It'll tell you exactly what to put on each line to get as close as possible to breaking even (not owing or getting a refund). I just ran mine and realized I was way off!

I'm actually a payroll specialist at my company and see ppl mess up W4s all the time. The most common mistakes: 1) Forgetting to check the box in Step 2(c) if you have multiple jobs 2) Not realizing that Step 3 (dependents) is an ANNUAL amount, not per paycheck 3) Using Step 4(a) when they should use the worksheet for multiple jobs Also if you're married, make sure both you and your spouse fill out W4s correctly or you might end up owing. The new system is supposed to be more accurate but I've seen lots of people get surprised at tax time.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I went with the simple approach that @Raul Neal suggested - just filled out Step 1 with my basic info and signed it. My HR person confirmed that's all I needed for my situation (single, one job, no dependents). I was overthinking it way too much! The new W4 seemed so complicated compared to the old one, but for basic situations it's actually pretty straightforward. I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain the differences and share their experiences. Hopefully this thread helps other people who are as confused as I was!

I'm also dealing with this exact same situation! Just started a new job and stared at that W4 for like 20 minutes before giving up. It's so different from what I remember filling out years ago. Reading through all these responses is super helpful - I had no idea they completely redesigned the form in 2020, which explains why I was so lost. I think I'll go with the simple approach too since I'm also single with just one job. But I'm curious - should I expect my withholding to be pretty similar to what it was at my old job? I was always happy with getting a small refund, so I don't want to accidentally end up owing money next April.