My employer filled out my W4 incorrectly - single/1 instead of single/0

This is unfortunately a fairly common issue, and I understand your frustration. The good news is you do have options to address this. Since you have email documentation showing you selected single/0, you have evidence that the error was your employer's. First, I'd recommend approaching your HR or payroll department again with this documentation. Ask them to correct the withholding going forward immediately. For the underwithholding that's already occurred, you have a few options: 1. You can submit a new W-4 that temporarily overwitholds to make up the difference before tax season ends 2. You can make an estimated tax payment directly to the IRS to cover the potential shortfall 3. If you end up owing, you can set up a payment plan with the IRS The most important thing is to get your withholding corrected going forward. For the current tax year, keep in mind that owing taxes isn't a penalty - it just means you had access to more of your money throughout the year. However, if the underwithholding is significant, you might face a small underpayment penalty.

I had a similar issue last year and used taxr.ai to help me through it. My payroll messed up my withholding and I was so stressed about owing money I couldn't afford. When I found https://taxr.ai it was a game-changer because I was able to upload my paystubs and it analyzed exactly how much I was underwithholded by. The tool even created a personalized plan showing how much extra I needed to withhold per paycheck to break even. What I found most helpful was that it could project my actual tax situation based on my real paystubs. Way more accurate than the generic calculators online that were freaking me out.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai that I asked about earlier. I decided to try it despite my skepticism, and I'm genuinely impressed. I uploaded my last three paystubs and it immediately flagged that my employer had been using outdated withholding tables from 2023 (how is that even legal??). The tool generated a letter I could send to my HR department explaining exactly what needed to be fixed, with references to the relevant tax codes. My payroll department actually took it seriously and made the correction. Best of all, I now know exactly how much I need to have withheld each check to avoid owing at tax time. Wish I'd found this months ago!

For anyone having trouble getting through to the IRS like I was (44 attempts over 3 weeks!!), I finally used Claimyr https://claimyr.com and they got me connected to an IRS agent in under 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was in the exact same situation with incorrect withholding. My employer kept giving me the runaround, so I needed to speak with the IRS to understand my options. After weeks of busy signals and disconnects, Claimyr got me through immediately. The IRS agent confirmed I could make an estimated payment to cover the shortfall and gave me the exact forms to use.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was still stuck trying to reach the IRS about a similar withholding issue. Out of desperation, I tried the service, fully expecting to request a refund immediately. I'm genuinely shocked - I got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. After spending literally 9+ hours over two weeks trying to get through myself! The IRS agent was actually super helpful once I finally got to speak with a human. They confirmed I could file Form 2210 with special circumstances to potentially waive any underpayment penalties since the error wasn't my fault. For anyone else dealing with payroll withholding errors - getting actual clarification from the IRS directly made a huge difference in reducing my stress about this.

Your employer is legally required to withhold based on the W-4 you submitted. Since you have proof you submitted single/0, you should: 1) Take the email proof to HR and demand they fix your withholding status immediately 2) Ask them to calculate how much underwithholding has occurred 3) Request they make it right by either adjusting future withholdings or covering any penalties you might face If they refuse, mention that incorrect withholding could potentially involve Department of Labor wage issues. Most HR departments will quickly correct the problem when confronted with documentation.

Quick tip if you're using TurboTax or similar software - after you get your W2, enter everything as normal but look for the section about "taxes you've paid" or "federal withholding" and double-check those numbers against your final paystub of the year. A few years ago they transposed digits on my W2 withholding and I nearly missed it. The software won't catch these types of errors.

I feel your frustration! This exact thing happened to me two years ago and it was such a headache. Since you have email documentation proving you selected single/0, you're in a much better position than I was. Here's what worked for me: I escalated beyond payroll to the HR director with my email proof and demanded they provide a written explanation of how the error occurred. Once I involved someone higher up, they took it seriously and not only corrected my withholding going forward but also calculated exactly how much I was underwitheld. For the immediate fix, ask your employer to process a "supplemental withholding" on your next paycheck to help catch up some of the difference. Many payroll systems can do this as a one-time adjustment. Also, don't panic too much about owing taxes - as long as you end up paying at least 90% of what you owe by the tax deadline, any underpayment penalties are usually pretty small. The IRS is generally reasonable about honest mistakes, especially when you can document that it wasn't your fault. Keep pushing your employer on this - they made the error and they should help make it right!

This is such a stressful situation, and I completely understand your frustration! I went through something very similar last year where my employer incorrectly processed my W-4 as married filing jointly instead of single, and it was a nightmare to sort out. The fact that you have email documentation is huge - that's your smoking gun. Don't let payroll brush you off again. Here's what I'd recommend based on my experience: 1) Print out that email documentation and schedule a formal meeting with HR (not just payroll). Bring copies of your recent paystubs showing the incorrect withholding amounts. 2) Ask them to provide you with a written timeline for when they'll correct your withholding status and how they plan to address the underwithholding that's already occurred. 3) Request they calculate the exact dollar amount you've been underwithheld so far this year - you'll need this number regardless of how you choose to make up the difference. For the immediate stress relief, remember that owing taxes isn't the end of the world. The IRS has payment plan options, and if you can show the error was your employer's fault (which you can with that email), they're often willing to work with you on any potential penalties. Also, definitely run your numbers through the IRS withholding calculator once you get this sorted out - it'll give you peace of mind about your tax situation going forward. You've got this! The documentation puts you in a strong position to get this resolved.