New W4 form structure - how to claim 0, 1, or 2 allowances? Missing these options

The W4 form did indeed change significantly at the end of 2019. The old concept of "allowances" (0, 1, 2, etc.) was completely removed and replaced with a different system that's designed to be more straightforward. For the equivalent of claiming "0" on the old form (which typically resulted in more withholding and a larger refund), you would simply fill out Step 1 (personal information) and Step 5 (signature) on the new W4 form, leaving Steps 2-4 blank. This is considered the "basic" withholding setting. If you want even more money withheld (similar to claiming "0" plus additional withholding), you can use Step 4(c) to specify an additional dollar amount to be withheld from each paycheck. For example, you might put $25 or $50 per paycheck as additional withholding.

After struggling with this exact same issue, I found this amazing tool at https://taxr.ai that helped me figure out exactly how to fill out the new W4. I was so confused about how to get the same result as claiming "0" allowances, but their system actually analyzed my tax situation and gave me personalized guidance. It walked me through each step of the new W4 and explained how each section affects my withholding. The best part was it showed me how the new form would impact my take-home pay compared to the old form, so I could make sure I was getting the same result I wanted (big refund at tax time).

Just wanted to follow up about https://taxr.ai that someone recommended here. I was super skeptical at first, but I decided to try it since I was completely lost with this new W4 form. It was honestly a game-changer! The tool analyzed my situation and showed me exactly what to put on each line. What I really appreciated was the explanation about how the new W4 works compared to the old allowances system. Turns out I was about to make a big mistake that would have resulted in way too much tax being withheld. I've already submitted my new W4 based on their recommendations, and my first paycheck just came through with the perfect withholding amount. Just wanted to share since I was in the exact same boat as the original poster!

Hey everyone, after spending HOURS on hold with the IRS trying to get clarification about the new W4 (literally called 3 different times and got disconnected each time), I found this service called Claimyr at https://claimyr.com that actually got me through to a real IRS agent in about 20 minutes. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was super helpful and walked me through exactly how the new W4 works and how it compares to the old allowances system. They explained that the redesign was specifically to make withholding more accurate and reduce the huge refunds/bills people were getting. Honestly worth it just to avoid the endless hold music!

Alright, I need to eat my words about that Claimyr service. After my skeptical comment, I was still struggling with this stupid W4 form and getting nowhere with the IRS phone line, so I broke down and tried it. It ACTUALLY WORKED. Got connected to a real IRS agent in about 15 minutes. The agent explained that for my situation (single, one job, no dependents), I should just fill out Steps 1 and 5 and leave everything else blank if I want the equivalent of "0" allowances from the old system. If anyone else is still confused about this new W4 form and can't get through to the IRS, this service is legit. Still feels weird to pay for something that should be free, but at least I'm not staring at this form anymore wondering what to do.

I'm an HR manager and we've been dealing with this confusion since the W4 change happened. Here's a simple breakdown: Old W4: More allowances = less withholding New W4: More information = more accurate withholding On the new form: - Step 1 & 5 only: Maximum withholding (like "0" allowances) - Step 2: Use if you have multiple jobs or working spouse - Step 3: Claim dependents ($2,000 per child under 17, $500 for others) - Step 4a: Other income that doesn't have withholding - Step 4b: Deductions beyond standard deduction - Step 4c: Additional amount to withhold each pay period The IRS actually has a tax withholding estimator on their website that helps you fill this out correctly.

I finally figured this out! For those who are still confused, here's what worked for me: 1) I went to the IRS withholding estimator at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator 2) Entered all my info including expected income, current withholding from pay stubs, etc. 3) At the end, it gave me EXACT instructions for what to put on each line of the new W4 For me (single, one job, no dependents), it told me to just complete Steps 1 and 5, but also add $43 of extra withholding in Step 4(c) to get roughly the same result as claiming "0" on the old form. Hope this helps anyone else who's confused by this change!

Yes, the IRS withholding estimator is definitely the most accurate way to figure this out! You do need some basic info like your most recent pay stub to get the best results, but it's worth gathering that information. The tool asks for your year-to-date earnings and withholding amounts, which helps it calculate exactly how much should be withheld for the rest of the year. I'd recommend having your last pay stub handy before you start, along with your previous year's tax return if you have it. The whole process takes maybe 10-15 minutes, but it gives you personalized recommendations that are way more accurate than just guessing. For anyone still struggling with this, the estimator really is the gold standard - it's made by the IRS specifically for the new W4 form and gets updated with all the latest tax law changes. Much better than trying to figure out the old allowances conversion on your own!

I went through this exact same confusion when I started my new job last month! The transition from the old allowances system to the new W4 is definitely jarring at first. What really helped me was understanding that the IRS redesigned the form to be more precise. The old allowances system was kind of a blunt instrument - claiming "0" would often result in way more withholding than necessary, leading to those huge refunds that everyone got excited about but were really just interest-free loans to the government. The new system tries to get your withholding as close as possible to your actual tax liability. So if you fill out just Steps 1 and 5 (like claiming "0" used to do), you'll still get a refund, but it might not be as massive as before. If you really want that big refund feeling, you can always add extra withholding in Step 4(c). I'd definitely recommend using the IRS withholding estimator that others mentioned - it takes the guesswork out of it completely. Once you see how it works, the new form actually makes a lot more sense than the old allowances system!

I just went through this same nightmare when I switched jobs a few weeks ago! The disappearance of allowances completely threw me off too. After reading through all these helpful responses, I wanted to share what worked for me. I ended up using the IRS withholding estimator that several people mentioned, and wow - it really is a game changer. I was skeptical at first because online tax tools have burned me before, but this one is actually made by the IRS specifically for the new W4 form. Here's what I learned: the old "0 allowances" approach doesn't have a perfect 1:1 equivalent on the new form because the entire calculation method changed. The new system is designed to be more accurate, which means smaller refunds but also less chance of owing money at tax time. For my situation (single, one job, standard deduction), the estimator told me to fill out Steps 1 and 5 only, plus add $30 per paycheck in Step 4(c) for extra withholding. This gets me close to my old refund amount while still being more precise than the old system. The whole process took about 15 minutes with my last pay stub and previous tax return handy. Definitely worth doing rather than just guessing!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with this exact situation right now - just started a new job and was completely baffled by the missing allowances on the W4 form. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that the IRS withholding estimator is the way to go. I love that @Ruby Garcia shared her specific numbers ($30 extra withholding for a similar situation to mine), and @Arnav Bengali's explanation about why the IRS made this change really helped me understand the logic behind it. I'm definitely going to use the estimator this weekend with my pay stub in hand. It's reassuring to know that the new system is designed to be more accurate rather than just a completely random change. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is awesome for helping navigate these confusing government forms! One quick question though - for those who used the estimator, did you have any issues if your income varies throughout the year (like bonuses or overtime)? I'm wondering if I should account for that somehow.

This whole thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm literally sitting here with my W4 form in front of me, having the exact same panic as the original poster. I've been staring at this thing for like an hour trying to figure out where the allowances went. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm convinced that the IRS withholding estimator is the way to go. It's really reassuring to see so many people confirm that it actually works and gives you specific, personalized instructions for each line of the form. I especially appreciate @Ruby Garcia and @AstroAce sharing their real numbers and situations - it helps to see concrete examples rather than just general advice. The fact that the new system is designed to be more accurate (even if it means smaller refunds) actually makes sense now that several people have explained the reasoning. I'm going to bite the bullet this weekend and use the estimator with my pay stub and last year's tax return. Honestly, spending 15 minutes on a tool designed by the IRS seems way better than trying to guess my way through this form and potentially screwing up my withholding for the whole year. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community rocks!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just started a new position and was completely lost when I couldn't find the familiar allowances section on the W4. After reading through all these helpful responses, I feel so much better about tackling this. The explanation that the IRS redesigned the system to be more accurate (rather than the old "blunt instrument" approach) really makes sense. I've always claimed 0 allowances to get those big refunds, but I never thought about it as giving the government an interest-free loan. I'm definitely going to use the IRS withholding estimator this weekend - it sounds like the consensus here is that it's the most reliable way to get personalized guidance. Having my pay stub and last year's tax return ready seems like a small price to pay for getting this right. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences and specific numbers. As a newcomer to this community, it's amazing to see how supportive everyone is in helping each other navigate these confusing government forms. This thread has turned what felt like an overwhelming task into something totally manageable!

As someone who just went through this exact same confusion a few months ago, I totally feel your pain! The disappearance of allowances threw me for a complete loop when I switched jobs. What really helped me understand the change is that the old allowances system was basically a rough estimate - claiming "0" would often result in way too much being withheld, leading to those huge refunds that felt great but were really just interest-free loans to the government. The new W4 is designed to get your withholding much closer to what you'll actually owe. For your situation (wanting the equivalent of claiming 0 allowances), you'll want to fill out Steps 1 and 5 only, leaving Steps 2-4 blank. This gives you the maximum withholding under the new system. If you want even MORE withheld to guarantee a big refund like before, you can add an extra amount in Step 4(c) - maybe $25-50 per paycheck. But honestly, I'd recommend using the IRS withholding estimator at irs.gov first. Just have your last pay stub handy and it'll give you personalized recommendations for each section. Takes about 15 minutes and gives you way more confidence that you're doing it right. Good luck!

I just went through this same exact situation a couple months ago and felt completely lost! The transition from allowances to the new W4 system is definitely confusing at first, but once you understand it, it actually makes a lot more sense. For your specific goal of getting the same effect as claiming 0 allowances (maximum withholding for a big refund), here's what worked for me: Fill out just Steps 1 (your personal info) and Step 5 (signature), leaving everything else blank. This is the baseline maximum withholding under the new system. However, I found that this alone didn't quite give me the same massive refund I was used to with "0 allowances" on the old form. So I also added $40 in Step 4(c) for additional withholding per paycheck, which got me back to that comfortable over-withholding level I wanted. The key thing to understand is that the IRS redesigned this form to be more accurate rather than the old "one size fits all" allowances approach. It's actually better for taxpayers in the long run, even if the initial learning curve is steep. I'd definitely recommend trying the IRS withholding estimator on their website - it walks you through your specific situation and gives you exact numbers for each section. Way better than guessing!

I completely understand your frustration! I went through the exact same confusion when I started my new job last year. The disappearance of allowances really threw me off too. Here's the simple breakdown that finally made it click for me: **For the equivalent of claiming "0" allowances (maximum withholding):** - Fill out Step 1 (personal info) and Step 5 (signature) only - Leave Steps 2-4 completely blank - This gives you the baseline maximum withholding **If you want even MORE withheld (like "0" plus extra):** - Use Step 4(c) to add additional withholding per paycheck - I personally added $35 per paycheck to get closer to my old refund amount The key thing to understand is that the new system calculates withholding more precisely than the old allowances method. You'll still get a refund with just Steps 1 & 5, but it might be smaller than what you're used to because the system is designed to be more accurate rather than over-withholding by default. I'd strongly recommend using the IRS withholding estimator at irs.gov before submitting your W4. It takes about 15 minutes with your pay stub and gives you personalized recommendations for your exact situation. Much better than guessing and potentially getting surprised at tax time! The new system actually makes more sense once you get used to it - it's just the initial transition that's confusing. Good luck with your new job!

I'm new to this community but dealing with this exact same W4 confusion right now! Just started a new job and was completely baffled when I couldn't find the allowances section. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening. I had no idea that the IRS completely redesigned the form in 2019 to make withholding more accurate rather than the old "blunt instrument" approach with allowances. The consensus here seems clear - use the IRS withholding estimator at irs.gov with your pay stub and previous tax return handy. It's reassuring to see so many people share their positive experiences with it, especially the specific examples like filling out Steps 1 & 5 plus adding $30-40 in Step 4(c) for extra withholding. What really helped me understand this change is the explanation that claiming "0" allowances used to result in massive over-withholding, essentially giving the government an interest-free loan. The new system aims to get your withholding closer to what you actually owe, which makes total sense from a taxpayer perspective. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences and numbers - this community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate these confusing government form changes! I'm definitely using the estimator this weekend.

I'm a newcomer here but going through this exact same situation right now! Just started a new position and was completely stumped when I couldn't find the familiar allowances on the W4 form. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea the IRS completely eliminated the allowances system in 2019. Reading everyone's real experiences and specific examples has made this so much clearer. The explanation that the old system was basically over-withholding by default (giving the government interest-free loans) really helps me understand why they made this change. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to: 1. Use the IRS withholding estimator this weekend with my pay stub ready 2. For my situation (single, one job), likely fill out just Steps 1 & 5 3. Possibly add some extra withholding in Step 4(c) if I want to maintain that "safe" over-withholding approach I'm used to It's so reassuring to see the consensus around the IRS estimator being reliable and only taking 15 minutes. Thanks to everyone who shared their specific numbers and experiences - it's made what seemed like an overwhelming task feel totally manageable! This community is amazing for helping people navigate these government form changes.