Should I keep withholding as single after getting married but plan to file jointly?

You're absolutely right about the over-withholding situation. When you withhold at the "single" rate but file as "married filing jointly," you're generally having more tax taken out of each paycheck than you would need to cover your actual tax liability. There's no penalty for over-withholding - the IRS is perfectly happy when you give them an interest-free loan throughout the year! What you're describing is indeed just using the tax system as a forced savings method, which many people do intentionally. The only real downside is that you're reducing your current cash flow and waiting for a lump sum refund instead of having that money available throughout the year. If you're not great at saving (many of us aren't), this can actually be a smart psychological trick. If you decide you want to adjust your withholding to more closely match your actual tax liability, you can fill out a new W-4 form with your employer. The current W-4 no longer uses the "single" or "married" checkboxes but instead has you account for multiple jobs and working spouses through specific steps.

I was in the exact same boat last year and found an amazing tool that helped me figure out the perfect withholding strategy. After hours of reading confusing IRS publications, I stumbled across https://taxr.ai and it was a game-changer. They have this withholding calculator that's way easier to use than the IRS one, and it actually explained how different withholding choices would affect my take-home pay vs. refund. I uploaded my last pay stub and my spouse's income info, and it showed me exactly how much I'd be over-withholding by keeping my "single" status. It even helped me fill out a new W-4 that would get me close to breaking even (since I didn't want a big refund OR a surprise bill). The analysis was super helpful because it showed multiple scenarios side by side.

Just wanted to follow up about the https://taxr.ai withholding calculator that I was skeptical about earlier. I decided to give it a try (with some dummy numbers at first), and I gotta admit it was actually really helpful for my situation! The comparison between different withholding strategies was eye-opening. Turns out by keeping my withholding at "single" while married, I was essentially giving up about $230 per month that I could have had in my paychecks. The calculator showed me that I could increase my take-home pay AND still get a small refund by filling out my W-4 differently. What convinced me was how it explained the trade-offs in plain English rather than tax jargon. I ended up using their W-4 recommendations and it's been working great so far. Way less stressful than trying to decipher the IRS instructions on my own!

If you're trying to reach the IRS to ask about the right withholding for your situation, good luck with that! I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone to help with this exact issue. Always "high call volume" and disconnects. Eventually I found https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or days. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they navigate the IRS phone system for you and call you when an agent is ready. I was super skeptical but desperate after trying for so long. The agent I spoke with confirmed that there's absolutely no penalty for withholding at the single rate when you're married (as long as you're not underwithholding). She actually said it's quite common for newly married couples to keep their withholding as-is for simplicity, especially in the first year after marriage.

I have to eat my words about the Claimyr service I called BS on earlier. After another failed 2-hour attempt to reach the IRS myself about my withholding questions, I broke down and tried https://claimyr.com out of desperation. I was genuinely shocked when my phone rang about 15 minutes later with an actual IRS representative on the line. The agent was able to answer all my withholding questions and even helped me calculate exactly how much extra I was withholding with my "single" status vs what I'd actually owe filing jointly with my spouse. For anyone curious about the withholding question - the agent confirmed you can absolutely withhold at a higher rate than necessary. She actually said lots of people do it intentionally as a "forced savings plan" just like OP suggested. The only time the IRS cares is if you're UNDERpaying your taxes significantly.

My wife and I have been doing exactly what you're describing for 3 years now. We both withhold at the single rate even though we file jointly, and it works great for us as a forced savings method. We usually get around $3,800 back each year, which goes straight into our vacation fund. Some financial experts will tell you that you're "giving the government an interest-free loan" by overwithholding, but honestly, in today's low interest rate environment, the difference is minimal. And the psychological benefit of a forced savings plan that results in a nice refund is worth it for us. Just make sure that if you have significant other income (investments, side jobs, etc.) or if one of you makes substantially more than the other, you might want to use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator midway through the year to make sure you're on track.

Just be careful with intentional overwithholding if your financial situation is tight. I did this last year - kept my withholding at single even though I got married, thinking I'd get a nice fat refund check. But then in November I had a financial emergency and really needed that extra money that had been going to the IRS all year. Once it's withheld, you can't get it back until you file your tax return the following year. I learned this lesson the hard way! Now I withhold more accurately and put the difference into a high-yield savings account that I CAN access in an emergency.

Great question! I actually went through this exact situation when I got married two years ago. You're absolutely right that withholding at the "single" rate while planning to file jointly will result in overwithholding and a larger refund. There's definitely no penalty for this approach - the IRS only penalizes underwithholding, not overwithholding. Many couples do exactly what you're considering, especially in their first year of marriage when everything else is in transition. The main trade-off is cash flow vs. forced savings. If you're someone who struggles with saving discipline, this can actually be a smart psychological trick. However, if you're comfortable with self-discipline, you might prefer to adjust your withholding to married status and put that extra monthly cash flow into a high-yield savings account or investment account where it can actually earn something. One thing to consider: run the numbers on how much extra you'd be withholding. Depending on your income levels, it could be a significant amount per paycheck. The IRS withholding calculator can help you see the difference, or you might want to consult with a tax professional to make sure you're making the best choice for your specific situation. Either way, you have flexibility here - there's no "wrong" choice from a tax compliance standpoint!