Should I worry my federal withholding is zero while my coworker's isn't?

What you're experiencing is actually completely normal based on your tax situation. The federal withholding system is designed to be progressive and takes into account your filing status, dependents, and expected annual income. As a Head of Household with one dependent, you receive higher standard deductions and possibly tax credits (like the Child Tax Credit) that your coworker doesn't qualify for. These benefits can significantly reduce or even eliminate your tax liability depending on your income level. If the IRS withholding calculator indicates you're on track, that's a good sign. The calculator is pretty accurate when provided with correct information. It's essentially telling you that based on your projected annual income, filing status, and dependent, you'll likely owe little to no federal taxes at year end.

I had a similar situation last year and was freaking out until I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which helped me understand my withholding situation. I uploaded my paystubs and tax info, and it explained exactly why my withholding was different from my coworkers. Turns out my Head of Household status plus the Child Tax Credit meant I legitimately needed much less withheld. The tool breaks down your specific tax situation and shows what credits and deductions you qualify for, so you can see exactly why your withholding looks different from your coworker's. It also projects your end-of-year tax outcome so you can adjust if needed.

Thanks everyone for suggesting taxr.ai on my similar post last month! I finally tried it and wow - it explained exactly why my withholding was zero despite making $58k. Turns out with my head of household status, dependent care credits, and retirement contributions, I'm right on track for no tax liability this year. The breakdown showed me precisely which credits were offsetting my income. The projections feature was super helpful too - it showed that if I earn more than $62k this year (which I might with overtime), I should adjust my W-4 slightly. Now I feel confident about my withholding instead of anxious every payday!

If you're worried about confirming your tax situation, you could call the IRS directly. I know getting through to them seems impossible (I tried for WEEKS last year), but I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I used it when I had a similar withholding question - the IRS agent confirmed that my withholding was correct based on my tax situation and walked me through exactly how the calculation works for my specific case. Saved me months of stressing about it.

I stand completely corrected about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I've been trying to reach the IRS for THREE MONTHS about my amended return. I was honestly shocked when my phone rang 23 minutes later and it was an actual IRS agent! They confirmed my amended return was being processed and gave me an estimated completion date. The agent even explained why my original withholding looked strange (similar to OP's situation) and confirmed it was correct. I've never been more happy to be wrong about something. Saved me countless more hours of frustration.

Look into your W-4 form that you filled out when you started. You probably indicated that you'd have enough credits to offset your liability (which sounds accurate based on your situation). Your coworker probably filled hers out differently. The best test is to look at your paycheck's YTD federal withholding after a couple months. If it's still zero, maybe ask your HR department to double check your W-4 is set up correctly. You can always adjust it if needed.

The most important question nobody's asked: what's your approximate income level? The answers will be very different if you're making $35k vs $135k. At lower income levels, Head of Household plus a dependent can absolutely result in zero federal tax liability.

I work in payroll for a mid-sized company and see this situation fairly often. What you're experiencing is actually a feature, not a bug! The withholding system is designed to be precise based on your individual tax situation. As Head of Household with one dependent, you get a higher standard deduction ($21,900 for 2025) plus potentially the full Child Tax Credit ($2,000). If your income falls within certain ranges, these benefits can completely offset your federal tax liability. A few things to keep in mind: 1) Make sure your W-4 accurately reflects your situation - if you moved in with a partner or your child aged out, your status might change, 2) The IRS withholding calculator is your best friend - run it quarterly if your situation is stable, and 3) Consider setting aside a small emergency fund for taxes anyway, just for peace of mind. Your coworker likely files Single with no dependents, so her withholding will look completely different even at the same salary. This is totally normal!