W4 form question: Do I need to check the multiple jobs box if I changed jobs in 2024?

That multiple jobs checkbox on the W4 is specifically for people who have more than one job simultaneously, not for people who changed jobs during the year. Since you're currently only working at one job, you don't need to check that box or complete the multiple jobs worksheet. That section is designed to make sure enough tax is withheld when income is coming from multiple sources at the same time, which would potentially put you in a higher tax bracket than either employer would calculate individually. The fact that you had a different job earlier in 2024 doesn't affect how you fill out your W4 for your current employer. Your W4 is about setting up proper withholding going forward, not accounting for past employment.

I went through a similar situation last year and was totally confused about my taxes. I ended up using https://taxr.ai which literally saved me hours of frustration. I uploaded my W-2s from both jobs and it automatically figured out how to handle the multiple employer situation and gave me personalized guidance for filling out my new W4 correctly. The system actually explained that the multiple jobs checkbox is only for current simultaneous jobs - not for jobs you had earlier in the year. It also calculated the optimal withholding amount based on my specific tax situation.

Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try that taxr.ai site after my skeptical question and wow, it was actually super helpful! Uploaded my W-2s from my two jobs last year and it immediately identified that I had been over-withholding at my new job. It showed me exactly how to adjust my W4 to get a more balanced refund instead of giving the government an interest-free loan all year. The explanations were way clearer than anything I got from HR or from reading the IRS instructions. It also flagged a mistake on my old employer's W-2 that I wouldn't have caught otherwise. Definitely worth checking out if you're in a similar situation with job changes.

If you've been struggling to get an answer from the IRS about this W4 question, you might want to try https://claimyr.com. I had a similar W4 question that was more complicated than normal resources could answer, and I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS (constantly being disconnected after waiting forever). Used Claimyr and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes who answered all my questions about how to handle my W4 after switching jobs mid-year. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Their system basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you when an agent is about to answer. Honestly changed my whole perspective on dealing with tax questions.

I need to apologize for my skeptical comment earlier. I actually decided to try Claimyr after posting that response because I've been trying to reach the IRS for 3 weeks about an issue with my W4 from my new job. It actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back about 40 minutes after signing up, and it was legitimately the IRS on the line. The agent answered all my questions about how to handle multiple W-2s from the previous year and gave me specific guidance on how to fill out my new W4 to avoid owing taxes next year. Saved me hours of frustration and hold music. I'm still shocked it worked so well after all my failed attempts to reach them on my own.

Just to add a bit more detail that might help - the "Two Jobs" checkbox on the W4 is specifically designed for these scenarios: 1. You have more than one job AT THE SAME TIME 2. You and your spouse both work (if filing jointly) Since you had two jobs sequentially (not at the same time), you should leave this blank. However, if you're concerned about withholding enough, you can always add an additional amount to be withheld on Line 4(c).

Ran into this exact issue last year! The W4 instructions are so confusing. The multiple jobs section isn't about jobs you HAD, it's about jobs you HAVE, if that makes sense. I work one full-time job and one weekend job, so I checked that box. But when I changed jobs mid-year like you did, I didn't check it for the new job since I was only working one place at a time.

Based on everyone's responses here, it sounds like you're definitely on the right track - you don't need to check the multiple jobs box since you're only working one job currently. One thing I'd add is that if you're worried about your withholding being accurate (especially with the salary increase from $62k to $71k), you might want to run the IRS withholding calculator in a few months once you have a couple paystubs from your new job. That way you can see if you need to adjust anything for the rest of 2025. Also, keep in mind that having that gap between jobs might actually work in your favor tax-wise since your total 2024 income was probably lower than it would have been if you'd worked the full year at either salary level.

Great question! I went through something similar when I switched jobs last year. Everyone here is absolutely right - that multiple jobs checkbox is only for when you're working more than one job at the same time, not for sequential employment like your situation. Since you're only working one job now, you can skip that entire section. The W4 is all about setting up proper withholding going forward from your current employer, not accounting for what happened earlier in the year. One tip though - since your new job pays more ($71k vs $62k), you might want to check the IRS withholding estimator in a month or two once you have a few paystubs. The higher salary could put you in a different tax situation, and it's better to catch any underwithholding early rather than owe a big chunk next April! But for now, just fill out the W4 as if this is your only job (because it is), and you should be all set.