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Nora Bennett

Which address should I use on my W4 form for new job?

I'm finally entering the "real world" and I have a basic tax question that's making me feel pretty dumb. I just graduated college and got my first post-grad part-time job, but I'm not sure which address to put on my W4 form. I just moved into a new apartment in the same city as my college (which is in the same state as my hometown). For previous jobs during college, I always listed my parents' address as my permanent address on tax forms. The thing is, I already have another part-time job where I used my parents' address on the W4. Should I use the same address on this new W4 form, or should I use my new apartment address? Does it matter if I use different addresses for different employers? I know this is probably a simple question but I'm new to all this adult stuff and don't want to mess up my taxes. Thanks for any help!

This is actually a common question for new grads, so don't worry! The address on your W4 is primarily used by your employer to send your tax documents (like your W-2 at the end of the year). You want to make sure those documents go somewhere you can reliably receive them. If you're settled in your new apartment and plan to stay there for a while (at least through tax season next year), I'd recommend using that address. It's generally best to use the address where you're actually living. However, if your apartment situation is temporary or you move frequently, using your parents' address might make more sense since it's more stable. This ensures you'll receive important tax documents even if you move. For consistency's sake, having the same address on all your W4 forms makes things simpler, but it's not a requirement. The IRS doesn't care if you use different addresses with different employers as long as you receive all your tax documents.

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Thanks for the info! If I put my apartment address on the W4 but end up moving before tax season, will that cause any problems? Can I update my address with the employer later?

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You can absolutely update your address with your employer if you move. Just contact your HR department or whoever handles payroll when you move, and they can update your records. This ensures your W-2 and other tax documents will be sent to the right place. If you forget to update your address and move, most employers nowadays also provide electronic access to your W-2 forms through their payroll system, so you might still be able to access it online. But it's always best to keep your address current to avoid any issues with receiving important documents.

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In my experience, it's best to use your current residential address on your W4. I've been doing taxes for family members for years, and here's what I've found: 1) The IRS primarily cares that you're reporting all your income correctly 2) Your W4 address should be where you want to receive tax documents 3) It's fine if your address changes mid-year - just update your employer The fact that both addresses are in the same state makes this even simpler since you won't have to deal with any state tax complications.

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What if the addresses are in different states though? Like if parents live in Ohio but I'm working in Michigan? Does that change anything with state taxes?

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When your addresses are in different states, it gets more complicated. Your tax liability is generally determined by where you're physically working and/or living, not the address on your W4. If you're working in Michigan but your parents live in Ohio, you'd typically pay Michigan state taxes on your income earned there regardless of the mailing address on your W4. However, you might also have tax obligations in Ohio depending on how much time you spend there and your official residency status. Many states have reciprocity agreements that prevent double taxation, but the rules vary by state.

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I think everyone's overthinking this. The address on your W4 is literally just where they mail your tax forms. It's not like the IRS is checking if you actually live there lol. I've used my parents address for YEARS because I move like every 9 months. Never had an issue.

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This is correct but also not the whole story. Yes, the W4 address is primarily for receiving documents, but if you're using a different address than where you actually live, make sure you're clear about your state residency for tax purposes. That's where people can run into issues, especially if moving between states.

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Great question! As someone who just went through this transition myself, I can share what I learned. The most important thing is consistency and making sure you can actually receive your tax documents. Since you're planning to stay in your new apartment for at least the next year, I'd recommend using that address on your new W4. It's where you're actually living now, and you'll want your W-2 to come there next January. For your existing job where you used your parents' address, you can either leave it as-is or update it to match your new address - totally up to you based on what feels more reliable for receiving mail. HR departments are used to address changes, so don't stress about updating it mid-year if you want everything consistent. The key thing is just making sure you get all your tax documents when they're mailed out. Since both addresses are in the same state, you won't have any complicated state tax issues to worry about. Welcome to adulting - you're asking all the right questions!

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Don't feel dumb about this at all - it's actually a really thoughtful question that shows you're being responsible about your taxes! Here's the simple answer: use your current apartment address on your new W4. Since you're living there now and plan to stay through tax season, that's where you'll want your W-2 sent next January. Having different addresses on different W4s isn't a problem - employers just use it to know where to mail your tax documents. The IRS doesn't require consistency between employers for this. However, if you want to keep things simple and organized, you could update your existing job's address to match your new apartment. Just reach out to their HR or payroll department - they handle address changes all the time. Since both addresses are in the same state, you won't have any complicated state tax implications to worry about. The main thing is just ensuring you can reliably receive your tax documents at whichever address you choose. You're already ahead of the game by thinking about this stuff - most people don't even consider these details until they run into problems!

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This is such helpful advice! I'm in a similar situation as the OP - just graduated and starting my first "real" job. One thing I'm wondering about is what happens if I need to file my taxes before all my W-2s arrive? Like if there's a delay with the mail or something. Should I be keeping track of my paystubs more carefully now that I'm adulting?

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Great question! Yes, definitely keep track of your paystubs - they're basically your backup if W-2s get delayed or lost. Your final paystub of the year should show your total wages and taxes withheld, which is exactly what appears on your W-2. If you don't receive a W-2 by January 31st, you should contact your employer first. If they can't resolve it quickly, the IRS says you can file using Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) along with your paystub information. Most employers also provide electronic access to W-2s through their payroll systems nowadays, so you might be able to download it online even if the mail is delayed. But keeping those final paystubs as backup is definitely a smart adulting move!

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You're definitely not alone in feeling confused about this - it's one of those "adult" things that nobody really teaches you! Here's the straightforward answer: Use your current apartment address on the new W4. Since that's where you're actually living now and plan to be for the foreseeable future, it makes the most sense for receiving your tax documents. Don't worry about having different addresses on different W4s - that's totally fine and won't cause any issues with the IRS. Each employer just needs to know where to send YOUR documents from that job. One pro tip: set a reminder in your phone for late January to check that you've received all your W-2s. If any get lost in the mail or delayed, you'll catch it early and can follow up with your employers before tax season gets crazy. You're already showing great responsibility by thinking about these details ahead of time. Most people don't consider this stuff until they're scrambling during tax season!

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This is really solid advice! I'm also a recent grad and was stressing about similar stuff. The reminder tip is brilliant - I never would have thought to do that but it makes so much sense. Better to catch missing documents early than realize in March that you never got a W-2 from that summer job you forgot about. Thanks for sharing that!

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As someone who's helped a lot of friends navigate their first "real world" tax situations, I can tell you that you're asking exactly the right questions! Here's what I'd recommend: Use your current apartment address on the new W4 since that's where you're actually living and where you'll want to receive your tax documents. The address on your W4 is primarily used by your employer to mail you your W-2 form next January, so you want it going somewhere reliable. Having different addresses on different W4 forms isn't a problem at all - each employer just needs to know where to send documents for that specific job. The IRS doesn't require consistency between employers for mailing addresses. Since both your apartment and parents' addresses are in the same state, you won't have any complicated state tax issues to worry about. If you want everything to be consistent for your own peace of mind, you could always update your existing job's records with your new address - just contact their HR department. The fact that you're thinking about these details proactively shows you're going to do just fine with all this "adult stuff"! Most people don't consider these things until they run into problems during tax season.

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This is really comprehensive advice! I'm actually in a similar boat - recent grad, first real job, feeling overwhelmed by all the tax stuff. One thing I'm curious about though - if I end up moving again before next tax season (which is pretty likely given my job situation), should I just stick with my parents' address from the start? Or is it better to update as I go? I feel like I might be overthinking this whole thing but I really don't want to mess up my first year filing as a "real adult"!

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If you think you'll likely move again before tax season, I'd honestly recommend sticking with your parents' address from the start. It's much easier to have one consistent, stable address than trying to update multiple employers every time you move. Think about it this way - if you move twice between now and January, you'd have to remember to update your address with every employer each time. Miss one, and your W-2 could end up at an old address where you can't get it. Your parents' address eliminates that risk entirely. The key is just making sure someone at that address (your parents) will actually get the mail to you when tax documents arrive. As long as that's covered, using their address is totally fine and actually pretty smart for someone in a potentially transient situation. You're definitely not overthinking it - being proactive about this stuff will save you headaches later. Better to plan for the possibility of moving than scramble to track down missing tax documents next February!

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Hey Nora! Don't feel dumb at all - this is such a common question for new grads and shows you're being really responsible about getting your taxes right from the start. Here's my take: since you're settled in your new apartment and planning to stay there through at least next tax season, I'd definitely use that address on your new W4. That's where you're actually living now, and you'll want your W-2 to arrive there next January where you can easily get it. The different addresses on different W4s really isn't an issue - each employer just uses it to know where to mail YOUR tax documents from that specific job. The IRS doesn't care about consistency between employers for mailing addresses. If it would make you feel better to have everything match, you could always contact the HR department at your existing job and update your address there too. They handle these changes all the time, so it's no big deal. Since both addresses are in the same state, you're good to go - no complicated multi-state tax issues to worry about. The main thing is just making sure you can reliably receive all your tax documents wherever you choose to have them sent. You're already way ahead of most people by thinking about this proactively. Welcome to the "real world" - you've got this!

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This is really great advice! I'm in a similar situation - just started my first job out of college and was totally confused about all this stuff. One thing that's been bugging me though - what happens if I forget to tell my employer when I move? Like, is there a deadline for updating your address, or can you do it anytime? I'm probably overthinking this but I keep imagining scenarios where my W-2 gets sent to the wrong place and I miss some important tax deadline because of it!

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Welcome to adulting, Nora! You're definitely not alone in feeling confused about this stuff - I think every new grad goes through the same stress about getting their taxes right. Here's the simple answer: use your current apartment address on your new W4. Since you're living there now and planning to stay through tax season, that's the most logical choice for receiving your W-2 next year. Don't worry about having different addresses on different W4s - it's totally fine and won't cause any IRS issues. Each employer just needs to know where to send YOUR documents from that job. Think of it like having different delivery addresses for different online orders - each company just needs to know where to send their specific package to you. The fact that both addresses are in the same state makes this even simpler since you won't have to deal with any multi-state tax complications. One practical tip: if you do end up moving before next tax season, just make sure to update your address with both employers so all your W-2s go to the right place. HR departments handle these updates all the time, so it's no big deal to make changes mid-year. You're asking all the right questions and being really proactive about this stuff. That's exactly the kind of thinking that will help you navigate all the "adult" financial stuff successfully. You've got this!

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This is such helpful advice! I'm actually in the exact same situation as Nora - just graduated and starting my first post-college job. The online order delivery analogy really clicked for me - that makes so much sense! I was definitely overthinking the whole "different addresses on different forms" thing. It's reassuring to know that the IRS isn't going to come after me for having my W-2s go to different places. Thanks for breaking this down in such a clear way - sometimes the simplest explanations are the most helpful when you're drowning in all this new adult responsibility stuff!

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Don't worry at all - this is such a normal question for new grads! I went through the exact same confusion when I started my first job after college. Here's what I'd recommend: use your current apartment address on the new W4 since that's where you're actually living now. The address on your W4 is mainly for your employer to know where to send your W-2 form next January, so you want it going somewhere you can reliably receive it. Having different addresses on different W4 forms is completely fine - the IRS doesn't require consistency between employers for mailing addresses. Each job just needs to know where to send YOUR documents from that specific employment. Since both your apartment and parents' addresses are in the same state, you don't need to worry about any complicated multi-state tax issues either. If you want everything to match for your own peace of mind, you could always contact HR at your existing job to update that address too - they handle these changes constantly, so it's no hassle. The fact that you're thinking about these details ahead of time shows you're going to handle the "real world" stuff just fine. Most people don't even consider this until tax season hits and they're scrambling to find their documents!

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This is really solid advice! I'm also a recent grad dealing with similar tax confusion. One thing I'd add is that if you're like me and tend to be forgetful about administrative stuff, it might be worth setting a calendar reminder for December to double-check that all your employers have your current address. That way you won't be scrambling in January wondering why a W-2 didn't arrive. Also, many companies now offer electronic W-2 access through their employee portals, which can be a great backup even if the physical mail gets delayed or lost. Thanks for the reassurance that we don't need to have everything perfectly consistent - that takes a lot of pressure off!

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You're asking exactly the right questions, and this is definitely not a dumb question at all! As someone who helps people with tax prep, I see this confusion all the time with new grads. Here's my recommendation: use your current apartment address on your new W4. Since you're actually living there now and plan to stay through at least next tax season, that's where you'll want your W-2 sent in January. Don't stress about having different addresses on different W4 forms - it's completely normal and won't cause any issues. Each employer just uses the address to know where to mail YOUR tax documents from that specific job. The IRS doesn't require or even track consistency between different employers' W4 forms. Since both addresses are in the same state, you're in good shape - no complicated multi-state tax situations to worry about. One tip: if you do move again before next January, just remember to update your address with both employers so all your W-2s go to the right place. HR departments handle address changes constantly, so it's a simple process. You're being really smart by thinking about this stuff proactively instead of scrambling during tax season. That kind of planning will serve you well in all aspects of "adulting"!

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This is really helpful guidance! I'm actually in a very similar situation - just graduated and feeling overwhelmed by all these "adult" responsibilities that nobody really prepares you for in college. It's so reassuring to hear from someone who helps with tax prep that this kind of confusion is totally normal. I was definitely overthinking the consistency thing between different employers - your explanation makes it much clearer that each W4 is just about where THAT employer should send documents. Thanks for the practical tip about updating addresses if we move too. It's those little details that can save so much stress later on!

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You're definitely not dumb for asking this! I just went through the same situation last year when I graduated and started my first full-time job. Since you're settled in your apartment and planning to stay there through at least next tax season, I'd recommend using your apartment address on the new W4. That's where you'll actually be living and where you'll want your W-2 mailed next January. Having different addresses on different W4s is totally fine - I actually did the same thing! Each employer just uses it to know where to send your tax documents from that specific job. The IRS doesn't care about consistency between different employers' forms. Since you mentioned both addresses are in the same state, you won't have any complicated state tax issues to deal with either. If you want everything to match for simplicity, you could always update your existing job's address later, but it's not required. One thing I learned the hard way - if you do move again before tax season, make sure to update your address with both employers so you don't miss any W-2s! But for now, using your current apartment address makes the most sense. Welcome to the "real world" - you're already asking the right questions to stay on top of things!

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