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W-4 cheat sheet

Bring it to your first day at a new job.

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W-4 cheat sheet

Everyone fills in Step 1 and Step 5. Steps 2 to 4 only if they apply.

  1. Step 1: name, address, Social Security number, filing status
  2. Step 2: more than one job, or a spouse who works
  3. Step 3: dependents
  4. Step 4: other income, deductions or extra withholding
  5. Tips or overtime? Page 4 worksheet, result goes in Step 4(b)
  6. Exempt box: only if you owed no federal income tax in 2025 and expect none in 2026
  7. Step 5: sign and date. Then check your first paycheck
The steps of Form W-4 (2026)A simplified outline of the 2026 Form W-4. Step 1, your personal information and filing status, and Step 5, your signature, are highlighted because everyone completes them. Steps 2, 3 and 4 are dashed because you only fill them in if they apply. Step 4(b) is where an estimate of qualified tips or overtime from the page 4 worksheet goes, new for 2026. The exempt box is only for people who owed no federal income tax in 2025 and expect to owe none in 2026.Form W-4 (2026)Step 1Your name, address, SSN, filing statusEveryoneStep 2More than one job, or a spouse who worksIf it appliesStep 3DependentsIf it appliesStep 4Other income, deductions, extra withholdingIf it applies4(b)Tips or overtime: use the page 4 worksheetNew for 2026ExemptOnly if no tax owed in 2025 or 2026RareStep 5Sign and dateEveryone
Everyone does Steps 1 and 5. The rest only if they apply.

2026 form. No more "allowances." Not sure? The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can fill in a W-4 for you.

Full lesson: Filling out a W-4Checked October 2, 2026. Sources: Internal Revenue Service.

Sources

  1. Internal Revenue Service About Form W-4
  2. Internal Revenue Service Form W-4 (2026) (PDF)
  3. Internal Revenue Service Tax Withholding Estimator

Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed. See a mistake?