To claim exempt, write EXEMPT under line 4c. You may claim EXEMPT from withholding if: o Last year you had a right to a full refund of All federal tax income and o This year you expect a full refund of ALL federal income tax. NOTE: if you claim EXEMPT you must complete a new W-4 annually in February.
Don't mark exempt ever on a W-4... even if you qualify this year you will forget to change it next year and you can get in extreme trouble in the future. If you file Single with one allowance this year, at your income level, little or no withholding will be taken and if it is then you can file a return to get it back.
What happened to withholding allowances? Allowances are no longer used for the redesigned Form W-4. This change is meant to increase transparency, simplicity, and accuracy of the form. In the past, the value of a withholding allowance was tied to the amount of the personal exemption.
Is filing as exempt illegal? No, filing as exempt is not illegal – however you must meet a series of criteria in order to file exempt status on your Form W-4. Also, even if you qualify for an exemption, your employer will still withhold for Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Note: The W-4 form 2024 steps are the same as the W-4 form 2025 steps. Step 1: Enter your personal information. Step 2: Account for all jobs you and your spouse have. Step 3: Claim your children and other dependents. Step 4: Make other adjustments. Step 5: Sign and date your form.
Don't mark exempt ever on a W-4... even if you qualify this year you will forget to change it next year and you can get in extreme trouble in the future. If you file Single with one allowance this year, at your income level, little or no withholding will be taken and if it is then you can file a return to get it back.
A single filer with no children should claim a maximum of 1 allowance, while a married couple with one source of income should file a joint return with 2 allowances. You can also claim your children as dependents if you support them financially and they're not past the age of 19.