This article was updated for Tax Year 2023, last edited on December 20th, 2023.

It’s common to have money withheld from paychecks in order to pay taxes. Usually, the amount of withholding is determined by a W-4 form that you fill out based on your current tax situation. Your employer then withholds those amounts to pay income taxes on your behalf.

However, the amount of income taxes you may owe can change based on various life events (such as periods of unemployment, getting additional jobs, becoming married or divorced, claiming dependents, etc). This means that you might be withholding too much or too little from your paychecks to cover your taxes. Withholding too little means you may owe taxes when you file your return, and withholding too much means you’ve essentially overpaid the government and may be owed a refund when you file.

Keeping your W-4 up-to-date can help ensure your federal withholding is accurate. This can help you avoid withholding too much or too little.

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