Contributed by: KelliP, FreeTaxUSA Agent, Tax Pro
Getting married can change more than your filing status. It can also affect how much tax should be withheld from your paychecks throughout the year. Because your W-4 tells your employer how much tax to withhold from your paychecks, it’s a good idea to review and update it after marriage, especially if both you and your spouse work or your combined income changes your tax picture.
The W-4 asks for information like your filing status, if you have multiple jobs, and whether you have dependents. Keeping it updated when your tax situation changes can help your withholding stay accurate. Reviewing your W-4 each year is also good practice.
The goal is to have the right amount of tax taken out of your paychecks—not so little that you owe a large amount when you file, and not so much that you receive a very large refund. Either outcome can be a sign that your withholding may need to be adjusted.
I just got married, now what?
Congratulations! After you get married, the IRS recommends that you update your name and address with the Social Security Administration, adjust your employment withholding, and decide whether you’d like to file as married filing jointly or married filing separately. If you choose to file jointly, your income is combined on one tax return.
To update your withholdings, you and your spouse (if your spouse works) should each submit a new W-4 to your own employer. You can usually access the form through your online employee portal. On the form, select the filing status that matches how you and your spouse plan to file your tax return.
If you aren’t able to access the W-4 through your online employee portal, contact your employer and ask how to get it updated.
Why should I adjust my W-4
There are several reasons to adjust your W-4 after getting married, and each reason is aimed at making your withholding more accurate. Combining your income with your spouse’s can put you in a higher tax bracket, meaning more tax may need to be withheld from your paychecks. On the other hand, married filing jointly comes with a higher standard deduction and may qualify you for other tax credits that aren’t allowed when filing separately—both of which could mean you need less withheld, not more. Updating your W-4 can help reduce the risk of owing more tax than expected or getting a large refund when you could’ve had more of that income during the year.
How to update your Form W-4
Now that you’ve signed into your employee portal and pulled up your W-4, what’s next? It’s possible you didn’t understand what you were filling out originally, and you’re still unsure how to make the needed updates. No worries, we’re here to help. Form W-4 can seem complicated, but the IRS provides instructions to help you fill it out. They also offer a tax withholding estimator that walks you through the steps and helps you determine what to enter on the form.
Need more detailed, step-by-step instructions? Check out our Community article, How do I correctly complete my tax withholding on Form W-4?
Let’s look at some examples:
Example #1:
You and your spouse work, and you both make about the same amount. Check box 2(c) on the W-4 form for both of you.
Example #2:
You and your spouse both work, but you earn significantly more than your spouse. In this case, the spouse with the highest paying job should fill out Steps 2 through 4 on Form W-4, while the other spouse can leave those steps blank. However, both spouses should still complete Steps 1 and 5.
Step 3 on the form accounts for dependents. Be sure you and your spouse don't both claim the same dependents on your separate W-4 forms. For example, if you have two children, the spouse with the higher income will typically claim them in Step 3, while the spouse with the lower income will leave that section blank. If you both claim the same dependents, not enough tax will be withheld from your paychecks, and you risk owing tax when you file your tax return.
Example #3
You and your spouse both work, and your spouse also receives income from other sources with no tax withheld. In this case, your spouse may want to have additional tax withheld from their paycheck to help cover the tax owed on that extra income.
For example, if you know your regular withholding won't be enough to cover taxes owed on investment income—such as gains from stocks you sold—you can enter an additional withholding amount in Step 4(c) of Form W-4 to help make up the difference.
For side business income, however, paying quarterly estimated taxes is usually the better approach, rather than relying on Step 4(c) withholding adjustments.
Conclusion
When you have a life change, such as getting married, it’s always a good idea to update your Form W-4 with your employer. This helps reduce the chances of an unexpected balance due or an unnecessarily large refund, and it allows for more accurate tax withholding throughout the year. Even if you get married halfway through the year or towards the end, it’s best to update the form shortly after your wedding.