When you start a new job, you'll be asked to fill out a W-4 form, otherwise known as an Employee's Withholding Certificate. With the information you supply, your employer will calculate how much money to withhold from each of your paychecks for federal income taxes.
The first section of the W-4 form asks whether you are "single or married filing separately," "married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er)," or "head of household." Which box you check will determine the amount that is withheld from your pay as estimated taxes.
You want to get this right. Underpaying can get you stuck with a big bill at tax time. Overpaying means less money in your pocket until tax time.
Key Takeaways
- IRS Form W-4, which you file with your employer when you start a job, is used by your employer to calculate how much to withhold from your paycheck to cover taxes.
- The form asks whether you are single or married, whether you have any dependents and, if so, how many.
- In general, married couples who file their taxes jointly will have less withheld from their paychecks than single filers.
Single Withholding vs. Married Withholding
The three boxes on the W-4 form—single or married filing separately, married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er), and head of household—correspond to the five filing statuses taxpayers can choose from when they complete their annual Form 1040 tax returns.
Single taxpayers have two main options: Filing as a single filer or, if they are unmarried and support a qualifying person, filing as a head of household (HOH).
Those who have lost a spouse during the tax year indicate this by checking the qualifying widow(er) box
Options for Married People
Married taxpayers can opt to file jointly on one tax return or separately on different returns—whichever is more advantageous in their situation.
In most cases, filing a joint tax return will result in a lower tax bill, since it allows for a number of tax breaks not available to other filers. In less common cases, filing separately is advantageous.
Which box you check on your W-4 will determine the standard deduction and tax rates that are used to calculate your withholding.
All else being equal, married taxpayers who plan to file jointly will have a smaller percentage of their pay withheld than singles or people with other statuses.
If your marital status changes, you'll want to submit a new W-4 form so your employer can adjust your tax withholding.
2024 Standard Deductions and Tax Rates
The portion of income not subject to tax for single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately is $14,600 for the 2024 tax year. Married individuals filing jointly get double that allowance, with a standard deduction of $29,200 in 2024.
Single filers are taxed at the lowest marginal tax rate of 10% on their first $11,600 in income in the 2024 tax year.
Married couples filing jointly are taxed at the 10% rate on their first $23,200 in income during the 2024 tax year.
At higher marginal tax brackets, married taxpayers filing jointly continue to benefit.
How Dependents Change Tax Withholding
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) substantially redesigned the W-4 form in 2008, when the personal exemption was eliminated. If you haven't filled out a W-4 since then, you will find it looks very different today.
Notably, the form no longer asks you to calculate (or guess at) your number of withholding allowances. Instead, taxpayers whose income is under $400,000 (for married individuals filing jointly) or $200,000 (for other filing statuses) are instructed to multiply their number of qualifying children under age 17 by $2,000 and any other dependents by $500 and enter those dollar figures on the form.
Using that information, plus your filing status, your employer will calculate how much to withhold from your pay.
Other Considerations
Bear in mind that if you have more money withheld from your paycheck than is necessary, you should get it back later as a tax refund. But if you have too little withheld, you'll face an unexpected tax bill at filing time and quite likely an underpayment penalty as well.
It's wise to file out a new W-4 with your employer when your circ*mstances change, such as switching from "single" to "married” or vice versa. You'll avoid the headache of having too much or too little withheld from your paycheck.
TheIRS Tax Withholding Estimatorcan help you determine if you're underpaying or overpaying. If so, you should fill out a new W-4.
Can I File as Single If I'm Married?
Yes, you can file as a married individual filing separately, but it may not be in your best interests to do so.
There are rare cases in which filing separately makes sense financially—such as when one spouse is eligible for substantial itemizable deductions.
Otherwise, joint returns usually yield greater tax breaks.
To determine which option is best for you, run some calculations on the IRS worksheets and maybe talk to a tax professional.
Is Filing Single the Same As Filing As Head of Household?
No, filing single is not the same as filing head of household. A head of household must be single, cover 50% or more of the expenses of a household, and have a qualifying dependent.
A single parent or a sole wage-earner caring for an aged relative might be a head of household.
If you meet the criteria, you’re better off filing as a head of household because you'll get preferential tax treatment.
Do I Get a Bigger Tax Refund If I File As Married Filing Jointly?
In most cases, you will get a bigger refund or a lower tax bill if you file jointly with your spouse. There are a few situations in which filing separately can be more advantageous, including when one spouse has significant miscellaneous deductions or medical expenses.
The Bottom Line
Choosing the right filing status is important to avoiding underpaying or overpaying your taxes all year long. Make sure you examine which status applies to you before checking the box and, if two of them apply, look into which one can save you more money.
Tax forms tend to be confusing, so if you find yourself stuck, don’t be embarrassed to ask your employer or a tax professional for help.
