2026 tax year
W-4 withholding calculator
Are you heading for a refund, a bill, or roughly even? Check before December, when you can still change it.
Your W-4 tells your employer how much federal tax to hold back from each paycheck. Get it wrong and you either lend the IRS money interest-free all year (a big refund) or owe a lump sum, sometimes with a penalty, at filing. This compares your projected tax for the year against what you are actually withholding, and shows the per-check figure that lands you near zero.
Enter your salary and per-paycheck withholding.
Worked example, $80,000, $700 withheld every two weeks
A single filer in Ohio earning $80,000 withholds $700 of federal tax from each of 26 biweekly paychecks, $18,200 across the year. Their projected tax for the year, federal plus Ohio plus FICA, is $16,374:
| Figure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Projected tax for the year | $16,374 |
| Withheld across the year | $18,200 |
| Heading for a refund of | $1,826 |
| Per-check withholding to land near zero | $630 |
This filer is over-withholding by $1,826, a refund, but also an interest-free loan to the government. Dropping withholding to about $630 a check would put roughly that money back into each paycheck instead.
Questions
Is a big refund a good thing?
Not really. A refund means you overpaid tax all year and the IRS is returning your own money without interest. Withholding closer to your actual tax puts that money in your paychecks, where it can earn interest or pay down debt. The trade-off is the discipline of not spending it.
How do I stop owing money at tax time?
Increase your withholding, on the W-4, add a dollar amount on the "extra withholding" line, or account for a second job or spouse's income. This calculator shows the per-check figure that closes the gap. Do it early in the year so the change is spread over more paychecks.
Why do two-income households often owe?
Each employer withholds as if its salary were your only income, so together they can under-withhold against your combined, higher-bracket total. The W-4 has a multiple-jobs step for exactly this; skipping it is the usual reason a dual-income couple gets a surprise bill.
Will I be penalized for owing?
Possibly, if you owe too much. The IRS charges an underpayment penalty unless you paid at least 90% of this year's tax or 100 to 110% of last year's through withholding and estimated payments. Staying near zero, or slightly over, avoids it.
Does this replace the IRS estimator?
No. This is a fast projection from salary, state, filing status and dependents to show whether you are broadly on track. For a precise W-4 with credits, multiple jobs and itemized deductions, the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator on IRS.gov is the authoritative tool.
Related tools
- Paycheck calculator full take-home breakdown
- Bonus tax calculator withholding on a bonus
- Quarterly tax calculator for income without withholding
Projection for the 2026 tax year using the standard deduction and the credits you enter. Not a substitute for the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator. Not tax advice.