Tax Withholding Estimator

How it works

Taxable = salary − standard deduction · Annual tax = federal brackets − credits ($2,000/child, $500/other dependent) · Per paycheck = annual tax ÷ pay periods + extra withholding

The W-4 form controls how much federal income tax your employer withholds each paycheck. The goal is to withhold roughly your actual annual tax — over-withholding gives the IRS an interest-free loan (a big refund), while under-withholding leaves a bill and possible penalties. This estimator applies the 2025 brackets to income after the standard deduction, subtracts the child tax credit ($2,000 per qualifying child) and other-dependent credit ($500 each) that go on W-4 Step 3, and spreads the result across your pay periods. Add a Step 4(c) amount for extra withholding if you have side income or want a cushion.

Worked example

A single filer earning $75,000 paid biweekly with no dependents has taxable income of $60,000, an estimated federal tax of about $8,114, and therefore withholds roughly $312.08 per paycheck across 26 checks. Claiming one child would cut the annual tax by $2,000, lowering each check's withholding by about $76.92.

Frequently asked questions