Free W-4 Generator Your withholding, set in minutes

Answer a few questions and see them land on the official 2026 Form W-4 as you type. Sign on screen, then download the finished certificate for your employer or print it.

View the form on IRS.gov

How to fill it out: IRS instructions for each step

Personal information

Step 1 on the form. Everyone fills this in.

First name and middle initial

As shown on your Social Security card. If your name doesn’t match the card, contact the SSA at 800-772-1213 so your earnings are credited to you.

Last name

Social Security number

Street address

Apt, suite (optional)

City or town

State

ZIP code

Multiple jobs or spouse works

Step 2 on the form. Only if you have more than one job at a time, or you’re married filing jointly and your spouse also works.

Dependents and other credits

Step 3 on the form. Only if your total income will be $200,000 or less ($400,000 or less if married filing jointly).

Other adjustments

Step 4 on the form. Each line is optional.

Sign and date

Step 5 on the form. By signing, you declare under penalties of perjury that this certificate is true, correct, and complete. It isn’t valid until you sign it.

Exempt from withholding Rarely needed

You can claim exemption for 2026 only if you had no federal income tax liability in 2025 and expect to have none in 2026. No federal income tax is then withheld from your pay, and Steps 1(c) and 2 to 4 are left blank.

I claim exemption from withholding for 2026 and meet both conditions An exemption lasts one year: give your employer a new Form W-4 by February 16, 2027.

Employee’s signature

Draw Type

Date

Employers only

Your employer fills in this part. Leave it blank unless you’re the employer or they asked you to complete it.

Employer details Optional

Employer’s name and address

Up to 3 lines.

First date of employment

Employer identification number (EIN)

0 of 7 required

Preview

0 of 7 required

Complete the required fields to download or print your W-4.

View the form on IRS.gov

How to fill it out: IRS instructions for each step

Disclaimer: forms.app provides this W-4 generator and the IRS form it fills free of charge, as a convenience. forms.app is not affiliated with the Internal Revenue Service, doesn’t send your W-4 to your employer or anyone else, and doesn’t give tax, legal, or payroll advice. It doesn’t calculate your withholding either: the amounts you enter are yours to check, and you’re responsible for making sure the form is complete and accurate before you hand it in. Form W-4 is published by the IRS; find the current version and instructions at irs.gov/FormW4, and check your numbers with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator. If your situation is complicated, talk to a tax professional. Found something on this page that’s wrong or out of date? Let us know.

Form W-4, explained

Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate, tells your employer how much federal income tax to take out of each paycheck. You fill it out when you start a job, and again whenever you want your withholding to change.

Everyone completes Step 1 (your name, Social Security number, address, and filing status) and signs in Step 5. Steps 2 to 4 are only for people they apply to: more than one job or a working spouse, children and other dependents, income from outside your job, deductions beyond the standard deduction, or extra tax you’d like withheld. The finished form goes to your employer, not to the IRS. If a new employee doesn’t turn one in, the employer has to withhold as if they were single with no other entries.

Getting your Form W-4 done in minutes

Enter your personal details and pick a filing status first, then fill in only the steps that fit your situation. The generator fills in page 1 of the IRS form, the part your employer needs. The Multiple Jobs and Deductions worksheets on pages 3 and 4 are for your own records, so work them out on the IRS PDF or with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, and type the results into Step 4.

Each answer shows up on the official 2026 form while you type. Sign on screen, and once the required fields are done you can download the W-4 as a PDF or print it. Need another form? See all our tax form generators.

Questions people ask about Form W-4

Who needs to fill out Form W-4?

Employees who are paid wages. You usually fill one out on your first day at a new job, and you can give your employer a new one at any time to change your withholding. Freelancers and independent contractors don’t use Form W-4; a client may ask them for a Form W-9 instead. If you’re a nonresident alien, read IRS Notice 1392 before you complete it.

Do I send my W-4 to the IRS?

No. Give it to your employer, usually payroll or HR, and they use it to set your federal income tax withholding. Your employer keeps it on file, and the IRS can review your withholding.

What happens if I skip Steps 2 to 4?

That’s fine if they don’t apply to you. With only Steps 1 and 5 filled in, your employer withholds based on your filing status and the standard deduction. If you have a second job, a working spouse, dependents, or income without withholding, completing the matching step makes your withholding more accurate.

I have two jobs, or my spouse works too. What do I do?

Use Step 2. The most accurate option is the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator; the Multiple Jobs Worksheet on page 3 of the IRS form is the alternative, and its result goes in Step 4(c). If there are only two jobs in total, you can tick the Step 2(c) box on the W-4 for both jobs. Either way, complete Steps 3 to 4(b) on only one W-4, ideally the one for the highest-paying job.

Can I claim exemption from withholding?

Only if you had no federal income tax liability in 2025 and expect none in 2026. If both are true, tick the exemption box and complete only Steps 1(a), 1(b), and 5. No income tax is then withheld from your pay, so you may owe tax and penalties if you turn out to be wrong. An exemption covers one year: you need to give your employer a new Form W-4 by February 16, 2027.

How often should I update my W-4?

Whenever something changes that would change the entries on the form, such as getting married or divorced, having a child, picking up a second job, or your spouse starting or stopping work. The IRS also suggests checking your withholding with its estimator each year. Apart from an exemption, which lasts only one year, your current W-4 stays in effect until you give your employer a new one.

Can I sign my W-4 electronically?

The form isn’t valid until you sign it, and you can draw your signature or type it here. Many employers accept a signed PDF; others have you fill out the W-4 in their own payroll system or ask for a printed copy signed by hand. If you’re not sure, ask your employer how they want to receive it.

Is this W-4 generator free?

Yes. You can fill out, sign, download, and print as many W-4 forms as you like, with no fee and no account.

Is my information safe?

Everything stays on your device. The PDF is built in your browser, and nothing you enter, including your Social Security number, is uploaded to or stored by forms.app. That also means nothing is saved when you close the tab, so download your W-4 before you leave.