The W-4 is completed by the employee and provided to the employer. THere is no other person or entity on this planet that gets or needs (or even cares about) the W-4. The W-4 is used by the employer to figure out how much that employer will withhold from each individual paycheck for taxes. Weather you indicate on the W-4 that you are single with no kids or married to 5 wives with 60 kids *does* *not* *matter* come tax filing time. The W-4 is for the use of the employer *ONLY*, and that's it with no exceptions.
When you actually file your yearly tax return which is due Apr 15th each year, that's where you will tell the IRS your maritial status (single or married) your filing status (single, MFS or MFJ) and list any dependents you are qualified to claim. It has nothing to do with what you put on the W-4, and the IRS could care less what you put on the W-4.
Now if your W-4 is outdated and you did not have enough tax withheld from each of your paychecks to cover your tax liability at tax filing time, then when you file your yearly tax return you can expect ot owe the IRS more money. However, if more tax than necessary was withheld from each of your paychecks, then you can expect to get the excess withholding refunded to you by the iRS *when you file your tax return*.
Now for me, for my whole life I've always filled out the W-4 so my employer will withhold at the single rate. The fact that I'm married with two kids is irrelevant. I always had my employer withhold what I *KNOW* to be more than necessary because I didn't ever want to owe the IRS more money at tax filing time. I want the IRS to owe *ME* money in the form of a refund.
