I am a Sr. Payroll Specialist by profession who used to live in CA. The amount of CA Income Tax that is withheld throughout the year is depicted by what you claim for that portion of your taxes. Similar to Federal Income Tax, there are also status selections (i.e. Head of Household) and allowances (1-infinity) that determine how much CA State Income Tax is being taken out of your check every time you get paid. My recommendation is to withhold more taxes with your employer for your state elections in 2017 to avoid this happening in the future.
