My paycheck is deducting a lot of money per paycheck since i added my husband’s income in my w4

Forum|Forum|2 months ago
May 13, 2026
1 reply
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Me and my husband almost earn the same annual salary. We both work in different companies. Last year we didnt know we had to add each other’s income in our w4 so end of the year we had to pay penalty to IRS and owed a lot of tax. So this year to avoid that we both added each other’s earnings in our w4 in our respective company’s w4. But since then my per paycheck is coming very very low, which is almost 50% of my annual gross pay, its not possible that i am paying 50% tax alone in the state of texas. On the other hand my husband’s paycheck is coming normal his tax money is deducting as it should. So what is the reason that my tax is coming out double than his when we both earn same amount of salary almost, he earns a few thousands more than me so in that case his tax should be more than me but mine is coming out more almost double than his tax, why? We havent selected any special thing in my company w4 to be deducted so much as there was no such option even to select. So what is the wrong?

Ask the Experts - W4 - May 2026

Alicia65

Level 5

I think you are saying you added your husbands income to Step 2 of your W4. 50% is high. Your W4 in Step one should have you either as married filing separately (they withhold more) or married filing jointly. In your case step 2 is very important. There is a worksheet on W4 page 3. Or W4 calculator will help in determining how much total tax liability will be.That should help determine how much should be coming from your paycheck. Step 2c should also be checked. Once adjusting your W4 check your paystubs to make sure the right withholding is coming out. There is no limit on how often you change W4.

user17780834950Author

Level 2

No, i am saying for example my salary is 50000 just an example i am giving not real salary. If my salary is 50000 i am getting 25000 as net pay after i added my husband’s income in my w4 which was not the case before. I shouldnt just get 50% of my gross pay, that means i am paying 50% tax in texas which is impossible. And my company shows separate w4 information it doesnt show me the irs w4 form to fill out. It just shows me a separate w4 information section where there is option to add child credit, other income (where i added my husband’s income this year) and another option is withhold the high tax something like that, that box i didnt check. Thats all the information my company shows us as w4 that we can fill, my company doesnt show the whole irs w4 form. So what should i do?

AmitaR

Employee Tax & Finance Expert

I totally understand your frustration.

By the time all of the taxes are taken out: Federal Tax Withholding, Social Security Tax Withholding, Medicare Tax Withholding, State and local Tax Withholding, State Unemployment Tax withholding, State Disability Tax. State Family Leave Insurance, and then your deductions; if you're getting Health insurance or contributing to a retirement plan and I agree, the Net amount you get deposited in your bank account is almost only 50%

You may want to remove your Husband's income if he is paying tax and he is a W2 employee. You don't need to enter his wages as Other inocme on Step 4a.

Hope it helps!

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