W-4 options Married Filing Jointly

[txjlc2015]

My wife and I file each year Married/Jointly.  As long as the total amount of family's estimated annual tax liability is withheld throughout the year, is it possible for one of us to set up our W-4 to have additional tax withheld each pay period that covers the estimated liability for both of us combined; while the other has very little taken out of their paychecks?  My curiosity is strictly whether or not that's possible, not why anyone would consider doing that.. If it is possible, what's the easiest/preferred way for the one who wants as little taken out as possible to go about filling out their W-4?  Would you just add additional allowances as necessary to get there?  

[Vanessa A]

Yes. You can have extra taxes withheld from one person to cover the tax liability of your spouse as long as you will DEFINITELY be married filing jointly for the next year.

When married filing jointly your income and taxes withheld are all combined for your federal return, so it does not matter who pays more during the year.  However, if for any reason you would end up filing separate returns, the person who did not have enough withheld would have a tax penalty for underpayment. 

If you were going to do it, then yes, you would add additional allowances as necessary.  You wouldn't be able to necessarily decrease the other persons withholding too much as the least withheld would be married filing jointly with claiming dependents for child tax credits.