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New Member
posted Feb 20, 2023 3:49:58 PM

What do I do when my employer changed my federal W4 tax exemption without asking me?

I filed my W4 with my employer on time and correctly.  However, my employer decided to guess how many kids I have and enter in my W4 that I want $4,000.00 with-held from my federal taxes taken out of my paychecks.  He never informed me of this change.  So for a year, no federal taxes have been taken out of my pay checks.  Am I able to report my employer to the IRS?  He admitted in doing this to my W4 and many other employee's W4s.  What can I do?  Thank you!

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2 Replies
Expert Alumni
Feb 20, 2023 4:02:38 PM

You can call the IRS and complain about it, but that won't affect your tax return filing. Your tax won't be affected by the withholdings listed on your W-2 form even if it was not done properly. The IRS phone number is 1-800-829-1040.

New Member
Feb 20, 2023 4:27:05 PM

True.  However I plan on the large federal refund of  > $4,000.00 for my home escrow every year at tax time and I set up my W4 with holdings of zero specifically to do that.  Now I am without that $4000.00 because my employer decided to play with everyone's W4.  I understand that my taxes balance out, but now I am having to come up with the $4000.00 this year, plus having to fix my W4 so that money is taken out of my paychecks too.  I also have to watch my pay checks like a hawk because of my employer's meddling.  It's just a lot of un-expected money to come up with.  Sorry for the frustration.