Hello: Got married in October of this year and have question on W4 withholding status and allowances

[Paul14]

Hello: Got married in October of this year and we live IN CA, and my wife was working in OR and had income till September and resigned, and since moved to CA, but does not work currently. 

My question is in regarding to W-4 and exemption status: 

a. I put the filing status as "Married with one income" (as she currently has no job)

b.I put DE-4 regular allowances as 2 (for CA taxes), 

c. For Federal I put 3 as the total number of allowances. 

Is this accurate?

Thank you.

Paul

[Carl]

The W-4 is a form used by the employer to determine how much tax to withhold from each paycheck. It does not get sent to the IRS, or any other place for that matter. Only the employer maintains the W-4 that you the employee provide them. The fact that you are married during the tax year is no reason to go changing your W-4 until after you have filed your taxes for the tax year in which you were married. Even then, you may elect not to change it.

But basically, the more exemptions you claim on the W-4, the less money the employer will withhold from each paycheck for taxes. (Both state and federal taxes). I myself am married with two children. When the kids were living at home I claimed a total of 1 exemption. (The most I could "legally" claim was 4). This meant that my employer withheld more from each paycheck for taxes. Then when I filed my tax return, I claimed my 4 exemptions on the tax return and always got a refund.

[Paul14]

Thanks Carl.