Which form must be completed when getting a job so your employer can withhold the correct federal income tax from your pay?

• A. An employment form that must be completed when getting a job so your employer can withhold the correct federal income tax from your pay.
• B. A form used to apply for unemployment benefits.
• C. A form used to report wages to the IRS (W-2).
• D. A form used to declare a dependent.

Answer: (A)

When you start a job, you fill out Form W-4, the Employee's Withholding Certificate. This form tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck by setting your filing status, the number of allowances or dependents, and any extra withholding you want. Getting this right helps your withholding match what you’ll owe for the year, so you don’t end up owing a big amount at tax time or giving the government more than you need through a large refund.

Unemployment benefits use a different application, and a W-2 is the summary you receive at year-end that reports wages and taxes already withheld to the IRS, not a form used to determine withholding. Declaring a dependent is done on this withholding form itself, not on a separate document.