StartEaseHelp / Payroll glossary
What is Form W-4?
The W-4 tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck.
What is Form W-4?
The W-4 tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck. Without a valid one, your employer withholds as if you are single with no other entries.
Why does it matter?
The W-4 is how an employee tells the employer how much income tax to hold back. It uses your filing status and a few optional steps: other jobs, dependents, other income, deductions and extra withholding.
It matters to the employer because a payroll cannot be approved in StartEase until each W-4 is approved, and to the employee because a missing W-4 usually means more tax is taken than needed.
The key facts
| Fact | What it means |
|---|---|
| Who fills it in | The employee, under My profile, section Form W-4. |
| Step 1 | Filing status. Choose the same box as on the paper form. |
| Steps 2 to 4 | Fill in only what applies. It is fine to skip a step. |
| Step 5 | The date you signed. |
| The signed file | A PDF, JPG, PNG or WebP, up to 10 MB. |
| Approval | Your payroll team checks the file against your entries. The status reads Waiting for review, then Approved, or Rejected with a note. |
| No W-4 | The employer withholds as if the employee were single with no other entries. |
| A new W-4 later | The employer must put it into effect no later than the start of the first payroll period ending on or after the 30th day from receipt. |
| Record keeping | The employer keeps the W-4 for at least 4 years. |
How does it work in StartEase Payroll?
- The employee opens My profile and goes to Form W-4.
- Choose the filing status, fill in only the steps that apply, and enter the date signed.
- Upload the signed form. Check it matches what you typed.
- The payroll team approves it. If it is rejected, there is a note: upload a corrected form.
Common mistakes
- Typing something that does not match the signed paper form. The payroll team compares the two.
- Altering the official form. An altered or false form is invalid and cannot be used.
- Claiming exemption from withholding without checking it. The claim ends each year, so a new W-4 is needed by February 15 or withholding returns to the standard amount.
- Giving no W-4 and not noticing that more tax is withheld.
Related guides
Fill in your Form W-4, box by box, Fill in your profile and What is Form I-9?
Sources (government sites)
Next: What is Form I-9?