Everyone
should check their tax withholdings on a fairly regular basis to make sure they
are correct. This is especially true for taxpayers who work seasonal jobs or
who are only employed for part of the year.
While that
advice is good to follow all the time, it is especially important right now
since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has enacted tax law changes. These changes
involve an increased standard deduction, an increased child tax credit, the
elimination of personal exemptions, the elimination of some deductions, and a
change in tax brackets.
Since
seasonal or part year workers often get a bulk of their money in a short period
of time, withholding too much or too little can end up affecting them in a huge
way, especially with the new tax laws. For this reason, these employees need to
perform a “withholdings checkup” as soon as possible.
They can do
this by speaking with human resources at their job, consulting with a
professional tax adviser, or by using the withholding calculator, a tool
provided by the IRS. The calculator, which can be accessed on IRS.gov, helps
people to estimate their income, adjustments, credits, and deductions and, from
there, determine the correct withholding amount. The calculator can be used for
part year or seasonal employees since it asks specific questions about
employment length.
If it turns
out, based on your calculations, that you do need to make a withholding change,
a visit to human resources will be in order. You will need to fill out a new
form W-4 and submit it to your employer. Fortunately, this process is quick,
easy, and it can save you a whole lot of trouble and hassle come tax time.