IRS replaces Withholding Calculator with Tax Withholding Estimator
The IRS has replaced its online tool used to calculate the number of withholding allowances, the Withholding Calculator, with a redesigned version, called the Tax Withholding Estimator (Estimator).
Background
For several years, the IRS website has had an online worksheet for use by employees to compute their income tax withholding allowances. The worksheet was called the Withholding Calculator. The Withholding Calculator was updated to reflect changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and was updated for 2019.
The Estimator includes the following features:
- Enhanced tips and links to help determine if the employee qualifies for various tax credits and deductions.
- Self-employment tax for a user who has self-employment income in addition to wages or pensions.
- Automatic calculation of the taxable portion of any Social Security benefits.
- A mobile-friendly design.
In addition, the Estimator makes it easier to enter wages and withholding for each job held by the taxpayer and his or her spouse, as well as separately entering pensions and other sources of income. At the end of the process, the tool makes specific withholding recommendations for each job for each person and explains what the taxpayer should do next.
At the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator (Instructions) website, the IRS notes that, while the Estimator works for most taxpayers, people with more complex tax situations should use the instructions in IRS Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax. Those taxpayers that it refers to the Publication include taxpayers who owe self-employment tax, alternative minimum tax, the tax on unearned income of dependents or certain other taxes, people with long-term capital gains or qualified dividends, and taxpayers who have taxable Social Security benefits.
For more information about this article, please contact our tax professionals at taxalerts@windes.com or toll free at 844.4WINDES (844.494.6337).