When you work as an employee, taxes are withheld from your paycheck. Your withholding is based on how many exemptions you claim, as well as wether or not you request that an extra amount of money be withheld from your paycheck for the government.

Most of the time, you fill out your W-4 paperwork when you start working at your job, and the information carries through for as long as you are employed with the company. However, its a good idea to occasionally consider your tax withholding and determine whether or not you need to make an adjustment.

Do You Owe Too Much?

If your tax bill is more than you expected much more that could be an indication that you arent withholding enough from your paycheck. Maybe you are claiming too many exemptions. Or, perhaps, you need to increase the extra withholding you are taking. In any cases, there are circumstances in which owing too much can trigger a penalty, making tax time even more expensive.

My husband is a W-2 employee, and we have used a high extra tax withholding from his paycheck as a way to offset my income as someone who is self-employed (I also pay quarterly taxes). We owe money each year, but its not an unmanageable amount. If you find yourself repeatedly owing more than you expect, it could be time to adjust your tax withholding.

Did You Get a Massive Refund?

Its nice to get a huge tax refund. A big chunk of money feels good in the bank account. However, too many people view a tax refund as a windfall. For the most part, a tax refund is no such thing. This is money the government owes to you. A big refund means that you have giving the government an interest-free loan, instead of putting the money to work for you.

In some cases, such as refunds due mostly to tax credits, a refund is expected. However, if your refund is mostly due to your tax withholding, perhaps you should reconsider. Unless you cant save money effectively on your own, without forced savings, there is no reason to let the government use money that you could be earning interest on throughout the year.

Is Something Different in Your Life Circumstances?

Another reason to change your tax withholding is a major change in your life circumstances. If youve added a new dependent, you can increase your exemptions. If you have married, or divorced, or experienced some other life change, you might need to fill out a new W-4 so that you can adjust your tax withholding. Also, consider changes to where you get your income. If investment income or side business income is on the rise or falling what you withhold from your regular job might change.

Carefully consider your situation, and your tax withholding. Make changes as necessary so that your tax bill or refund is more reasonable. A great goal is to try and get as close to zero as possible. That way, you dont owe very much and you know your money is being put to use directly on your behalf.