Ohio’s W4 Form: How to Fill Out the IT 4

When you start a new job in Ohio, you must complete tax withholding forms for both federal and state governments. While many are familiar with the federal Form W-4, Ohio uses its own document for state income tax. This form is the Ohio Department of Taxation’s Form IT 4, the “Employee’s Withholding Exemption Certificate,” which instructs your employer on how much state income tax to withhold from your pay.

Information Needed to Complete Form IT 4

Before filling out the form, you should gather some necessary information. You will need your full name, current address, and Social Security number. You can download the current version of Form IT 4 from the Ohio Department of Taxation’s website. The form also requires your school district of residence and its corresponding number, which can be found using “The Finder” tool on the tax department’s website.

A central part of the IT 4 is determining your total number of exemptions, which reduces the amount of pay subject to withholding. You can claim a personal exemption for yourself, an additional exemption for your spouse, and one for each dependent. For Ohio’s purposes, a dependent is defined the same as under federal tax law, which includes qualifying children or relatives who rely on you for financial support.

You should also consider your household situation. If you are married and your spouse works, or if you hold more than one job, this can affect the number of exemptions you claim. The worksheets on the form are designed to help you calculate the correct number. Finally, decide if you want an additional dollar amount withheld from each paycheck to cover other income or to avoid owing taxes when you file your annual return.

How to Fill Out the Ohio IT 4

With your information gathered, you can complete the main worksheet on Form IT 4. On Line 1, enter “1” to claim your personal exemption. However, if you can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return, you must enter “0”.

On Line 2, address your marital status. If you are married and will file your Ohio tax return jointly with your spouse, enter “1”. If you are single or are married but plan to file separately, you must enter “0” on this line. On Line 3, enter the total number of dependents you identified earlier, which are the same ones you would claim on your federal return.

Line 4 requires you to sum the numbers from the first three lines for your total withholding exemptions. This number is what your employer uses to calculate your base withholding. Line 5 is optional and allows you to specify an exact dollar amount of additional tax to be withheld from each pay period. This is useful if you have other sources of income or prefer to have more tax taken out during the year.

Submitting and Updating Your Form

After you complete, sign, and date the Form IT 4, submit it directly to your employer’s human resources or payroll department. The completed form is not sent to the Ohio Department of Taxation.

You should keep your withholding information current. Certain life events require you to submit a new Form IT 4 to your employer to reflect the changes. These events include a change in marital status, the birth or adoption of a child, a child no longer qualifying as your dependent, or a significant change in your spouse’s employment status. You should submit an updated Form IT 4 to your employer within 10 days of any of these changes to ensure your withholding remains accurate.