For Existing Employees from 2019

You don’t need to do anything unless they request to fill out the new 2020 W4. If they don’t, they will carry forward into 2020 with the correct new federal tax tables selected. If they were Single in 2019, the table now selected will be Standard WH-S/M-Sep. If they were Married in 2019, the table now selected will be Standard WH-M/J. If they were Exempt in 2019, the table selected will be Exempt. There was no Head of Household in 2019, so that won’t be selected. The W-4 allowances they had in 2019 will carry over to 2020 and the Exemption total will be calculated based on the # of allowances multiplied by 4300 per allowance. (Ex… 1 allowance will have Exemption total of 4300, 3 allowances will have Exemption total of 12,900).

For Employees That Wish To Change Their W4 or For New Employees For 2020

Employees who only completed Step 1 & Step 5: (Employee wish to use the Standard deduction, based on their Federal Filing Status)

You first will select the “Federal Filing Status” that the employee selected in Step 1(c) on their 2020 W-4 form. You will then select the associated Federal Table. The Exemption total will be filled in automatically based on the table selected. You no longer enter W-4 allowances.

Federal Filing Status                                    Federal Table

Single or Married filing Separately      –         Standard WH-S/M-Sep
Married filing Jointly                               –         Standard WH-M/J
Head of Household                                –         Standard WH-H of H

Once you’ve selected the above, save and you are done with that employee.

Employees who only completed Step 1, Checked the box in Step 2(c) & completed Step 5: (Employee has multiple jobs or spouse works)

You first will select the “Federal Filing Status” that the employee selected in Step 1(c) on their 2020 W-4 form. You will then select the associated Federal Table.

Federal Filing Status                                    Federal Table

Single or Married filing Separately      –         W4-Step 2(c) Select-S/M-Sep
Married filing Jointly                              –         W4-Step 2(c) Select-M/J
Head of Household                               –         W4-Step 2(c) Select-H of H

Once you’ve selected the above, save and you are done with that employee.

Employees who only completed Step 1, Checked the box in Step 2(c), completed Step 3: Claim dependents, completed Step 4: Other Adjustments & completed Step 5: (Employee has multiple jobs/spouse works or has outside income/deductions that employee wants considered for tax purposes)

Federal Filing Status                                     Federal Table

Single or Married filing Separately      –         W4-Step 2(c) Select-S/M-Sep
Married filing Jointly                              –         W4-Step 2(c) Select-M/J
Head of Household                               –         W4-Step 2(c) Select-H of H

Enter the amounts the employee has for Step 3: Claim Dependents and Step 4: Other Adjustments.  Save the employee.

If you need additional information, please refer to documents provided by the IRS.

2020 W4 – https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf
Publication 15-T – https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15t.pdf
FAQ on 2020 W4 – https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-on-the-2020-form-w-4