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Filing Exempt Case Study

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Filing Exempt: Everything You Need to Know
If you are filing exempt for tax purposes, you will need to indicate as such on the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-4, which will estimate the amount that should be withheld from your paycheck depending on certain tax information that you provide. However, even if you only made $10 in the prior year, you cannot claim an exemption on your federal tax withholding. With that being said, someone who makes very little can still claim what are called “allowances” on his or her W-4 thereby reducing the amount that is withheld for tax purposes. Such allowances are based on your specific status, the number of dependents, and any other itemized deductions, i.e. property taxes, medical expenses, etc. …show more content…

dividend distribution, then he or she can’t claim exempt on the W-4 form.

 If an employee will be claiming dependents on the tax return, then he or she can’t claim exempt.
 If an employee plans to itemize deductions, then they can’t claim exempt.
 If you are 65 or older or blind, you must look at IRS Worksheet 1-3 or 1-4 to verify if you are exempt.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. I’m exempt, now what?
If you are in fact exempt, you will leave Box 5 on the W-4 Form blank. Box 7 will include the term “EXEMPT.”
2. What if I claim exempt but am not eligible?
If you incorrectly indicate that you are exempt on the W-4, you will likely face a high tax bill after filing your return, in addition to tax penalties for claiming exempt when you are otherwise not allowed to do so. However, if you make a mistake and it was not done intentionally, you will not be penalized.
Unfortunately, the IRS tends to know if someone is trying to use the system.
For example, if you make $100,000 during the tax year and try to claim exempt, you will be penalized. However, if you make $5,000 in the tax year and claim exempt, the IRS will likely not penalize you. However, if you do receive a monetary penalty, you can try speaking to an IRS representative or even a tax attorney indicating that you made an honest mistake and are seeking help.
3. I’m a student/seasonal

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