first job for LPR- Filing for IL w4 ( Illinois withholding allowance )

[kyle francine 0]

Hi everyone,

I am having trouble putting information in my Illinois -W4..its my first job here in the US, and as for pre-employment papers, we were asked to fill this form.please see, for guidelines...

http://www.swcccase.org/drs%20pages/DRS%20Forms%20for%202011%202012/IL%20W4%20Form.pdf

Can you please help me with:

A. STEP 1 , LINE 2 : write the number of dependents ( other than you or your spouse ) you will claim on your tax return. ----> this one I am confused,I am a single mother but I have a child but she is not here in the US she is in the Philippines, is she considered as my dependent here? or should I put (0) ?

B. STEP 1 , LINE 4 : If you want to have additional Illinois Income Tax withheld from your pay, you may reduce the number of basic personal allowance or have an amount withheld. Write the total number of basic personal allowances you elect to claim on Line 4 and on IL-W-4, Line 1. ----> this i did not understand, actually. Im not sure if I it BLANK, ZERO or if I should put in (1).

Please help.Thank you...

[Inky 1,110]

Not an AOS question or topic moving to Working and Traveling during US immigration.

[together4evr 360]

Not an easy answer

My girlfriend will claim 14 dependents so she gets a bigger paycheck

I claim 4 so I get a bigger refund at the end of the year

I think most people will put

2 for your first questions and

0 for the second

if this is a minimum wage job

[JnB 6]

This is just my understanding about tax withholding in general. For line 2, I don't think you can claim your child if she doesn't have a ssn or itin and she doesn't or didn't live here in the US. So for that line i would put 0. You may be entitled for tax credit for supporting her when you file your income tax every year (again I'm not entirely sure about this). If you just want to be in the safe side then I would just put 0 there.

For line 4, don't put 0 there. Because if you do you're not claiming an allowance, which mean they will withheld more taxes on every paycheck. I would suggest putting the same number that you have on line 3.

This site may help you understand taxation on resident aliens (http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=96493,00.html).

Again what I suggested is according to my understanding on tax withholding and to the form you attached. I do not claim this to be the right answers. Also each state is different in withholding taxes.

Good Luck.

Edited February 3, 2012 by JnB

[JnB 6]

Not an easy answer

My girlfriend will claim 14 dependents so she gets a bigger paycheck

I claim 4 so I get a bigger refund at the end of the year

I think most people will put

2 for your first questions and

0 for the second

if this is a minimum wage job

Aren't you married? Just wondering because you said "your girlfriend". Your status indicated that you are married. Also 14 dependents seems very high. Usually 9 dependents raises red flag in IRS. I'm not saying they aren't valid dependents just seem to be unusually high. Just don't mess with the IRS they can comeback to you even after few years.

[kyle francine 0]

This is just my understanding about tax withholding in general. For line 2, I don't think you can claim your child if she doesn't have a ssn or itin and she doesn't or didn't live here in the US. So for that line i would put 0. You may be entitled for tax credit for supporting her when you file your income tax every year (again I'm not entirely sure about this). If you just want to be in the safe side then I would just put 0 there.

For line 4, don't put 0 there. Because if you do you're not claiming an allowance, which mean they will withheld more taxes on every paycheck. I would suggest putting the same number that you have on line 3.

This site may help you understand taxation on resident aliens (http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=96493,00.html).

Again what I suggested is according to my understanding on tax withholding and to the form you attached. I do not claim this to be the right answers. Also each state is different in withholding taxes.

Good Luck.

Thank you for your effort to help..this will help me evaluate things...