Paycheck Tax Withholding Checkup
Find out in four steps whether your W-4 is under- or over-withholding this year, and exactly which lines to change to fix it.
Backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it is not useful, we will refund it, no questions asked.
Detailed Description
Most people fill out a W-4 once, at hiring, and never touch it again, even after a raise, marriage, new side income, or a second job. This checkup walks you through a real estimate: gather your last two pay stubs and last year's actual tax owed, project your annual withholding, then compare the two. A gap of more than a few hundred dollars either way means an adjustment is worth making.
Instead of leaving you with just a number, the worksheet turns that gap into specific W-4 line changes to plan before you resubmit the form to payroll, so you walk away with an action, not just a diagnosis.
A note from DaveWays
A huge refund feels like a win, but it's really a year of interest-free loans to the IRS. A surprise tax bill feels like a shock, but it's usually just a W-4 that never got updated after a life change. Both are fixable with the same four-step check.
— DaveWays
Benefits
Catch under-withholding before tax season
Compare this year's pace to last year's actual tax owed and see a mismatch months before you'd otherwise find out.
Stop overpaying the IRS all year
A big refund isn't free money, it's your money held back. This flags when you're withholding more than you need to.
Walk away with a specific fix
The worksheet grid maps your gap to actual W-4 line adjustments, not vague "update your withholding" advice.
Digital file contents
- Step 1: Gather Your Numbers worksheet (pay stubs + last year's Line 22 total tax)
- Step 2: Annual withholding estimate calculation
- Step 3: Comparison grid against last year's actual tax
- Step 4: W-4 line-by-line adjustment planner
- Printable PDF, fill in by hand or digitally
Best Fit
- US employees who got a surprise tax bill or an unusually large refund
- Anyone with a recent raise, marriage, new job, or side income
- People who haven't looked at their W-4 since they were hired
Questions before checkout
Do I need my full tax return to use this?
Just one line from last year's return (total tax) plus your two most recent pay stubs.
Does this file my W-4 for me?
No, it tells you exactly which lines to change on your own W-4 before you resubmit it to payroll.
What if I'm self-employed or 1099?
This is built around W-4 paycheck withholding for W-2 employees, not quarterly estimated taxes.
Free bonus included
Withholding Checkup (Quick Version), yours free with this purchase (a $5 value): a one-page version of the same comparison for a fast gut-check before you work through the full worksheet.
Before you buy
Paycheck Tax Withholding Checkup is $14.99 USD, one-time payment, instant delivery, no subscription. Covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee. See our refund policy and terms.