- 1). Consult the Circular E tax table that matches your wages, allowances, pay period and filing status to see the amount of federal income tax that should be withheld from your pay. For example, if you earn $450 weekly and claim single with one allowance in 2011, you should pay $43 weekly. If you are paying less than that, you might need to adjust your W-4.
- 2). Double-check lines A through G of your W-4 to ensure you are claiming the right filing status and are not claiming more allowances than you are entitled to.
- 3). Complete and submit another form to your employer, if necessary. You may use the IRS' online withholding calculator to help you adjust your W-4 so you do not underpay or overpay federal income tax (see Resource).