Taxes 101 Can I File Exempt & Still Get a Tax Refund? Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by TurboTaxLisa Published Feb 28, 2024 - [Updated Mar 1, 2024] 4 min read Last tax season, more than 75% of taxpayers received a tax refund, and the average refund was over $3,000. You can get started now with TurboTax and get closer to your tax refund, and if you have questions on your taxes, you can connect live via one-way video to a TurboTax Live tax expert with an average of 12 years of experience to get your tax questions answered from the comfort of your couch. As you may already know, the IRS issues tax refunds when you pay more tax during the year than you actually owe. When you file exempt with your employer for federal tax withholding, you do not make any tax payments during the year. Without paying tax, you do not qualify for a tax refund unless you qualify to claim a refundable tax credit, like the Earned Income Tax Credit. The tax law requires your employer to withhold federal income tax from each paycheck you receive and send it to the IRS on a quarterly basis. At tax time, your employer provides you with a W-2 Form that reports the total amount of taxes withheld during the year. When you sit down to do your taxes, if the taxes you owe are less than the total amount withheld, the IRS will send you a tax refund for the difference. Generally, if you are self-employed and expect to owe $1,000 or more, you are required to make income tax payments every three months throughout the year. If you have questions, we have TurboTax Live Premium tax experts, available in English and Spanish, to help you with your personal and business income and expenses. Table of Contents Filing exempt from withholdingUpdate your W-4Refundable tax credits Filing exempt from withholding When you start a job, your employer will ask you to fill out IRS Form W-4. The W-4 helps you estimate the amount that should be withheld from each paycheck based on the tax information you provide. To claim an exemption from withholding, you must meet certain criteria. If you had even $1 of tax liability in the prior year or anticipate earning income in excess of the sum of your standard deduction ($13,850 single, $20,800 head of household, $27,700 married filing jointly), you cannot be exempt from federal tax withholding in the current year. For example, if you file as single on your 2023 taxes, you must not anticipate earning income in excess of the standard deduction of $13,850. If you still claim exempt from withholding and earn income in excess of this amount, you will probably owe some taxes unless you qualify for refundable tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Child Tax Credit. Update your W-4 If you are unable to claim exempt from withholding, you can still reduce the amount that is withheld from your paycheck by updating your W-4 and changing your withholding. There is a redesigned IRS W-4 now called the W-4 Employee’s Withholding Certificate instead of the W-4 Withholding Allowance Certificate that has been updated to reflect changes under tax reform. The IRS W-4 was redesigned to align with changes under tax reform and to help taxpayers figure out their correct withholding after tax law changes. One of the biggest changes on the W-4 form was the elimination of personal allowances since allowances were tied to the dependent and personal exemption which were eliminated. The redesigned W-4 will take into account whether you can claim the Child Tax Credit and whether you can claim tax deductions other than the standard deduction, both of which can reduce your withholding. Refundable tax credits A refundable tax credit means that even if you have zero tax liability before claiming the tax credit, you may still get a tax refund. Refundable tax credits not only reduce federal taxes you owe, but they also could result in a tax refund even if the tax credit is more than the tax you owe. For example, the American Opportunity Tax Credit that covers certain higher education expenses is 40 percent refundable, and the Earned Income Tax Credit is fully refundable, so if you are eligible for these tax credits you may see a tax refund even if you paid no income tax for the year. No matter what moves you made last year, TurboTax will make them count on your taxes. Whether you want to do your taxes yourself or have a TurboTax expert file for you, we’ll make sure you get every dollar you deserve and your biggest possible refund – guaranteed. Get started now Previous Post Quarterly Tax Date Deadlines for Self-Employed Next Post Is Workers’ Compensation Taxable? Everything You Need to Know Written by Lisa Greene-Lewis Lisa has over 20 years of experience in tax preparation. Her success is attributed to being able to interpret tax laws and help clients better understand them. She has held positions as a public auditor, controller, and operations manager. Lisa has appeared on the Steve Harvey Show, the Ellen Show, and major news broadcast to break down tax laws and help taxpayers understand what tax laws mean to them. For Lisa, getting timely and accurate information out to taxpayers to help them keep more of their money is paramount. More from Lisa Greene-Lewis Follow Lisa Greene-Lewis on Twitter. 188 responses to “Can I File Exempt & Still Get a Tax Refund?” « Older Comments if u do tax exempt 3 times a year at work does it hurt u ! All these people saying they filed exempt… I’m trying to figure out how you did that??? What steps do I have to take to file exempt for a couple months Is there another form required or option to file tax exempt for overseas contract work besides the w-2? I am an home care provider I had 3 clients in the whole year 2 of them I went exempt because I was getting less then 60 hours a month and the other client of 82 hours a month I didn’t go exempt I let federal take their money.And the last 3 to four months I became an independent contracter under the 1099 tax exemption, when I file will I owe taxes or will it balance out because I paid taxes with one of the jobs last year.What are my options? If I made 29,000 last year and I went exempt for 4 months will I still owe? i’m 77 thinking of working full time 1/1/19, I will have no tax liability for 2018 & 2019can I claim exempt for 2019 and will FICA be deducted? SS will not be effected by 2019 income. I have one dependant to claim on my taxes and im a full time college student with a full time job. Is it possible for me to file exempt for the year of 2016 and still get a tax return? I started a new job and On my checks for last 6 months they say i have 6 extemptions and I have had no federal taxes taken out. It’s only me and my daughter. Do I still get a refund? Hello I clamied 4 all year and the last 3 months I claimed exempt I made 30k I claim my daughter and head of household will I still get a tax refund? Thank you I have been working at my job for a year in a half. 2015 Was my year that i worked straight through i filed exempt for 9 months claiming 2 me and my son will i owe ? and can i still file ? i do not make over the required amount the only reason i filled exempt was to be able to make it through the year On my W4 I filed Exempt all the way up to Dec 2015…do I still get refunded? My company shut down in 2015,worked half a year,can i still file for refund? Hi Pamela, Yes, time is running out to file for a refund if you are eligible. April 15, 2019, is the last day to file your original 2015 tax return to claim a refund. If you received an extension for the 2015 return then your deadline is October 15, 2019. Hope this helps. If my federal is 0 will I still receive an income tax? what if I claimed tax exempt for 6 months and made 43,600 and I have 1 dependent.. will I owe or break even? If I only made around $10,000 this year and next year to be making $18,000 can i still claim exempt with two dependants? I am exempt at my job.. I have a dependent someone told me I couldn’t get a refund.. I filled my w-4 for out for my new job the same as I have always done. On my w-2 for the current year it is saying that I have 7 exemptions and the box for my federal is 0. This has never happened to me before. I am no longer working at this job. Did I do my w-4 wrong or is the federal 0 because I didn’t even make $13,000 throughout the year? Hi, I have a job that I will be working for about a week during the holidays but I also have a job that I have been working all year. Could I legally file exempt for the holiday job and it not affect my tax return from the other job. I figure I will make about $400 from the holiday job. Thanks!!!! Can I do taxes if I did exempt for state will I still qualify for the other refund because I know its 2 checks you get Ok here is what I am needing to know… I am a single head of household and I have 1 dependent. He is 5 years old. I pay for before and after school which totals $400.00 monthly. I usually get some sort of refund but am interested to know if I will benefit if I file exempt. I make around $35,000 a year. Say I he payed $45.000 yearly and I claimed 1 at my tax . Am I gonna get a tax return at the end of the year or not . Thanks for answering . Hi Kaissa, It’s possible. Without knowing your full situation it’s hard to say, but you may be eligible for tax deductions and credits like Earned Income Tax Credit or credits for a dependent. TurboTax will guide you through all of the tax deductions and credits you are eligible for. You don’t need to know the tax laws. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis I made around 80000 last year and I did tax exempt 5 times and it shows I owe 3200!! Anyway I can overcome that? If I filed exempt for the whole year, am I still required to do my taxes at the end of the year. I make hourly and commission and I withheld around 3 times this year! can I still get tax refund? also how many times I can withheld Hi Robbie If you made any estimated tax payments during the year and they are more than your tax, you would receive a refund. There are also cases where even if you filed exempt you may receive a tax refund if you are eligible for refundable tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Thank you, TurboTax Sherri Hello my name is hector and I did the same mistake. For financial reasons I went exempt the hole year and I made close to 100,000.00 I have 5 kids would that help me in any way not to go over? or will I still have to pay? Or maybe by luck get some money back? Any suggestions? My dependent child worked last summer before entering college. She earned approximately $6,000. Can I still claim her as a dependent and/or does she have to file as an independent? I am supporting her. I’m in the same boat as a lot of people i seen comment on here. I always file 0 for exempt but I’m getting a bonus soon and want to get more money but i don’t want to do anything to hurt me at the end of the year. Will it hurt me to file 1 or 2 exemptions for 1 paycheck will it make that much of a difference when i file at the end of the year. If you only file 1, which is what I do you will be fine. filing single 1″ they take almost as single 0. Since learning about filing exempt and the bad experience I had with it, I now always file singe 1 and this year I am getting a refund. 2 won’t hurt you either but really 1 is pretty good and you most likely will get a refund at the end of the year. Hello, I have a question for you for the year of 2014 I have had federal taking out of my check I stopped working in July I received 2 more paychecks but I filed exempt for the last two paycheck I still will be able to file and get a tax refund right I have 2 dependents. Turbo Tax Lisa- I saw several unanswered questions on the same topic, but hope you may assist. At my company (in Illinois), each employee may change their elections each pay period. I filed exempt twice for a total of 6-8 pay periods and switched back each time (as soon as financially possible). Several checks I withheld nearly my whole check by entering a $ amount – this was so the $ impact of clicking except is lessened or hopefully offset. I plan to have my last checks of year set appropriately to non-exempt so it’s correct on my tax forms. At no point should I be exempt status but I needed the $ financially, but I later tried to pay back in subsequent checks. Will I be somehow penalized for electing except just for financial need? Will I be targeted for audit? I appreciate your professional advice. Thank you Im single..Can I claim exempt for 4 pay periods and them change it back to normal? Hi I’ve filed exempt from March – October if I stop filing exempt now will I receive a refund check? I average around 26,000 and I claim 1 dependant. Hello Turbotax, I have never owed taxes for as long as ive been working. Im just wondering. With the amount of taxes I pay, and the fact I still dont even make my full fed tax back. Am I able to atleast claim exempt 1-4 times a year without risk of owing the federal govt? Im on my way to net 27k and ive already payed over a 1/4 of it in taxes. Considering ive never owed the fed since I started working at 16 am I safe to say I would be able too? Hello I been working all year and I wanted to go exempt for a week or 2 and I wanted to know how would that affect me when it’s time to file my taxes will there be a deduction in my tax return Hello, I make 40,000 a year, have 2 kids,pay $95 in daycare a week and own my house. I filed exempt 3 months ago. Will this hurt me? I don’t mind paying the IRS, my concern is making sure this is not an issue with the IRS by claiming exempt. I don’t want to be in trouble with them. Thanks in advance! I just started a new job at the end of may. Can I file exempt since i began work in the middle of the year? I did not work or file taxes last year due to being in nursing school. I do have two dependents. An employee wants to file exempt, since he is in school, and is working part-time through the school year, and full time over the summer. He must still have SS deducted out, correct? My 17 yr recently started working. He is making minimum wage ($8 an hr) and roughly about 11 hrs a week. Is he able to file exempt? I am not quite understanding the exemptions. Thank you cant I just file exempt now if I need the money for a few months as long as I pay the difference at tax time,as long as they get their money what difference does it make Hi Seth, Yes that is correct. You can file exempt if you want and change your withholdings so you pay in enough taxes. Here is our withholding calculator to help you https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/w4/ Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis I just want to know if I made a mistake and filed zero on my w-4 form, and I wanted to put two cant I correct it because they are withholding too much taxes out of my check so I want to correct that mistake, and who should I talk too. « Older Comments Browse Related Articles Crypto Understanding Crypto and Capital Gains Work 7 Things You Need to Know About the New Business Report… Work Using Form 8829 to Write-Off Business Use of Your Home Tax Tips Roth 403(b) vs. Roth IRA: Which Should You Invest In? 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All these people saying they filed exempt… I’m trying to figure out how you did that??? What steps do I have to take to file exempt for a couple months
Is there another form required or option to file tax exempt for overseas contract work besides the w-2?
I am an home care provider I had 3 clients in the whole year 2 of them I went exempt because I was getting less then 60 hours a month and the other client of 82 hours a month I didn’t go exempt I let federal take their money.And the last 3 to four months I became an independent contracter under the 1099 tax exemption, when I file will I owe taxes or will it balance out because I paid taxes with one of the jobs last year.What are my options?
i’m 77 thinking of working full time 1/1/19, I will have no tax liability for 2018 & 2019can I claim exempt for 2019 and will FICA be deducted? SS will not be effected by 2019 income.
I have one dependant to claim on my taxes and im a full time college student with a full time job. Is it possible for me to file exempt for the year of 2016 and still get a tax return?
I started a new job and On my checks for last 6 months they say i have 6 extemptions and I have had no federal taxes taken out. It’s only me and my daughter. Do I still get a refund?
Hello I clamied 4 all year and the last 3 months I claimed exempt I made 30k I claim my daughter and head of household will I still get a tax refund? Thank you
I have been working at my job for a year in a half. 2015 Was my year that i worked straight through i filed exempt for 9 months claiming 2 me and my son will i owe ? and can i still file ? i do not make over the required amount the only reason i filled exempt was to be able to make it through the year
Hi Pamela, Yes, time is running out to file for a refund if you are eligible. April 15, 2019, is the last day to file your original 2015 tax return to claim a refund. If you received an extension for the 2015 return then your deadline is October 15, 2019. Hope this helps.
what if I claimed tax exempt for 6 months and made 43,600 and I have 1 dependent.. will I owe or break even?
If I only made around $10,000 this year and next year to be making $18,000 can i still claim exempt with two dependants?
I filled my w-4 for out for my new job the same as I have always done. On my w-2 for the current year it is saying that I have 7 exemptions and the box for my federal is 0. This has never happened to me before. I am no longer working at this job. Did I do my w-4 wrong or is the federal 0 because I didn’t even make $13,000 throughout the year?
Hi, I have a job that I will be working for about a week during the holidays but I also have a job that I have been working all year. Could I legally file exempt for the holiday job and it not affect my tax return from the other job. I figure I will make about $400 from the holiday job. Thanks!!!!
Can I do taxes if I did exempt for state will I still qualify for the other refund because I know its 2 checks you get
Ok here is what I am needing to know… I am a single head of household and I have 1 dependent. He is 5 years old. I pay for before and after school which totals $400.00 monthly. I usually get some sort of refund but am interested to know if I will benefit if I file exempt. I make around $35,000 a year.
Say I he payed $45.000 yearly and I claimed 1 at my tax . Am I gonna get a tax return at the end of the year or not . Thanks for answering .
Hi Kaissa, It’s possible. Without knowing your full situation it’s hard to say, but you may be eligible for tax deductions and credits like Earned Income Tax Credit or credits for a dependent. TurboTax will guide you through all of the tax deductions and credits you are eligible for. You don’t need to know the tax laws. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
I made around 80000 last year and I did tax exempt 5 times and it shows I owe 3200!! Anyway I can overcome that?
I make hourly and commission and I withheld around 3 times this year! can I still get tax refund? also how many times I can withheld
Hi Robbie If you made any estimated tax payments during the year and they are more than your tax, you would receive a refund. There are also cases where even if you filed exempt you may receive a tax refund if you are eligible for refundable tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Thank you, TurboTax Sherri
Hello my name is hector and I did the same mistake. For financial reasons I went exempt the hole year and I made close to 100,000.00 I have 5 kids would that help me in any way not to go over? or will I still have to pay? Or maybe by luck get some money back? Any suggestions?
My dependent child worked last summer before entering college. She earned approximately $6,000. Can I still claim her as a dependent and/or does she have to file as an independent? I am supporting her.
I’m in the same boat as a lot of people i seen comment on here. I always file 0 for exempt but I’m getting a bonus soon and want to get more money but i don’t want to do anything to hurt me at the end of the year. Will it hurt me to file 1 or 2 exemptions for 1 paycheck will it make that much of a difference when i file at the end of the year.
If you only file 1, which is what I do you will be fine. filing single 1″ they take almost as single 0. Since learning about filing exempt and the bad experience I had with it, I now always file singe 1 and this year I am getting a refund. 2 won’t hurt you either but really 1 is pretty good and you most likely will get a refund at the end of the year.
Hello, I have a question for you for the year of 2014 I have had federal taking out of my check I stopped working in July I received 2 more paychecks but I filed exempt for the last two paycheck I still will be able to file and get a tax refund right I have 2 dependents.
Turbo Tax Lisa- I saw several unanswered questions on the same topic, but hope you may assist. At my company (in Illinois), each employee may change their elections each pay period. I filed exempt twice for a total of 6-8 pay periods and switched back each time (as soon as financially possible). Several checks I withheld nearly my whole check by entering a $ amount – this was so the $ impact of clicking except is lessened or hopefully offset. I plan to have my last checks of year set appropriately to non-exempt so it’s correct on my tax forms. At no point should I be exempt status but I needed the $ financially, but I later tried to pay back in subsequent checks. Will I be somehow penalized for electing except just for financial need? Will I be targeted for audit? I appreciate your professional advice. Thank you
Hi I’ve filed exempt from March – October if I stop filing exempt now will I receive a refund check? I average around 26,000 and I claim 1 dependant.
Hello Turbotax, I have never owed taxes for as long as ive been working. Im just wondering. With the amount of taxes I pay, and the fact I still dont even make my full fed tax back. Am I able to atleast claim exempt 1-4 times a year without risk of owing the federal govt? Im on my way to net 27k and ive already payed over a 1/4 of it in taxes. Considering ive never owed the fed since I started working at 16 am I safe to say I would be able too?
Hello I been working all year and I wanted to go exempt for a week or 2 and I wanted to know how would that affect me when it’s time to file my taxes will there be a deduction in my tax return
Hello, I make 40,000 a year, have 2 kids,pay $95 in daycare a week and own my house. I filed exempt 3 months ago. Will this hurt me? I don’t mind paying the IRS, my concern is making sure this is not an issue with the IRS by claiming exempt. I don’t want to be in trouble with them. Thanks in advance!
I just started a new job at the end of may. Can I file exempt since i began work in the middle of the year? I did not work or file taxes last year due to being in nursing school. I do have two dependents.
An employee wants to file exempt, since he is in school, and is working part-time through the school year, and full time over the summer. He must still have SS deducted out, correct?
My 17 yr recently started working. He is making minimum wage ($8 an hr) and roughly about 11 hrs a week. Is he able to file exempt? I am not quite understanding the exemptions. Thank you
cant I just file exempt now if I need the money for a few months as long as I pay the difference at tax time,as long as they get their money what difference does it make
Hi Seth, Yes that is correct. You can file exempt if you want and change your withholdings so you pay in enough taxes. Here is our withholding calculator to help you https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/w4/ Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
I just want to know if I made a mistake and filed zero on my w-4 form, and I wanted to put two cant I correct it because they are withholding too much taxes out of my check so I want to correct that mistake, and who should I talk too.