I'm in the US ARMY i just find out they're taking out more federal taxes from me than they supposed to

Question

because i've been married 8 years but in my LES they're taking taxe as single and with zero exemption and now i have a son almost 2 years old they still didn't change it, but they pay me BAH for been married.I just want to know who need to pay me back the army or IRS, i need your help

Answer 1

You have to keep in mind whatever they take out of your checks is just an estimate of what you will owe for the year.  When you file your taxes at the end of the year, the estimate becomes the actual.  If your estimate that was withheld was too high, you get it back in your refund as long as you file correctly - as married.  So as long as you have been filing a tax return over those years, you aren't out any money.  You have just been letting the government use it until they give it back on your refund.

You should make the estimate more accurate by filing a new W-4 with the Army declaring yourself married and with a son - so Married and 3 or 4 would sound right.  This will make you checks bigger but you won't get such a big refund any more.  Either way,  you pay exactly the same amount of money for the year once you do your taxes.

To file the new W-4, you need to go to whoever is responsible for personnel and payroll issues on your base and tell them that you need to fill out a new W-4.  They should know what that means and you have the right to change that as often as you want, so don't take no for an answer.

And thank you very much for what you do.  Many of us don't take the time to say thanks to our servicemen, but we all are very thankful and grateful and proud of you, and many of us pray for you often.  God Bless and be safe.

Answer 2

If too much federal income tax is being withheld, are you sure you are not already getting that back when you file your taxes annually (refund)?  I don't know if the military uses the same W-4 form (available from irs.gov) that everyone else uses to claim withholding allowances, but it would be up to you to file whatever is required for withholding if your situation changes.

Answer 3

The IRS.  When you file your 1040 (or 1040A, 1040EZ, or electronic return), you get back the difference between what was withheld and what should have been withheld.

Right now, download Form W-4 from http:www.irs.gov, check the box for your correct marital status, follow the instructions for the rest of the form, and give it to the army, so that they withhold the correct amount in the future.

Answer 4

How did you fill out your W-4?  If you filled it out showing allowances, then they should be following it unless you had earlier filed a W-4 claiming excessive allowances and the IRS issued a lock in letter.

In any case, if too much is withheld, you will get it back from the IRS when you file your tax return.

Answer 5

The IRS will pay you back the excess tax that has been withheld from your pay.  This is done after you file your taxes and figure how much you are owed.

You can fill out another W-4 and have the correction made, to show you will file as married and have a dependent child.