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Conference nyoss1::market_investing

Title:Market Investing
Moderator:2155::michaud
Created:Thu Jan 23 1992
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1060
Total number of notes:10477

453.0. "Tax: Personal Exemptions claimed on W4" by SNAX::WAGER (Assumption-the mother of all screw-ups) Fri Apr 16 1993 10:33


     I was wondering, what is the rule of thumb for number of 
exemptions a person should take. I really don't want Uncle Sam getting 
interest free loans from me and this year I'll be buying a Condo (just
clearing up the title now) and I would rather have the money in 
my pocket.

     I am a Single, no dependents with some capital gains from Stock & 
Mutual fund accounts but not enough to really worry about yet.

     Sorry if someone already asked and answered this question I 
looked through but only found 2 topics about this years taxed.

Thanks, 

Vern 
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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453.1SDSVAX::SWEENEYPatrick Sweeney in New YorkFri Apr 16 1993 13:378
    If your refund is very large, then you ought to claim more deductions.
    
    If you can handle the cash flow of writing a big check to the IRS, then
    you ought to claim more deductions.
    
    However, the IRS has already taken into account withheld taxes and if
    sufficient taxes are not withheld, you'll be asked to pay quarterly
    taxes.
453.2Approximate your taxCTHQ::BELENKYFri Apr 16 1993 14:2333
    To take advantage of mortgage/tax deductions, you have to make an
    estimate of your mortgage expenses (on Schedule A).
    If you know approximate values for your condo mortgage interest and
    property tax, use Schedule A to sum it up. Then subtract it from your
    AGI. 
    
    Example: Mortgage interest = $800/mo = $9600/year; Property tax =
    $1400/year; your annual salary $40,000; your current Fed.tax =
    $6,000/year; Schedule A (itemized deductions) = $11,000.
    
    Wage             =  $40,000
    Bank interest    =      300
                     -----------
    AGI                  40,300
    Item. deductions   - 11,000
    Personal exemp.    -  2,300
                     ----------
    Taxable income   =   37,000
    
    Approx. Tax      =   37,000 x 0.15 = $5,550
    
    Schedule A allows you take other deductions (charity, medical,
    educational, etc).
    
    Now compare your current fed. tax and one you got using itemized
    deductions and change your weekly withholdings accordingly. Each
    exemption = $10-15/week.
    
    Simon
    
    
    
    
453.3VMSDEV::HAMMONDCharlie Hammond -- ZKO3-04/S23 -- dtn 381-2684Fri Apr 16 1993 15:278
I believe there is a worksheet with the W4 form that you file
to tell Digital (or?) how many dependents you claim for withholding.
It explains how to extimate your deductions and calculate the
number of witholding dependents you're allowed to take.

As a practical matter, you can CHANGE the number of dependents you
claim and then see exactly how this changes your weekly (or monthly,
or?) witholding.  Depending on what you see, you can make more changes.
453.4Personnel has withholding tablesMKOTS3::DAYRoseann DaySat Apr 17 1993 12:0312
    
    re. -1.  Instead of fiddling with your exemptions (which has to cost
    Digital some processing time and money), you can ask your personnel
    admin person for this year's withholding tables.  The tables show how
    much is taken each week at each exemption level for each tax marital
    status for a fairly broad range of incomes.  If your income is above
    the max the tables cover, you can ask for more information about the
    formula used.
    
    The spreadsheet that makes up the top part of the W4 is pretty useful.
    That plus an idea of last year's tax liability plus the tables and you
    should be all set... til the tax code gets totally rewritten.
453.5The "rule of thumb" for deductionsMPGS::BEAULIEUThu May 06 1993 16:1012
    I have read that a good general rule of thumb is to take 1 deduction for 
    every $600 you got back last year. I decided to change my deductions this
    year and got a copy of the withholding tables to determine how many 
    deductions to take etc and the "rule" proved to be about right. 
    This rule may not necessarily apply in the base-noters case however
    because he/she will have a significant deduction this year that did not
    exist in previous years. Next year the size of the deduction will
    probably be about 2x this year's deduction considering that they will 
    probably make about 5 or 6 mortgage payments this year and will make
    about 12 next year. In order to avoid making interest-free loans to
    Uncle Sam, the base-noter may have to adjust his deductions this year
    and then again next year if they want to break-even with Uncle Sam. 
453.6CAMONE::ZIOMEKPump up the TESTMon May 10 1993 16:2821
    
    	I was/am in the exact same situation. I'm in my mid 20's and had my 
    first mortgage in 1991, and got close to a month and a half's take home 
    salary back as a refund. 
    	
    	So last january I increased from 0 to 1 deduction, I still
    ended up getting a very considerable refund for 92', but I also had a
    small loss in there as well. So this year I went to 2 deductions, which 
    will be about $700 more in my pocket, which will leave me with a few 
    hundred dollar return. Assuming no changes in the tax law. 
    
    	I do however have two friends that have gotten married over the
    last year or so, that were in the same predicament that I was, where as
    they both held mortgages before they married. One of my friends wife
    works and the other friends doesn't. The friend who's wife works ended 
    up owing a very substantial penalty that even included a fine I think.
    So when you marry, it looks like your withholding is adjusted as well.
    It looks like my friends just didn't realize it. 
    
    John
    
453.7Tax obligations after marriageHDLITE::HORTONKen Horton, KA1GFNMon May 10 1993 17:069
  The first year that I got married I ended up oweing a fair amount but not
enough to apy a penalty. I actually end up claiming 0 and also have a fixed
amount taken out in addition. This is the result of my wifes employer not taking
enough out to cover our total tax obligation when our salries are added together.
This is not really the fault of the employer as she would be in a 15% bracket
and I am in a 28% with the total also being in a 28%. So this may be something
that is worth watching.

	/Ken
453.8that's the "marriage penalty tax"!CADSYS::HECTOR::RICHARDSONMon May 10 1993 18:1217
    That's the "marriage penalty tax" for you!  it was several years after
    Paul and I got married (both DECcie engineers) before our take-home pay
    got back up to what it was before we got married and had to readjust
    our withholding to cover the much-higher taxes!  This comes about
    because the boundaries for the different tax brackets for married
    people are not twice what they are for single people.  Right now, we
    both claim no exemptions plus have a fixed amount in addition witheld
    per week on our federal taxes.   I need to file new W4 (when I get
    around to computing them) to increase the fixed amount again.  This was
    esxpecially a shocker for me since I owned our house before we married. 
    I went from claiming several exemptions ebcause of the mortgage
    payments on the house to the current situation, and I had a LOT less
    moeny (and the giver-ment a LOT MORE of MY money) to spend for several
    years thereafter!  Suchadeal....  The additional taxes are a LOT more
    than the rent was on Paul's apartment.  Phooey!
    
    /Charlotte
453.9SUBURB::THOMASHThe Devon DumplingTue May 11 1993 12:3014
	What about a new system,


	Both people have individual allowances.

	A married personas allowance, that is split between the two people,
	or if requested will all go on one persons.
	Mortgage deduction to be split however requested.

	No joint filing, no need to know the other persons investments/salaries
	etc.

	Heather
453.10VMSDEV::HAMMONDCharlie Hammond -- ZKO3-04/S23 -- dtn 381-2684Tue May 11 1993 13:058
RE: 453.7 

>                                     ... [My wife] would be in a 15% bracket
>and I am in a 28% with the total also being in a 28%. ...
 
      This sounds like a situationn in which "married filing seperately"
      might be better than a joint return.  Did you run the numbers that
      way?  (NOTE: I said *MIGHT*.  It depends on all the details, etc.)
453.11The past has not lended itself to MFSHDLITE::HORTONKen Horton, KA1GFNTue May 11 1993 13:157
  I tried the number with MFS but did not come out any better. The problem is
that she would not have any deeductions so would end up having to claim 0 since
she cannot take the standard. But with mortgage interest getting so low and
and the standard deduction going up I may not have to itemize in upcoming years.


	/Ken
453.12Determining Number of ExemptionsSHRCTR::JRUSSELLTue Apr 09 1996 13:299
    Is there a formula to use to determine the number of exemptions to
    claim on your paycheck?
    
    We typically use Dependent Care Reimbursement but didn't do it this
    year and now would like to adjust the exemptions to compensate.
    
    Thanks for any input.
    
    Judy
453.13w-4MROA::JALBERTTue Apr 09 1996 14:016
    I know Form W-4 -- Employee's Witholding Allowance Certificate had two
    pages of Highlights which assisted you with calculating exemptions.
    I have a copy of one and would be happy to send it out to you.
    
    Carla
    
453.14The W-4 instructions always leave me paying too much in taxes2303::TALCOTTWed Apr 10 1996 13:0196
But I typically send mail to CANON::PAY_QUESTION yearly requesting a copy of
their sheet that maps pay to witholdings, and then based on our previous year's
tax and projected income, determine how many exemptions to claim. I haven't
gotten this year's sheet but as an example, here's last year's version:

From:	CANON::PAY_QUESTION "US PAYROLL CUSTOMER SERVICE" 22-MAR-1995 12:27:23.18
To:	UHUH::TALCOTT
CC:	PAY_QUESTION
Subj:	RE: Fed tax: Looking for mapping of # of exemptions to amount withheld



			ANNUAL PAYROLL PERIOD
                              (1995)

One withholding allowance is equal to $2,500.00 

SINGLE (including head of household)

if the amount of wages after
subtracting withholding                  The amount of income tax 
allowances is:				 to withhold is:

Not over $2,600.....			 $0

Over  	     But not over			of excess over
$2,600.......$24,750.......  15% 		 $  2,600
$24,750......$51,950......$ 3,322.50 plus 28%    $ 24,750
$51,950......$119,350.....$10,938.50 plus 31%    $ 51,950
$119,350.....$257,900.... $31,832.50 plus 36%    $119,350
$257,900................. $81,710.50 plus 39.6%  $257,900


MARRIED 

if the amount of wages after
subtracting withholding 		  The amount of income tax
allowances is:				  to withhold is:

Not over $6,400.....			  $0

Over	     But not over			of excess over
$6,400.......$43,050.......  15%		 $  6,400
$43,050......$86,550......$ 5,332.50 plus 28%	 $ 43,050
$86,550......$147,650.....$16,980.50 plus 31%    $ 86,550
$147,650.....$260,550.....$35,704.50 plus 36%    $147,650
$260,550..................$75,304.50 plus 39.6%  $220,550

How to use annual table:

1.  Use your weekly ADJUSTED GROSS from you paystatement and multiply by 
    52 weeks.  This is your annualized adjusted gross pay

2.  From your annualized adjusted gross, subtract $2,500 for each 
    withholding allowance (exemption) you are claiming.  This is your 
    taxable income.

3.  Select the table according to your tax status (single or married).

4.  Find the taxable income amount in step two, and follow the 
    calculation.  This is you annual federal tax to be withheld.

5.  Divide the amount in step 4 (annual federal tax) by 52.  This will 
    be the federal tax amount withheld each week. 

Example:

Weekly Adjusted Gross			$1500.00
Marital Status				 Single
Withholding Allowances			     1

				$  1500.00
				x       52
				----------
				$78,000.00 annual adjusted gross
			       -$ 2,500.00 one withholding allowance
				----------
				$75,500.00 annual taxable income
			       -$51,950.00 amount from table
				----------
				$23,550.00 excess over $51,950.00
			       X       31%
				----------
				$ 7,300.50 tax on excess over $51,950.00
			        +10,938.50 from table 
				----------
			        $18,239.00 annual federal tax withheld
				 divide by  52 weeks
				---------------
				$   350.75 weekly federal tax withheld
				



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