W-4 Forms for Nurses
At some point during your time as a travel nurse you may be required to fill out a W-4 form. This two page form will decide how much of your income should be withheld from paychecks for federal taxes. Chances are you've filled one of these out before but in case you need a refresher, here's a guide to figuring it out.
The Personal Allowances Worksheet is a section that will help you calculate the number of allowances you’re going to claim. If you need help figuring out your allowances fill this out. Otherwise, feel free to leave it blank.
Line 1: Enter your full (legal) name as it appears on your Social Security Card. No nicknames or abbreviations are allowed here. Enter your permanent address (no PO boxes)
Line 2: Enter your social security number.
Line 3: Mark your marital status.
Line 4: If your last name differs from that shown on your social security card, you'll need to check this box and follow a few extra steps.
Allowances: This section determines how much money will be withheld from each of your paychecks. There are several allowances to account for including dependents, being the head of a household while married, etc. Don't forget to count yourself as an allowance. The more allowances you report here the less taxes will be withheld. It's important to fill this out correctly so that come tax time, you don't owe money.
Line 5: Enter the total number of allowances you’re claiming.
Line 6: If you would like any additional money withheld from each paycheck you can enter it here. Most people write 0 unless they expect to owe more taxes due to some other financial situations.
Line 7: This section is only to be filled out if you're exempt from paying taxes. Most people leave it blank because it's uncommon to be exempt. If you believe that you might be exempt do further research to make sure you fill this out correctly.
Employee Signature: Sign and date the W-4.
Leave lines 8, 9 and 10 blank. These will be filled out by your employer. Download and print a copy of the W-4 form from the IRS website.
