26 C.F.R. § 31.3402(f)(2)-1 Withholding exemption certificates.
Title 26 - Internal Revenue
(a) On commencement of employment. On or before the date on which an individual commences employment with an employer, the individual shall furnish the employer with a signed withholding exemption certificate relating to his marital status and the number of withholding exemptions which he claims, which number shall in no event exceed the number to which he is entitled, or, if the statements described in §31.3402(n)–1 are true with respect to an individual, he may furnish his employer with a signed withholding exemption certificate which contains such statements. For form and contents of such certificates, see §31.3402(f)(5)–1. The employer is required to request a withholding exemption certificate from each employee, but if the employee fails to furnish such certificate, such employee shall be considered as a single person claiming no withholding exemptions. (b) Change in status which affects calendar year. (1) If, on any day during the calendar year, the number of withholding exemptions to which the employee is entitled is less than the number of withholding exemptions claimed by him on the withholding exemption certificate then in effect, the employee must within 10 days after the change occurs furnish the employer with a new withholding exemption certificate relating to the number of withholding exemptions which the employee then claims, which must in no event exceed the number to which he is entitled on such day. The number of withholding exemptions to which an employee is entitled decreases, for example, for any one of the following reasons: (i) The employee's wife (or husband) for whom the employee has been claiming a withholding exemption (a) is divorced or legally separated from the employee, or (b) claims her (or his) own withholding exemption on a separate certificate. (ii) In the case of an employee whose taxable year is not a calendar year, the employee's wife (or husband) for whom the employee has been claiming a withholding exemption dies in that portion of the calendar year which precedes the first day of the taxable year of the employee which begins in the calendar year in which the spouse dies. (iii) The employee finds that no exemption for his taxable year which begins in, or with, the current calendar year will be allowable to him under section 151(e) in respect of an individual claimed as a dependent on the employee's withholding exemption certificate. (iv) It becomes unreasonable for the employee to believe that his wages for an estimation year will not be more, or that the determinable additional amounts for each item under §31.3402(m)–1 for an estimation year will not be less, than the corresponding figure used in connection with a claim by him under section 3402 (m) of a withholding allowance to such an extent that the employee would no longer be entitled to such withholding allowance. (v) It becomes unreasonable for an employee who has in effect a withholding exemption certificate on which he claims a withholding allowance under section 3402(m), computed on the basis of the preceding taxable year, to believe that his wages and the determinable additional amounts for each item under §31.3402(m)–1 in such preceding taxable year or in his present taxable year will entitle him to such withholding allowance in the present taxable year. (2) If, on any day during the calendar year, the number of withholding exemptions to which the employee is entitled is more than the number of withholding exemptions claimed by him on the withholding exemption certificate then in effect, the employee may furnish the employer with a new withholding exemption certificate on which the employee must in no event claim more than the number of withholding exemptions to which he is entitled on such day. (3) If, on any day during the calendar year, the statements described in §31.3402(n)–1 are true with respect to an employee, such employee may furnish his employer with a withholding exemption certificate which contains such statements. (4) If, on any day during the calendar year, it is not reasonable for an employee, who has furnished his employer with a withholding exemption certificate which contains the statements described in §31.3402(n)–1, to anticipate that he will incur no liability for income tax imposed under subtitle A (as defined in §31.3402(n)–1) for his current taxable year, the employee must within 10 days after such day furnish the employer with a new withholding exemption certificate which does not contain such statements. If, on any day during the calendar year, it is not reasonable for such an employee whose liability for income tax imposed under subtitle A is determined on a basis other than the calendar year to so anticipate with respect to his taxable year following his current taxable year, the employee must furnish the employer with a new withholding exemption certificate which does not contain such statements within 10 days after such day or on or before the first day of the last month of his current taxable year, whichever is later. (c) Change in status which affects next calendar year. (1) If, on any day during the calendar year, the number of exemptions to which the employee will be, or may reasonably be expected to be, entitled under sections 151 and 3402(m) for his taxable year which begins in, or with, the next calendar year is different from the number to which the employee is entitled on such day, the following rules shall be applicable: (i) If such number is less than the number of withholding exemptions claimed by the employee on a withholding exemption certificate in effect in such day, the employee must, on or before December 1 of the year in which the change occurs, unless such change occurs in December, furnish his employer with a new withholding exemption certificate reflecting the decrease in the number of withholding exemptions. If the change occurs in December, the new certificate must be furnished within 10 days after the change occurs. The number of exemptions to which an employee is entitled for his taxable year which begins in, or with, the next calendar year decreases, for example, for any of the following reasons: (a) The spouse or a dependent of the employee dies. (b) The employee finds that is not reasonable to expect that an individual claimed as a dependent on the employee's withholding exemption certificate will qualify as a dependent of the employee for such taxable year. (c) It becomes unreasonable for an employee who has in effect a withholding exemption certificate on which he claims a withholding allowance under section 3402(m) to believe that his wages and the determinable additional amounts for each item under §31.3402(m)–1 for his taxable year which begins in, or with, the next calendar year will entitle him to such withholding allowance for such taxable year. (ii) If such number is greater than the number of withholding exemptions claimed by the employee on a withholding exemption certificate in effect on such day, the employee may, on or before December 1 of the year in which such change occurs, unless such change occurs in December, furnish his employer with a new withholding exemption certificate reflecting the increase in the number of withholding exemptions. If the change occurs in December, the certificate may be furnished on or after the date on which the change occurs. (2) If, on any day during the calendar year, it is not reasonable for an employee, who has furnished his employer with a withholding exemption certificate which contains the statements described in §31.3402(n)–1 and whose liability for such tax is determined on a calendar-year basis, to anticipate that he will incur no liability for income tax imposed under subtitle A (as defined in §3l.3402(n)–1) for his taxable year which begins with the next calendar year, the employee must furnish his employer with a new withholding exemption certificate which does not contain such statements, on or before December 1 of the first-mentioned calendar year. If it first becomes unreasonable for the employee to so anticipate in December, the new certificate must be furnished within 10 days after the day on which it first becomes unreasonable for the employee to so anticipate. (3) Before December 1 of each year, every employer should request each of his employees to file a new withholding exemption certificate for the ensuing calendar year, in the event of change in the employee's exemption status since the filing of his latest certificate. (d) Inclusion of account number on withholding exemption certificate. Every individual to whom an account number has been assigned shall include such number of any withholding exemption certificate filed with an employer. For provisions relating to the obtaining of an account number, see §31.6011 (b)–2. (e) Invalid withholding exemption certificates. Any alteration of or unauthorized addition to a withholding exemption certificate shall cause such certificate to be invalid; see paragraph (b) of §31.3402(f)(5)–1 for the definitions of alteration and unauthorized addition. Any withholding exemption certificate which the employee clearly indicates to be false by an oral statement or by a written statement (other than one made on the withholding exemption certificate itself) made by him to the employer on or before the date on which the employee furnishes such certificate is also invalid. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “employer” includes any individual authorized by the employer either to receive withholding exemption certificates, to make withholding computations, or to make payroll distributions. If an employer receives an invalid withholding exemption certificate, he shall consider it a nullity for purposes of computing withholding; he shall inform the employee who submitted the certificate that it is invalid, and shall request another withholding exemption certificate from the employee. If the employee who submitted the invalid certificate fails to comply with the employer's request, the employer shall withhold from the employee as from a single person claiming no exemptions (see §31.3402 (f)(2)–1(a)); if, however, a prior certificate is in effect with respect to the employee, the employer shall continue to withhold in accordance with the prior certificate. (f) Applicability of withholding exemption certificate to qualified State individual income taxes. The withholding exemption certificate shall be use for purposes of withholding with respect to qualified State individual income taxes as well as Federal tax. For provisions relating to the withholding exemption certificate with respect to such State taxes, see paragraph (d)(3)(i) of §301.6361–1 of this chapter (Regulation on Procedure and Administration). (g) For further guidance, see §31.3402(f)(2)–1T(g). (68A Stat. 731 (26 U.S.C. 6001); 68A Stat. 732 (26 U.S.C. 6011); 68A Stat. 917 (26 U.S.C. 7805)) [T.D. 6516, 25 FR 13105, Dec. 20, 1960, as amended by T.D. 6654, 28 FR 5252, May 28, 1963; T.D. 7048, 35 FR 10291, June 24, 1970; T.D. 7065, 35 FR 16539, Oct. 23, 1970; T.D. 7577, 43 FR 59359, Dec. 20, 1978; T.D. 7598, 44 FR 14552, Mar. 13, 1979; T.D. 7682, 45 FR 15526, Mar. 11, 1980; T.D. 7772, 46 FR 17548, Mar. 19, 1981; T.D. 7803, 47 FR 3547, Jan. 26, 1982; T.D. 7915, 48 FR 44073, Sept. 27, 1983; T.D. 8164, 52 FR 45633, Dec. 1, 1987; T.D. 9196, 70 FR 19696, Apr. 14, 2005]
Title 26: Internal Revenue
PART 31—EMPLOYMENT TAXES AND COLLECTION OF INCOME TAX AT SOURCE
Subpart E—Collection of Income Tax at Source
§ 31.3402(f)(2)-1 Withholding exemption certificates.
