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This question is very close, but not exactly mine since this person asking the question says their facility had a closure and might not be on a payroll for a period of time. My question is about being on two payrolls relatively soon (within the next 3 weeks).

I am trying to fill out the W-4 for Maryland State Government Employees only form (which is very similar and not to be confused with the general W-4).

I will (soon after filling out the W-4 form) become a Maryland State Government employee in the next few weeks and this will become my second job. My first job is a software engineer with a large company. So as of this writing I am on a single payroll, but within the next few weeks I should be on 2 payrolls. I am single.

Question : How should I fill out Step 2?

Step 2 : Multiple Jobs or Spouse Works

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Since I am a software engineer for a large company and on their payroll, but not yet on the payroll of the state of Maryland, currently I don't have multiple jobs. But within the next few weeks I will also be on an additional payroll with the state of Maryland and will have two jobs. So how should I answer Step 2? More specifically, Step 2 says to fill it out if

you (1) hold more than one job at a time,

My thinking is since I don't technically hold 2 jobs right now, then I should leave step 2 blank.

I see there is also option 2c which says

If there are only two jobs total, you may check this box

What should I do?

I would really appreciate tax experts to advice me on this one.

user1068636
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1 Answers1

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My thinking is since I don't technically hold 2 jobs right now, then I should leave step 2 blank.

Pretend you are filling out the form on day one of the new job. Therefore you have two jobs.

Expanding on your quote:

If there are only two jobs total, you may check this box. Do the same on Form W-4 for the other job. This option is generally more accurate than (b) if pay at the lower paying job is more than half of the pay at the higher paying job. Otherwise, (b) is more accurate.

Lets say the higher paying job pays 80K a year. If the other pays more than 40K, then check the box. If it pay less than 40K don't check the box.

If you aren't checking the box:

Use the Multiple Jobs Worksheet on page 3 and enter the result in Step 4(c) below;

You should then follow the steps on the worksheet to see if you need to adjust the withholding on one of the jobs.

The purpose of the worksheet on page 3 is to avoid having not have enough money withheld when you have two simultaneous jobs, because the withholding at each job doesn't consider your higher total income.

Depending on your exact situation you may end up modifying the W-4 at the first job.

mhoran_psprep
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