Tax return, W4 and W2?

Question

I'm here on H1 visa. I came here alone initially (in may 2005) and filled W4 as single. Later my family (wife and daughter) joined me in August 2005. I didnt file the renewed W4 and my status remained Single on W2. Is there any way I can get tax benefit of being married? What could be done in such a case?
Any help will be highly appreciated.
Mahesh

Can I claim taxes that have got deducted by filing amendment?

Answer 1

The W-4 simply tells the employer how many dependents you have and therefore how much tax to withhold. The W-2 tells the IRS how much tax you have paid along with whatever deductions you have to that income. When you prepare your 1040 Personal Income tax return for filing you will claim your dependents if they meet the dependency test and therefore receive the standard deduction for each of your dependents. When you get to the end of the section of the tax return which address what you have paid [check your W-2] you should find that you only claimed yourself and therefore the employer withheld more tax than it would have if you claimed your dependents on the W-4. Make sure your wife and daughter meet the depenency test [see instructions with 1040]. Bottom line should be you get a refund. I recommend you change your W-4 to the proper withhold amount due to the addition of your wife and kid.

Answer 2

The tax rate on W-2 is based on what's taken out in your paychecks throughout the year. I do payroll for a large company and don't believe there is any way to go back to previous years to change status. You would have to change it now and go on from there. You can still claim your child and wife (if she has no income) if they lived with you during that year. You could go back and file an ammended return for 2005, but you can't change what has already been witheld from your check (in previous years)