A friend of mine didn't have enough money taken out of her check and now owes the IRS about $700. She filled out her W-4 correctly to have the deductions withheld but her employer failed to take enough money out. Is this her fault? Does she still have to pay this amount, even though her employer didn't withhold enough money? I figured it out and according to the amount the government requires you to pay (10%), she does actually owe the money, but had her employer been taking out the money correctly, it would have been paid all year long. I told her it didn't matter if her employer didn't take enough money out, it was still her responsibility to make sure her withholding was correct, and thus, her fault she now owes but she insists its not her fault. Thanks in advance for your help!
2007-01-31 14:43:36 · 10 answers · asked by Mellissa Mojo 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Taxes ➔ United States
It's the employee's job to make sure enough tax is being withheld. If she can't pay it all now it's import that she file her taxes anyway and submit a form to make installment payments to the IRS. They'll bill her monthly based on the number of payments she requests.
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2007-01-31 14:53:13 · answer #1 · answered by Yak Rider 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
She owes what she owes. She can't say "it is my employers fault and I don't have to pay". They use a chart, so either someone read it wrong or she has other income that they didn't know about that she had to count on the 1040 and this put her over. Or there are sometimes other things. Did she work two jobs? Have other income, like child support or something? What she needs to do is have them take out for 0 instead of 1, and she will never own, but will get money back.
2007-01-31 14:54:12 · answer #2 · answered by tonks_op 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The employee is solely responsible for ensuring that enough tax is withheld. You are totally correct in stating that it is her fault.
Employers use the tables provided by the IRS to determine how much to withhold based upon what the employee put on the W4.
Without knowing all the facts in her case -- income from all sources, filing status, dependency status, exemptions claimed on W4, etc. and seeing the actual return filed -- it's not possible to say where her mistake was.
A very common cause is people who work two jobs and incorrectly claim 1 or 2 withholding exemptions on both W4 forms. Another common cause is someone who has significant income that is not subject to withholding such as interest income, stocks & bonds, etc.
She is responsible for paying whatever the taxes are and has no claim against her employer or the IRS for her mistake, wherever it may be.
2007-01-31 15:05:55 · answer #3 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You said it!!! It is the employee's responsibilty to make sure enough withholding taxes are taken out. I made this mistake in 2005 when i transferred from facilty of GM to another . All I noticed on my city tax withholdings was my hometown,name on the check stub and didn't bother to look at the amount being withheld. It was my fault for not following up on this. When I checked with the payroll dept. they produced the w-4 form where I had checked on there to withhold city tax but for some unknown reason the corporate payroll dept. had missed it and was not holding out the full 2% and when I looked closer at my paystub I was only paying $5 each weekSo it was my fault for no following through on checking out all my withholdings and it is your friend's fault for not doing the same
2007-01-31 15:13:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our income is ours-so are our taxes. Your friend is the responsible party. It is important to check those check stubs for the amount of taxes being taken out. The IRS (www.irs.gov) website can give you the tax rates. Even if you claim 0 on the w-2, depending on your deductions, a person can still owe money (such as a single person with little deductions). This year have your friend check with a professional to make sure she is putting back money if needed for next years taxes.
2007-01-31 14:51:38 · answer #5 · answered by billionaire2b 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is never your employer's fault if not enough Federal or State income tax is withheld, unless they just don't bother to do it at all.
By law, you can change your deductions at anytime during the year that you wish to. She can insist it isn't her fault all she wants, but if she doesn't pay the amount she owes by April 15th, she will owe more in penalties and interests, sorry.
2007-01-31 15:07:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are correct. It is her responsibility, even if, as you say, it was her employer's fault. But I think the chance that it was her employer's fault is 0% and the chance that it was your friend's fault or misunderstanding is 100%. In any case, it doesn't matter. She has to pay.
2007-01-31 14:52:28 · answer #7 · answered by Larry 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
regardless of who's fault it is, she still has to pay the money unfortuantley. I am a book keeper and I do payroll, if I mess up on tax deductions, I't not up to me to pay. she can go online and figure out her own deduction amounts, that way she will know how much needs to come off her checks and can compare it with her pay checks when she gets them.
2007-01-31 14:53:01 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think you are right it is her responsibility.A person should file single and no depedents to make sure if enough is taken out.Some people claim themself as a dependent all year and usually end up owing money.If you pay in too much you will get it back.
2007-01-31 14:53:36 · answer #9 · answered by Jim C 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you do now not placed the greater advantageous healthful everywhere in Sch A and in case you're employing a tax utility as quickly as you enter the tips out of your W-2 it immediately away enters it the placement it belongs on Sch A
2016-10-16 09:40:16 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋