would it be better to file under dependent or other?

Question

i live with my mom, am 19 years old and just got a job at a hotel, but when filling out my tax form i noticed you could either put one or zero as dependent. Someone had also told me that putting zero would mean i would have less taxes taken out of every paycheck, but another person said this was bad and that they would take out MORE. I was just curious about this and wanted to know if anyone could help me figure this out, thank you.

Answer 1

Putting zero will have more taken out than they'd take if you put one. But it will even out in the end, and won't change what you'll pay in total - if you overpay through the year, you'll get the extra refunded; if you don't pay in enough, you'll have to pay the extra when you file your return early next year. The difference will probably be around $10 a week or less.

If you are 19 and not in school full-time for at least 5 months of the year, your mom can't claim you as a dependent, so you'll be claiming yourself when you file your return. Putting one on your W-4 form will probably end up with you breaking close to even - with zero, you'll probably get a few hundred dollars refunded to you. But if you get a refund, it means that you lent the government your money interest-free for the year.