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Businesses in the US are obligated to gather and keep certain data about their workers for taxation purposes. The W-4, which employees complete to specify how much federal income tax should be deducted from their paycheck, is one of the most important forms for this. One of the best accounting programs, QuickBooks Online (QBO), makes it simple for companies to handle and print employee W-4 forms. The procedures needed to how to print w4 in QuickBooks online will be outlined in this article.

Understanding the W-4 Form

Before diving into the process of printing the W-4 form in QuickBooks Online, let’s take a moment to understand what the W-4 form is and why it is important:

• W-4 Form Overview: When an employee gets employed or goes through a major life transition, such getting married, getting divorced, or having a kid, they fill out the W-4 form, which is technically known as the "Employee's Withholding Certificate." Employers can use this form to calculate the appropriate amount of federal income tax to withhold from an employee's paycheck depending on the employee's filing status, dependents, additional income, and deductions.

• Importance: Precise withholding guarantees that workers pay the appropriate amount of federal income taxes throughout the year. While too much withholding means employees are effectively lending the government interest-free money, too little withholding can lead to a sizable tax bill at the end of the year.

Now, let’s look at how to access and print the W-4 form in QuickBooks Online.

Step 1: Ensure Your QuickBooks Online Subscription Includes Payroll Features

QuickBooks Online offers various subscription plans, and the ability to print employee W-4 forms is available through the QuickBooks Online Payroll feature. If you haven’t already subscribed to QuickBooks Online Payroll, you will need to do so. You can choose from the following plans:

• QuickBooks Online Payroll Core
• QuickBooks Online Payroll Premium
• QuickBooks Online Payroll Elite

These plans offer different levels of features, with higher-tier plans providing additional payroll services, such as tax filing and full-service payroll options.

Step 2: Set Up Your Payroll in QuickBooks Online

Before you can print the W-4 forms for your employees, make sure you have set up payroll in QuickBooks Online. Here’s how to do it:

1. Log in to QuickBooks Online: Start by logging into your QuickBooks Online account.

2. Set up Payroll: If you haven’t already set up payroll, go to the “Payroll” tab in the left-hand menu. Follow the prompts to set up payroll by entering information about your business, employees, and tax details.

3. Add Employees: Under the Payroll tab, click on “Employees” to add your employees to the system. For each employee, you'll need to enter personal details like their name, address, Social Security number, and employment status. Make sure that the information entered is correct and up-to-date.

4. Enter Tax Information: When adding an employee, QuickBooks will prompt you to enter their tax withholding information. This is where employees will fill out their W-4 details. You’ll be able to input their filing status, allowances, dependents, and any additional withholding amounts specified on their W-4.

Step 3: Accessing Employee W-4 Forms in QuickBooks Online

Once you’ve set up payroll and have your employees added to QuickBooks Online, you can access their W-4 forms directly from within the system. Here’s how:

1. Navigate to the Employee’s Profile: Go to the “Payroll” tab and select “Employees”. Find the employee for whom you want to print the W-4 form.

2. Open the Employee’s Profile: Click on the employee’s name to open their profile. Here you can see all the personal and payroll information for that employee.

3. View the W-4 Details: Within the employee’s profile, you’ll find a section labeled “Tax Information” or “Withholding Information”. Click on this section to view the details they provided on their W-4.

4. Access the W-4 Form: QuickBooks Online will generate a W-4 form based on the tax information that has been entered. You will be able to view the completed form, including all the relevant sections such as the employee’s filing status, dependents, and additional withholding information.

Step 4: Printing the W-4 Form

Once you have accessed the employee’s W-4 form in QuickBooks Online, the next step is to print it. Follow these simple steps:

1. Click the Print Button: At the top or bottom of the W-4 page, you will see a “Print” option. Click on this button to print the form.

2. Choose Printer Settings: A print preview will appear on your screen. Ensure that your printer is properly connected, and review the settings to ensure the form will print correctly.

3. Print the Form: Once you are satisfied with the settings, click the “Print” button to send the form to your printer. Ensure that the printed form is clear and legible.

4. Distribute the Form: Once printed, you can provide a physical copy of the W-4 form to the employee for their records, if necessary. Additionally, you can store the digital copy within QuickBooks Online for your records.

Step 5: Keeping Records of W-4 Forms

It’s essential to keep accurate records of all W-4 forms for your employees. QuickBooks Online will store the digital version of each employee’s W-4 form, so you can easily access and print it later. However, you should also keep physical copies of the form for your business records.

• Digital Copies: QuickBooks Online will automatically store the employee’s W-4 form in the employee’s profile, which is accessible at any time.
• Physical Copies: If you need to keep a physical copy, it’s essential to organize and store the printed W-4 forms in a secure place to ensure you can easily find them when needed.

Step 6: Making Updates to W-4 Forms

Employees can submit a new W-4 form if they experience life changes that affect their tax situation. To update an employee’s W-4 in QuickBooks Online, follow these steps:

1. Update the Employee’s Profile: Go back to the employee’s profile in QuickBooks Online and select “Edit” under their “Tax Information” section.

2. Input Updated Information: Ask the employee to complete a new W-4 form if necessary, and enter the new information into QuickBooks Online.

3. Reprint the Form: After updating the information, you can print the new W-4 form by following the steps mentioned above.

Conclusion

Using QuickBooks Online to print and manage employee W-4 forms is a simple procedure that keeps you in compliance with federal tax laws. You can quickly track employee withholding information, print their W-4 forms, and maintain correct records by utilizing QuickBooks Online's payroll tools. QuickBooks Online streamlines payroll processes, saving you time and guaranteeing correct tax returns, regardless of whether you're running a small business or overseeing a larger staff.

You may effectively print and handle your employees' W-4 forms while maintaining compliance with tax regulations by following the instructions provided in this article. This will allow you to concentrate on expanding your company while letting QuickBooks Online handle the intricate payroll duties.