How do I figure the correct
number of allowances?
Complete the worksheet on the back of this
page to figure the correct number of allow-
ances you are entitled to claim. Give your
completed Form IL-W-4 to your employer.
Keep the worksheet for your records.
If you have more than one job or your
spouse works, your withholding usually will
be more accurate if you claim all of your al-
lowances on the Form IL-W-4 for the highest-
paying job and claim zero on all of your other
IL-W-4 forms.
How do I avoid underpaying my
tax and owing a penalty?
You can avoid underpayment by reducing the
number of allowances or requesting that your
employer withhold an additional amount from
your pay. Even if your withholding covers
the tax you owe on your wages, if you have
non-wage income that is taxable, such as
interest on a bank account or dividends on
an investment, you may have additional tax
liability. If you owe more than $500 tax at the
end of the year, you may owe a late-payment
penalty or will be required to make estimated
tax payments. For additional information
on penalties see Publication 103, Uniform
Penalties and Interest. Visit our website at
tax.illinois.gov to obtain a copy.
Where do I get help?
• Visit our website at tax.illinois.gov
• Call our Taxpayer Assistance Division
at 1 800 732-8866 or 217 782-3336
• Call our TDD (telecommunications
device for the deaf) at 1 800 544-5304
• Write to
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
PO BOX 19044
SPRINGFIELD IL 62794-9044
Illinois Department of Revenue
Form IL-W-4
Employee’s and other Payee’s Illinois Withholding
Allowance Certificate and Instructions
IL-W-4 (R-12/14)
Note: These instructions are written for em-
ployees to address withholding from wages.
However, this form can also be completed and
submitted to a payor if an agreement was made
to voluntarily withhold Illinois Income tax from
other (non-wage) Illinois income.
Who must complete Form IL-W-4?
If you are an employee, you must complete
this form so your employer can withhold the
correct amount of Illinois Income Tax from
your pay. The amount withheld from your pay
depends, in part, on the number of allow-
ances you claim on this form.
Even if you claimed exemption from with-
holding on your federal Form W-4, U.S.
Employee’s Withholding Allowance Cer-
tificate, because you do not expect to
owe any federal income tax, you may be
required to have Illinois Income Tax with-
held from your pay (see Publication 130,
Who is Required to Withhold Illinois In-
come Tax). If you are claiming exempt
status from Illinois withholding, you must
check the exempt status box on Form
IL-W-4 and sign and date the certificate. Do
not complete Lines 1 through 3.
If you are a resident of Iowa, Kentucky,
Michigan, or Wisconsin, or a military spouse,
see Form W-5-NR, Employees Statement of
Nonresidence in Illinois, to determine if you
are exempt.
If you do not file a completed Form
IL-W-4 with your employer, if you fail to sign
the form or to include all necessary informa-
tion, or if you alter the form, your employer
must withhold Illinois Income Tax on the
entire amount of your compensation, without
allowing any exemptions.
When must I submit this form?
You should complete this form and give it
to your employer on or before the date you
start work. You must submit Form IL-W-4
when Illinois Income Tax is required to be
withheld from compensation that you receive
as an employee. You may file a new Form
IL-W-4 any time your withholding allowances
increase. If the number of your claimed al-
lowances decreases, you must file a new
Form IL-W-4 within 10 days. However, the
death of a spouse or a dependent does not
affect your withholding allowances until the
next tax year.
When does my Form IL-W-4
take effect?
If you do not already have a Form IL-W-4
on file with your employer, this form will be
effective for the first payment of compensa-
tion made to you after this form is filed. If
you already have a Form IL-W-4 on file with
this employer, your employer may allow any
change you file on this form to become effec-
tive immediately, but is not required by law
to change your withholding until the first pay-
ment of compensation is made to you after
the first day of the next calendar quarter (that
is, January 1, April 1, July 1, or October 1)
that falls at least 30 days after the date you
file the change with your employer.
Example: If you have a baby and file a
new Form IL-W-4 with your employer to
claim an additional allowance for the baby,
your employer may immediately change
the withholding for all future payments of
compensation. However, if you file the new
form on September 1, your employer does
not have to change your withholding until the
first payment of compensation is made to
you after October 1. If you file the new form
on September 2, your employer does not
have to change your withholding until the first
payment of compensation made to you after
December 31.
How long is Form IL-W-4 valid?
Your Form IL-W-4 remains valid until a new
form you have submitted takes effect or until
your employer is required by the Department
to disregard it. Your employer is required to
disregard your Form IL-W-4 if
• you claim total exemption from Illinois
Income Tax withholding, but you have
not filed a federal Form W-4 claiming
total exemption, or
• the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has
instructed your employer to disregard
your federal Form W-4.
What is an “exemption”?
An “exemption” is a dollar amount on which
you do not have to pay Illinois Income Tax
that you may claim on your Illinois Income
tax return.
What is an “allowance”?
The dollar amount that is exempt from
Illinois Income Tax is based on the number
of allowances you claim on this form. As an
employee, you receive one allowance unless
you are claimed as a dependent on another
person’s tax return (e.g., your parents claim
you as a dependent on their tax return). If
you are married, you may claim additional
allowances for your spouse and any depen-
dents that you are entitled to claim for federal
income tax purposes. You also will receive
additional allowances if you or your spouse
are age 65 or older, or if you or your spouse
are legally blind.
