(a) In general. In determining the withholding allowance or additional reductions in withholding under section 3402(m) on employee withholding allowance certificates furnished to the employer to be effective on or after January 1, 2020, employees may take into account the estimated tax deductions described in paragraph (b) of this section, the estimated tax credits described in paragraph (c) of this section, and estimated tax payments described in paragraph (d) of this section. Employees may only claim items in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section to the extent provided in paragraph (e) of this section.

(b) Estimated tax deductions. Employees may take into account the following income tax deductions in chapter 1 of the Code:

(1) Estimated itemized deductions (as defined in section 63(d)) allowable under chapter 1;

(2) Estimated deductions described in section 62(a), except for—

(i) Any deduction described in section 62(a)(1);

(ii) Any deduction described in section 62(a)(2) if the reimbursement or payment for the amount allowable as such deduction is excludable from wages subject to income tax withholding;

(iii) Any deduction described in section 62(a)(3);

(iv) Any deduction described in section 62(a)(4); and

(v) Any deduction described in section 62(a)(5);

(3) Estimated deductions for net operating loss carryovers under section 172;

(4) The estimated aggregate net losses from schedules C (Profit or Loss from Business), D (Capital Gains and Losses), E (Supplemental Income and Loss), and F (Profit or Loss from Farming) of Form 1040 and from the last line of Part II of Form 4797 (Sale of Business Property);

(5) Estimated additional standard deduction for the aged and blind provided under section 63(c)(3) and section 63(f);

(6) Estimated deduction allowed under section 199A; and

(7) Estimated deduction or deductions allowed under section 151.

(c) Estimated tax credits. Employees may take into account the estimated income tax credits allowable under chapter 1, except for—

(1) The credit under section 31(a) for taxes withheld under chapter 24 of the Code (which includes taxes withheld on wages and amounts treated as wages for chapter 24 purposes, such as pension withholding under section 3405 and backup withholding under section 3406) unless, on the day the employee estimates this amount, the amount has been actually withheld from the employee's wages (or another payment treated as wages for this purpose), the employee enters this amount of tax withheld pursuant to the instructions in the Tax Withholding Estimator (or successor) or Publication 505 (or successor), and the employee is not an employee whose employer must withhold for that employee pursuant to a notice under § 31.3402(f)(2)-1(g)(2);

(2) The credit for tax withheld at source for nonresident aliens and foreign corporations under section 33; and

(3) Any credit to the extent that the employee has filed or expects to file any IRS form claiming such credit other than the employee's United States Individual Income Tax Return (Form 1040).

(d) Estimated tax payments. Employees may take into account estimated tax payments only if—

(1) The employee's employer is not obligated to withhold on the employee's wages pursuant to a notice under § 31.3402(f)(2)-1(g)(2);

(2) The amount claimed has been paid with the payment voucher from Form 1040-ES (or was otherwise designated by the taxpayer as a payment of estimated tax) or is planned to be made with respect to nonwage items but only if the planned amount does not decrease withholding below the pro-rata share of chapter 1 tax attributable to wages as determined under forms, instructions, publications, and other guidance prescribed by the Commissioner;

(3) The employee uses the Tax Withholding Estimator (or successor) or Publication 505 (or successor) and enters the amount claimed pursuant to the instructions in the Tax Withholding Estimator (or successor) or Publication 505 (or successor); and

(4) In using the Tax Withholding Estimator (or successor) or Publication 505 (or successor), the employee includes all items of nonwage income the Tax Withholding Estimator (or successor) or Publication 505 (or successor) prompts or instructs the employee to enter or include.

(e) Definitions and special rules—(1) Estimated. The term “estimated” as used in this section to modify the terms “deduction,” “deductions,” “credits,” “losses,” and “amount of decrease” means with respect to an employee the aggregate dollar amount of a particular item that the employee reasonably expects will be allowable to the employee on the employee's income tax return for the estimation year under the section of the Code specified for each item. In no event shall that amount exceed the sum of:

(i) The amount shown for that particular item on the income tax return that the employee has filed for the taxable year preceding the estimation year (or, if such return has not yet been filed, then the income tax return that the employee filed for the taxable year preceding such year), which amount the employee also reasonably expects to show on the income tax return for the estimation year; plus

(ii) The determinable additional amounts (as defined in paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section) for each item for the estimation year.

(iii) The determinable additional amounts are amounts that are not included in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section and that are demonstrably attributable to identifiable events during the estimation year or the preceding year. Amounts are demonstrably attributable to identifiable events if they relate to payments already made during the estimation year, to binding obligations to make payments (including the payment of taxes) during the year, and to other transactions or occurrences, the implementation of which has begun and is verifiable at the time the employee furnishes a withholding allowance certificate. The estimation year is the taxable year including the day on which the employee furnishes the withholding allowance certificate to the employer, except that if the employee furnishes the withholding allowance certificate to the employer and specifies on the certificate that the certificate is not to take effect until a specified future date, the estimation year shall be the taxable year including that specified future date. It is not reasonable for an employee to include in his or her withholding computation for the estimation year any amount that is shown for a particular item on the income tax return that the employee has filed for the taxable year preceding the estimation year (or, if such return has not yet been filed, then the income tax return that the employee filed for the taxable year preceding such year) and that has been disallowed by the Service as part of an adjustment described in § 601.103(b) of this chapter (relating to examination and determination of tax liability) and § 601.105(b) through (d) of this chapter (relating to examination of returns), without regard to any pending request for reconsideration, protest, request for consideration by an Appeals office, or civil action in which such proposed adjustment is at issue.

(2) Restriction for employees with nonwage income. The employee must offset any deduction described in paragraph (b) of this section with items includible in the employee's gross income for which no Federal income tax is withheld in accordance with forms, instructions, publications, and other guidance prescribed by the Commissioner. In addition, an employee whose employer must withhold for that employee pursuant to a notice under § 31.3402(f)(2)-1(g)(2) must offset any tax benefit resulting from any deduction or credit described in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section with the anticipated income tax attributable to items other than wages includible in the employee's gross income in the manner determined by the Commissioner.

(3) Multiple withholding allowance certificates—(i) In general. The employee may not take into account deductions, credits, or estimated tax payments described in paragraph (b), (c), or (d) of this section if these deductions, credits, or estimated tax payments are claimed on another valid withholding allowance certificate in effect with respect to another employer of the employee or any employer of the employee's spouse.

(ii) Married taxpayers filing jointly. Married taxpayers who reasonably expect to file as married filing jointly on their Federal income tax return for the estimation year determine the withholding allowance to which they are entitled under section 3402(m) on the basis of their combined wages, allowable credits or deductions, and estimated tax payments permitted to be taken into account. The deductions, credits, or estimated tax payments described in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section to which either spouse is entitled may be claimed by either spouse or may be allocated between both spouses. However, one spouse may not claim deductions, credits, or estimated tax payments described in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section claimed on the other spouse's withholding allowance certificate.

(iii) Married taxpayers filing separately. A married taxpayer who reasonably expects to file a separate income tax return from the employee's spouse for the estimation year determines the withholding allowance deductions, credits, or estimated tax payments described in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section on the basis of the employee's individual wages, deductions, credits, and estimated tax payments.

(4) IRS instructions. An employee must follow the instructions to the Form W-4, and other IRS forms, instructions, publications, and related guidance in determining the employee's withholding allowance or other reductions in withholding permitted under section 3402(m) for deductions, credits, or estimated tax payments described in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section.

(f) Applicability date. The provisions of this section apply on or after October 6, 2020. Taxpayers may choose to apply paragraphs (a)(2) and (3) this section on or after January 1, 2020 and before October 6, 2020. For rules that apply before October 6, 2020, see 26 CFR part 31, revised as of April 1, 2020.

[T.D. 9924, 85 FR 63034, Oct. 6, 2020]