W-4V

Voluntary Withholding Request

Agency
IRS
Revision
Rev. January 2026
Fillable fields
14
Pages
2
Official source
IRS form page
Checked
October 21, 2026
Fill W-4V online
Page 1 of form W-4V

Form W-4V: Voluntary Withholding Request

Form W-4V is the Voluntary Withholding Request. A person who receives certain government payments uses it to ask the payer to withhold federal income tax from those payments. The form lists unemployment compensation (including Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) payments), social security benefits, social security equivalent Tier 1 railroad retirement benefits, Commodity Credit Corporation loans, certain crop disaster payments, and dividends and other distributions from Alaska Native Corporations to its shareholders.

The form says the request is voluntary and that the form goes to the payer: "Do not send it to the IRS." A new Form W-4V also changes the rate on payments other than unemployment compensation, or stops withholding. The form notes that payers may develop their own form, and if a payer gives its own form instead, the form says to use that one.

The PDF can be filled out free in the browser on this page and downloaded without an account.

What's on Form W-4V

Lines 1 and 2: name and SSN

First name and middle initial, last name, and social security number.

Lines 3 and 4: address and claim number

Home address, city or town, state and ZIP code, and the claim or identification number (if any) used with the payer.

Line 5: unemployment compensation

One box to request federal income tax withholding from unemployment compensation at a rate of 10% of each payment.

Line 6: other government payments

Items (a) through (e) list the other payments, with boxes for 7%, 10%, 12% or 22%. The form says to check one.

Line 7: stop withholding

One box that asks the payer to stop withholding federal income tax from the payments.

Signature and date

The signature line says the form is not valid unless it is signed.

How to fill out Form W-4V

  1. 1

    Lines 1 through 3

    Enter the name, social security number and home address. For an address outside the United States or the U.S. territories, the form says to enter the city, province or state, and the country name, follow the country's practice for the postal code, and not abbreviate the country name.

  2. 2

    Line 4

    Enter the claim or identification number used with the payer. For social security benefits, the form says the claim number is the social security number under which a claim is filed or benefits are paid, with a suffix such as 123-45-6789A, and it may or may not be the filer's own number.

  3. 3

    Line 5, 6 or 7

    Check one box. Line 5 requests 10% from unemployment compensation, line 6 requests one of the listed rates from the other payments, and line 7 stops withholding.

  4. 4

    Sign and date

    Sign and date the form. The form says Form W-4V is not considered valid unless it is signed.

  5. 5

    Give it to the payer

    Give the completed form to the payer, not to the IRS. The form says to ask the payer exactly when income tax withholding will begin.

The form says to complete lines 1 through 4, check one box on line 5, 6 or 7, sign the form and give it to the payer.

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Where it goes, timing and changes

Where to send it

To the payer of the payments. The form says not to send it to the IRS. For social security benefits, the form notes it can be submitted to the SSA.

When withholding starts

The form says to ask the payer exactly when withholding will begin. The rate chosen stays in effect until it is changed or stopped, or the payments stop.

Changing the rate

For a payment other than unemployment compensation, the form says to complete a new Form W-4V with the new rate and give it to the payer.

Stopping withholding

Complete a new Form W-4V, fill in lines 1 through 4, check the box on line 7, sign and date it, and give it to the payer.

Unsigned forms

The Privacy Act notice says that without a completed, signed form the payer can't withhold federal income tax from the payment.

Related forms

Who uses Form W-4V?

  • Unemployment compensation recipients

    Unemployment compensation, including RUIA payments, is on line 5. The form says the payer is permitted to withhold 10% from each payment and no other percentage or amount is allowed.

  • Social security and Tier 1 railroad retirement recipients

    These benefits are on line 6, at 7%, 10%, 12% or 22%. The form notes that social security recipients can also request changes at https://www.ssa.gov/manage-benefits/request-withhold-taxes or by calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.

  • Farm program payment recipients

    Commodity Credit Corporation loans and certain crop disaster payments under the Agricultural Act of 1949 or under Title II of the Disaster Assistance Act of 1988 are listed on line 6.

  • Alaska Native Corporation shareholders

    Dividends and other distributions from Alaska Native Corporations to its shareholders are the last item on line 6.

  • The payer receives it

    The completed form is given to the payer of the payments, not to the IRS. The payer then withholds at the rate checked.

The person who receives one of the listed government payments completes the form and gives it to the payer. The form says to consult the payer when unsure whether a payment is eligible for voluntary withholding.

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Questions about Form W-4V

Do I send Form W-4V to the IRS?

No. The form says to give it to the payer of the payments and not to send it to the IRS.

What rates can be chosen on Form W-4V?

The form says unemployment compensation is withheld at 10% only. For the other listed payments the choices are 7%, 10%, 12% or 22%, and no other percentage or amount.

Is withholding on these payments required?

The form says federal income tax withholding from these payments is not required and the request is voluntary.

What claim number goes on line 4 for social security?

The form says it is the social security number under which a claim is filed or benefits are paid, followed by a letter or letter/number suffix. It may or may not be the filer's own number. The SSA number printed on the form is 1-800-772-1213.

How is withholding stopped?

The form says to complete a new Form W-4V, fill in lines 1 through 4, check line 7, sign and date it, and give it to the payer.

What if the payer has its own form?

The form says payers may develop their own form, and if a payer gives its own form instead of Form W-4V, use that form.