If you want to change the amount of federal income tax withheld from your pay, use Form W-4 in PeopleSoft to update your payroll. The IRS recommends completing a new Form W-4 when your personal or financial situation changes, but this can be done any time. Go to the IRS website for information about Tax Withholding, including a Tax Withholding Estimator.

To adjust the amount of federal income tax withheld from your King County paycheck, update your W-4 in PeopleSoft:

• Sign in to PeopleSoft
• Select the Payroll tile
• Select W-4 Tax Information
• Enter your choices and make note of your selections
• Review and Submit

For additional instructions, check out the W-4 Withholding Certificate video or the Updating Your W -4 training document, both available in the PeopleSoft Knowledge Center.

Use Form W-4 to claim federal income tax exemption

If you claimed exemption from federal income tax withholding for 2025, remember to review your status. If you plan to continue claiming exemption for the 2026 tax year, you must submit a new Form W‑4 by Feb. 17, 2026. IRS rules require a new form each year to maintain exempt status.

If your W-4 is not updated in Peoplesoft by Feb. 17, 2026, Payroll is required to adjust your withholding automatically.

If you no longer qualify for exemption—or you’d like to make changes to your withholding—complete a revised W‑4 as soon as possible. Submitting updates early helps ensure accurate payroll processing and prevents unexpected tax issues later.

If you have payroll-related questions, please reach out to your department’s Payroll team or contact Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556, Option 2, or main.payroll@kingcounty.gov.