I hear ya. I'm not trying to say that I feel entitled to a big refund like that. I understand how it works now and I appreciate everyone that answered. I think I was mostly confused/figured something was wrong because when my oldest was younger, maybe 3-4 years ago, there were a couple years that I still worked at my previous job ($12 an hour.. I know, but it was a small business, wonderful people who were so good to me in so many other ways, right across the street from my son's school and down the street from my house.. and I was really just working to supplement my ex's income, he made more) where I actually claimed my son, filed single, still had federal taxes withheld, only worked 40 hours a week, sometimes less. Making $12 an hour. So I was confused, now that I'm making slightly more money. (I get that I have more kids now, and my filing status has changed, still don't make a ton, and that's why federal is not being withheld.)

But back to what I was saying, I don't feel entitled to a giant refund or anything just for having kids. I would've loved to get a higher paying job and had federal withheld. This offer just happened to come first and I really needed to get back to work lol. I fully expected to see a higher amount taken out for federal than what I'm used to, since I'm making slightly more now. I understand that is not going to be the case.

Thank you though everyone, this was actually really informative. Learned something new today. 🙂

I tried the IRS W4 withholding calculator because I thought I must have done something wrong on my W4. Followed the instructions exactly, inputting each thing as accurately as possible, and it ended up telling me I'll get a $7,000ish refund with $0 federal tax withheld because I've "already withheld an amount significantly more than my anticipated tax obligation." Nothing was withheld for federal though. Ugh, I just want to make sure I understand this correctly lol. Appreciate everyone's patience with me! I do feel like I understand a bit more now than I did before.

So if I'm paid an hourly rate of $14, and I always work 40 hours per week, paid biweekly, and I'm claiming 2 kids ($4,000 on Step 3 on my W-4).. I'm never actually going to have a paycheck that exceeds $55,000/(number of pay periods). My paycheck is never going to exceed that number. So I literally will just never have federal taxes withheld? And I won't be penalized come tax time?

I think I understand the reasoning, it's just so weird to me lol.

So basically it's because I haven't made much, and I claim dependents, and file head of household? Once I make over a certain amount, they will start withholding federal taxes?

I'm just confused because each job I've had prior to this withheld federal starting with my first paycheck. I made even less at those jobs than I do now. However, I wasn't filing head of household, or claiming dependents- eventually started claiming my oldest, still had federal taxes withheld, but during that time I was consistently working/employed, and filing single. So I think this makes sense to me, just want to make sure I'm understanding correctly .