How to update your paycheck for 2026

Once you file your 2025 tax return, experts say you have plenty of time for 2026 changes that could improve your situation for next season.

The only option This could be updating your paycheck withholding for a larger or smaller refund, which can be misleading, according to tax experts.

Talking about President Donald Trump signature tax deductions This week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said workers should update their withholdings for 2026.

“I want to encourage everyone watching today to change their withholdings if they haven’t already,” he said. White House press conference Wednesday.

“If you change your withholding, you will automatically get a real wage increase on a weekly or monthly basis and you will be able to keep more of your money this calendar year,” Bessent said.

However, some tax experts were quick to criticize this advice on social media. The withholding process is not simple and errors can lead to a tax liability for 2026.

Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” enacted in July, included new deductions through 2025 for tip income, overtime earnings, senior citizens and auto loan interest, among other provisions.

But the IRS did not update withholding tax tables For employers contributing to higher tax refunds for many applicants this season. As of April 3, the average refund amount for individual filers was $3,462, up from $3,116 about a year ago, according to the agency.

However, blanket recommendations to change paycheck withholding could lead to “adverse consequences” during next year’s tax filing season, according to certified financial planner John Nowak, founder of Alo Financial Planning in Mount Prospect, Illinois.

Nowak, who is also a certified public accountant, said the paycheck deductions are “simple estimates” of the year’s total taxes.

For 2026, you can reduce withholding if your refund is larger than expected or increase it if you have a balance. It should also be updated based on “changes in income, marital status and children,” he said.

Instead of making “random changes”, consider using the free one IRS tax withholding estimatorproviding forecasts and updated information Form W-4 For your employer, Nowak said.

Treasury did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Another “quick calculation” to check your 2026 paycheck withholding is to review “total tax” on line 24 of the second page of your pay stub. 2025 tax returnAccording to Tommy Lucas, CFP at Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo in Orlando, Florida. His firm is ranked No. 69 on CNBC’s 2025 Financial Advisor 100 list.

If your 2026 earnings and tax situation are the same as in 2025, your total federal liability should be similar, he said. This means you can divide your 2025 tax total by the number of 2026 pay periods and compare that number to your federal tax withholding for each paycheck.

For many taxpayers, “not much has changed” in 2026 compared to 2025, Lucas said. One exception is Trump’s charitable deduction of up to $1,000 for single filers or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly without itemizing tax deductions.

If you’re not on track with your total taxes paid in 2026, you can adjust your paycheck withholding for the rest of the year, or make payment Submit your deficiency directly to the IRS.