Effective period of a withholding allowance certificate

(a) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and § 31.3402(f)(2)-1(g)(2), a withholding allowance certificate that takes effect under section 3402(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 continues in effect with respect to the employee until another withholding allowance certificate takes effect under section 3402(f). An employer's use of computational bridge entries as set forth in forms, instructions, publications, and other guidance prescribed by the Commissioner to calculate withholding for a withholding allowance certificate that was in effect on December 31, 2019 or earlier continues in effect an employee's withholding allowance certificate under this paragraph (a).

(b) Certifications under section 3402(n) eliminating requirement of withholding. The certifications described in § 31.3402(n)-1(a) made by an employee with respect to the employee's preceding taxable year and current taxable year are effective until either a new withholding allowance certificate furnished by the employee takes effect or the existing certificate that relies upon such certifications expires. If an employee's certificate expires and the employee fails to furnish a valid withholding allowance certificate, the employee will be treated as single but having the withholding allowance provided in forms, instructions, publications, and other guidance prescribed by the Commissioner. In no case shall a withholding allowance certificate that relies upon such certifications be effective with respect to any payment of wages made to an employee:

(1) In the case of an employee whose liability for tax under subtitle A of the Code is determined on a calendar year basis, after February 15 of the calendar year following the estimation year; or

(2) In the case of an employee to whom paragraph (b)(1) of this section does not apply, after the 15th day of the 2nd calendar month following the last day of the estimation year.

(c) Estimation year. 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 will be the taxable year including that specified future date.

(d) Applicability to notice of maximum withholding allowance. If a withholding allowance certificate is no longer in effect because of the application of § 31.3402(f)(2)-1(g)(2), the employer is no longer required to withhold pursuant to any notice under § 31.3402(f)(2)-1(g)(2), and the employee fails to furnish the employer a valid withholding allowance certificate, then the employee will be treated as single but having the withholding allowance provided in forms, instructions, publications, and other guidance prescribed by the Commissioner, in accordance with § 31.3402(f)(2)-1(a)(4).

(e) Applicability date. The provisions of this section apply on and after October 6, 2020. Taxpayers may choose to apply 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.