Tax withholding in the United States

Alright kiddo, when you get money for doing jobs or work, you have to pay taxes on that money. The government takes some of that money before you even get it, so you don't have to worry about owing a lot of money later on. And that's what tax withholding is all about.

When you start a job, your boss will usually ask you to fill out a form called a W-4. This form asks you how much money you want to have taken out of your paycheck each time you get paid. You can choose to have more or less taken out, depending on how much you think you'll owe in taxes.

The government will then take that money and hold onto it until the end of the year, when you have to file your taxes. If you've had too much money taken out, the government will give you a refund. But if you haven't had enough taken out, you'll have to pay more.

So, when you hear people talking about tax withholding, they're just talking about the money that gets taken out of your paycheck for taxes. It's like putting some of your money into a piggy bank that you can't get until tax time comes around.