ISU employees must complete both a Federal (U.S. government) and an Iowa Form W-4 in Workday at the start of their employment and when their circumstances change.  Form W-4 provides the information ISU needs to withhold the correct amount of U.S. and Iowa tax from employees' pay.  Tax withholding rules are different for employees who are residents of the U.S. for tax purposes and those who are nonresidents of the U.S. for tax purposes.   The special rules for nonresident tax withholding are built into the Workday system for Federal government taxes.   But students who are nonresidents for U.S. tax purposes must follow the instructions below to properly complete an Iowa Form W-4 in Workday.

Here are the steps to take:

  • Determine if you are a nonresident for U.S. tax purposes in 2025.  Generally:
    • Students are nonresidents for 2025 tax purposes if they arrived in the U.S. for the first time in F or J student status in 2021 or later. 
    • J-1 scholars are nonresidents if they arrived in the U.S. for the first time in 2024 or later.
  • Log into Workday and from your "Pay" menu select "Tax Elections" from the menu across the top of the page.  Scroll down to the "State" section.
  • Select "Iowa" for your "State" and choose the "IA W-4 - Withholding" option for the "Withholding Form Type."
    • If you are a resident for tax purposes stop reading here and follow the instructions in Workday to complete your Iowa Form W-4.   
    • If you are a nonresident for tax purposes: 
      • Select "Other" as your "Marital Status" whether you are married or single.
      • If you are a nonresident who will earn less than $9,000 in the U.S. from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025:
        • Enter "40" in the "Personal Allowances" field.
        • Read the Legal Notice and tick the "I Agree" box at the bottom of the screen.
        • Do not make any other entries on the form.
        • Click the orange "OK" button at the bottom of the page to submit your completed Iowa Form W-4.  
      • If you are a nonresident who will earn $9,000 or more in calendar year 2025:
        • Enter "40" in the "Personal Allowances" field on your Iowa Form W-4.
        • Enter an "Additional Amount" of $24 at the bottom of your Iowa Form W-4.
        • Read the Legal Notice and tick the "I Agree" box at the bottom of the screen.
        •  Do not make any other entries on the form.
        • Click the orange "OK" button at the bottom of the page to submit your completed Iowa W-4 form.  

Tip:   ISU employees can (and should) update their Forms W-4 in Workday at the beginning of each calendar year or when their employment circumstances change.  For example, if you earned less than $9,000 in 2024, but expect to earn more than $9,000 in 2025, you should update your Iowa Form W-4 in January 2025 accordingly.   The "Additional Amount" required on the Iowa  W-4 form for those who earn more than $9,000 annually changes every year in January.   Please keep your Forms W-4 updated in Workday so that the correct amount of tax can be withheld from your wages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: The resources on this page were prepared by the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) as general guidelines to assist you in managing your Iowa income tax withholding. The information here is not to be construed as professional tax advice and does not apply to every situation. If your tax circumstances are more complicated you will want to obtain professional tax advice from resources in the community.