Need W-4 advice, please help!

Hi there,

I am seeking advice, as I am helping my husband with his W-4 and we have no accountant. My husband will be 25 on 4/16, I am a female and will be 29 on 10/08. He is a Union Ironworker. He worked the same job from July 2023 to January 2025, he was laid off. He collected $1,200 in unemployment for two weeks (we live in NC) and did not have income taxes withheld. He has started a new job today, will be paid $23 an hour for 40 hours, will work an additional 16 hours at a rate of $34 for overtime. I am beginning a job with the Post Office on 2/24/25 as a Rural Carrier Assistant at a rate of $20.38 per hour. I am not sure how much I will work yet, as it is a new job. I figure a standard of 40 hours will probably be expected.

My question is, on his tax paperwork for the W4, should I mark us as “married filing jointly” or because of this situation, should I put “married filing separately” because we kind of don’t know our income for the year and what to expect. My husband could be laid off again, we won’t know until it happens. I expect to continue working for the year once I start.

We have never owed taxes before and in a perfect world, we would not like to owe next year. What would be the best option to not owe taxes, but also not withhold too much at the same time? (this probably sounds stupid, I’m sorry, not great at accounting/IRS stuff!)

Can anyone help? I know you guys will probably say “speak to an accountant” or something, but we are really broke and can’t afford a service like that right now. Please be kind, I just really need help and he doesn’t know how to figure this kind of stuff out himself. I want to make sure I help him in the best way possible.

Thank you so much, in advance! If I can answer any further questions about our situation, just let me know! I am struggling to figure this out right now.