How to Fill Out and Submit the Paychex New Hire Form

Paychex new hire forms are the paperwork your employer uses to put you on payroll: a Form I-9 to verify you can legally work in the U.S., a federal Form W-4 for income tax withholding, a direct deposit authorization for your bank information, and often a state withholding form and benefits enrollment screens. If your employer uses Paychex Flex, you’ll get an email invitation with a link to complete everything online. If they use paper, the packet contains the same forms in printed form. Either way, you sign Section 1 of the I-9 no later than your first day of work for pay, and you present your original identity and work-authorization documents in person.

What to Gather Before You Start

Most delays come from missing information. Pull these together before you open the portal or the packet:

Identity and work-authorization documents from the I-9 acceptable documents lists. One document from List A (a U.S. passport or passport card is the most common) proves both identity and work authorization. Otherwise, one document from List B for identity plus one from List C for work authorization.¹
Your Social Security number, spelled exactly as it appears on your card. A mismatch between payroll and IRS records can delay refunds and trigger notices.²
Your current home address, which determines state and local tax jurisdictions.
Your bank’s nine-digit routing number and your account number, both available on a personal check or in your bank’s mobile app.³
At least one emergency contact name and phone number. No federal law requires this, but employers ask for it as a workplace safety measure.⁴

If you’re onboarding through Paychex Flex, the portal lets you upload scanned or photographed copies of your documents and sign forms electronically. On paper, make sure any photocopied IDs are legible before handing them in.

Completing Section 1 of the I-9

Form I-9 has two sections, filled out by two different people. You complete Section 1. Your employer completes Section 2 after examining your original documents in person.

In Section 1, you enter your full legal name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number, then check the box for your citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen, noncitizen national, lawful permanent resident, or noncitizen authorized to work. Sign and date the section no later than your first day of work for pay.

For Section 2, you present original documents to your employer or their authorized representative, who records the document titles, issuing authorities, document numbers, and expiration dates. Photocopies or digital images do not satisfy the in-person inspection requirement. The employer must complete Section 2 within three business days of your start date.

You choose which documents to present from three lists:

List A proves both identity and work authorization: U.S. passport or passport card, Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), or Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766), among others.
List B proves identity only: a state-issued driver’s license or ID card with a photo, U.S. military card, or voter registration card.
List C proves work authorization only: an unrestricted Social Security card, U.S. birth certificate bearing an official seal, or U.S. Citizen ID Card (Form I-197).¹

Present either one List A document or one List B document plus one List C document. Your employer cannot tell you which valid documents to use or refuse a valid document because they prefer a different one.

Filling Out the Federal W-4

The W-4 tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck.⁵ The 2026 form has four steps. Only Step 1 (your personal information) and Step 5 (your signature) are required; Steps 2 through 4 fine-tune the calculation.

Step 1: Enter your name, address, Social Security number, and filing status: single, married filing jointly, or head of household.⁶
Step 2 (Multiple Jobs or Spouse Works): Complete this if you hold more than one job at a time or you’re married filing jointly and your spouse also works. You can use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator at irs.gov/W4App, fill out the Multiple Jobs Worksheet on page 3, or simply check a box if there are only two jobs total.
Step 3 (Claim Dependents): If your total household income will be $200,000 or less ($400,000 or less if married filing jointly), multiply each qualifying child under 17 by $2,200 and each other dependent by $500. Enter the combined total.
Step 4 (Other Adjustments): Report non-job income like interest or dividends on line 4a, claim deductions beyond the standard deduction on line 4b, or request extra withholding per pay period on line 4c. The 2026 standard deduction is $32,200 for married filing jointly, $24,150 for head of household, and $16,100 for single filers.⁶

If you skip Steps 2 through 4, your withholding is calculated on filing status and the standard deduction. That’s a reasonable default for someone with one job and no dependents. If you have side income, a working spouse, or significant deductions, filling in those optional steps helps you avoid owing a large balance at tax time or overpaying all year.

State Withholding

Your packet may include a separate state income tax withholding form. Some states accept the federal W-4; others require their own version with state-specific options. Eight states have no state income tax and therefore no state withholding form: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. If your state does require its own form, the Paychex system or your employer will include it in your tasks.

Setting Up Direct Deposit

The direct deposit section asks for your bank’s nine-digit routing number, your account number, and whether the account is checking or savings. If you’re not sure of your routing number, it’s the first set of nine digits printed along the bottom-left edge of a personal check, or you can find it in your bank’s online portal or mobile app.³

Many employers let you split your paycheck across multiple accounts. In a split deposit, you designate one account as the primary (which receives the balance after other allocations are deducted) and assign fixed dollar amounts or percentages to each additional account. Verify every digit before you submit. A single transposed number can send your pay to the wrong account or bounce the payment back, and fixing it can cost you a pay cycle.

You can decline direct deposit during onboarding if you prefer a paper check. Your employer may also offer a pay card as an alternative.

Benefits Enrollment and Voluntary Deductions

Some employers roll benefits enrollment into the same Paychex onboarding workflow. If your company offers health insurance, a 401(k), life insurance, or similar benefits, you may see enrollment screens or forms alongside the tax and payroll paperwork. Common items include:

Health insurance: selecting a plan tier (employee only, employee plus spouse, family) and providing dependent information.
Retirement contributions: electing a percentage or dollar amount for each pay period.
Other voluntary deductions: dental, vision, life insurance, HSA or FSA contributions, commuter benefits, or charitable giving.

Each voluntary deduction requires your written authorization specifying the amount or percentage. If benefits aren’t part of initial onboarding, you’ll typically have a separate enrollment window within 30 to 60 days of hire. Miss that window and you generally have to wait for the next open enrollment period.

Submitting Your Completed Forms

In Paychex Flex, you submit each section digitally as you complete it, and the portal sends a confirmation once your information has been received. Save or screenshot the confirmation. That digital trail is your record. On paper, sign every page that needs a signature and hand the packet directly to your hiring manager or HR contact. Don’t leave it in a communal inbox where sensitive information could be exposed.

After submission, a payroll administrator reviews everything to confirm the required fields are filled in and your documents are consistent with what you entered. The review typically takes a few business days. Once it clears, your profile goes active for the next scheduled pay cycle. If something is incomplete or doesn’t match, the administrator will contact you. Respond quickly to avoid delaying your first paycheck.

Updating Your Information After Onboarding

If something changes after your initial submission, the fix depends on what’s changing.

Name change: update your name with the Social Security Administration at ssa.gov or by calling 800-772-1213 first. When your new card arrives, notify your employer so payroll records match. If a W-2 goes out under your old name before the correction lands, ask your employer for a corrected Form W-2c.²
Address change: update it in the Paychex Flex self-service portal or notify HR directly. A new address can shift your state or local tax withholding.
Tax withholding adjustment: submit a new W-4 to your employer any time. The IRS recommends reviewing your withholding when your personal or financial situation changes, such as a marriage, a new child, a side job, or a significant change in income.⁵
Bank account change: update direct deposit through Paychex Flex or submit a new direct deposit form to payroll. Make the change well before payday. If the update is still processing when payroll runs, your deposit could go to the old account or default to a paper check.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9 Acceptable Documents
2
Internal Revenue Service. Name Changes and Social Security Number Matching Issues
3
U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank Routing Number
4
Paychex. Key Forms for New Employee Orientation
5
Internal Revenue Service. About Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate
6
Internal Revenue Service. Form W-4 (2026) – Employee’s Withholding Certificate