I have been living in the US for six months.?
Im not a tax lawyer, but It doesnt matter. You can claim them now. The W4 is just for determining how much money to withhold from your pay. In April when you file your tax return, you determine how much you actually owe, and either get a refund if you overpaid, or write a check if you underpaid. You can change your W4 withholding at any time. My wife the accountant often tunes our withholding so as to owe as close to zero as possible at tax time. If youre from another country, you need to understand that you must pay the IRS all the tax you owe. Most cheating by individuals is caught immediately, and you get an unpleasant little audit letter inviting you to pay what you owe. Your employer reports your income to the IRS electronically. Your bank reports interest electronically. Your stockbroker reports income electronically. There are not many ways to cheat and get away with it. This may be different from where you come from.