Payroll Taxes – FICA FUTA

Introduction 1701
FICA Tax
Purpose of the Tax – Tax Rates 1702
Maximum Wages Subject to the FICA Tax 1703
Who is Covered 1704
Domestic Employees 1704A
Employees vs. Independent Contractors 1705
Wages Subject to Social Security 1706
Special Rules for Tips 1707
Employer’s Identification Number 1708
Remittance of the Payroll Taxes 1709
Employer’s Quarterly Return on Form 941 1710
FUTA Tax
Purpose of the Tax – Tax Rates 1711
Who is Subject to the Federal Unemployment Tax 1712
Wages Subject to Federal Unemployment Tax 1713
Return and Payment of the Tax 1714
Withholding Statements 1715
Transmittal Form W-3 1716
Records of Wage Payments 1717
Information Returns 1718
Special Reporting Requirements for Restaurants and Beverage Establishments 1719
How Long Returns and Records Have to be Kept 1720
Special Rules for Various Types of Services and Payments 1721
Early Attempts at Income Taxation 101
The Present Income Tax Law 102
Introduction – General Principles – Definitions 103
Classification of Taxpayers 104
Purpose of the Income Tax Return – Withholding and Estimated Tax 105
Accounting Period -The Taxable Year 106
Accounting Methods 107
The Cash Basis 108
The Accrual Basis 109
Change in Accounting Method 110
When to File the Income Tax Return 111
Penalties 112
Installment Payment of Tax 112A
Where and How To File Manual and Electronic Filing 113
Who Must File a Return 114
Joint Return of Husband & Wife 115
Separate Return of Husband & Wife 116
Who is considered as “Married”? 117
Special Provision for Married Persons Living Apart 118
Minors 119
The Tax Return Forms and Schedules 120
Payment of the Tax 121
Section II
Introduction 122
Gross Income 123
Deductions from Gross Income 124
Adjusted Gross Income 125
Deductions from Adjusted Gross Income 126
Taxable Income 127
Tax Credits 128
The Filing Requirements for Special Taxpayers 129

Federal Payroll Taxes FICA FUTA:

In addition to the income tax withholding provisions discussed in Assignment 16, employers are subject to two Federal payroll taxes:

  1. Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes and
  2. Federal Unemployment Insurance (FUTA) tax.

While income tax withholding does not really represent a tax on employers or employees – it merely requires the employer to withhold part of the employee’s salary for the payment of his income tax – FICA and FUTA taxes constitute a special group of employment taxes, paid either partially (in the case of FICA tax) or completely (in the case of FUTA tax) by the employer. Although both FICA and FUTA taxes are under the Social Security program, the FICA tax is the one frequently referred to as “Social Security” tax.

More in the Federal Tax Course

Introduction 1701
FICA Tax
Purpose of the Tax – Tax Rates 1702
Maximum Wages Subject to the FICA Tax 1703
Who is Covered 1704
Domestic Employees 1704A
Employees vs. Independent Contractors 1705
Wages Subject to Social Security 1706
Special Rules for Tips 1707
Employer’s Identification Number 1708
Remittance of the Payroll Taxes 1709
Employer’s Quarterly Return on Form 941 1710
FUTA Tax
Purpose of the Tax – Tax Rates 1711
Who is Subject to the Federal Unemployment Tax 1712
Wages Subject to Federal Unemployment Tax 1713
Return and Payment of the Tax 1714
Withholding Statements 1715
Transmittal Form W-3 1716
Records of Wage Payments 1717
Information Returns 1718
Special Reporting Requirements for Restaurants and Beverage Establishments 1719
How Long Returns and Records Have to be Kept 1720
Special Rules for Various Types of Services and Payments 1721
Early Attempts at Income Taxation 101
The Present Income Tax Law 102
Introduction – General Principles – Definitions 103
Classification of Taxpayers 104
Purpose of the Income Tax Return – Withholding and Estimated Tax 105
Accounting Period -The Taxable Year 106
Accounting Methods 107
The Cash Basis 108
The Accrual Basis 109
Change in Accounting Method 110
When to File the Income Tax Return 111
Penalties 112
Installment Payment of Tax 112A
Where and How To File Manual and Electronic Filing 113
Who Must File a Return 114
Joint Return of Husband & Wife 115
Separate Return of Husband & Wife 116
Who is considered as “Married”? 117
Special Provision for Married Persons Living Apart 118
Minors 119
The Tax Return Forms and Schedules 120
Payment of the Tax 121
Section II
Introduction 122
Gross Income 123
Deductions from Gross Income 124
Adjusted Gross Income 125
Deductions from Adjusted Gross Income 126
Taxable Income 127
Tax Credits 128
The Filing Requirements for Special Taxpayers 129

Federal Payroll Taxes FICA FUTA:

In addition to the income tax withholding provisions discussed in Assignment 16, employers are subject to two Federal payroll taxes:

  1. Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes and
  2. Federal Unemployment Insurance (FUTA) tax.

While income tax withholding does not really represent a tax on employers or employees – it merely requires the employer to withhold part of the employee’s salary for the payment of his income tax – FICA and FUTA taxes constitute a special group of employment taxes, paid either partially (in the case of FICA tax) or completely (in the case of FUTA tax) by the employer. Although both FICA and FUTA taxes are under the Social Security program, the FICA tax is the one frequently referred to as “Social Security” tax.

More in the Federal Tax Course