New Withholding Info

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released instructions for employers on how to implement the 2011 cut in payroll taxes, along with new income-tax withholding tables.

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 provides a two percentage point payroll tax cut for employees, reducing their Social Security tax withholding rate from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent of wages paid. This reduced Social Security withholding will have no effect on the employee’s future Social Security benefits.

The new law also maintains the income-tax rates that have been in effect in recent years.

Employers should start using the new withholding tables and reducing the amount of Social Security tax withheld as soon as possible in 2011, but not later than January 31. Notice 1036 contains the percentage method income tax withholding tables, the lower Social Security withholding rate, and related information that most employers need to implement these changes. Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide, contains the extensive wage bracket tables that some employers use.

For any Social Security tax over-withheld during January, employers should make an offsetting adjustment in workers’ pay as soon as possible, but not later than March 31, 2011.

Employers and payroll companies will handle the withholding changes, so workers typically won’t need to take any additional action, such as filling out a new W-4 withholding form.