The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has posted the 2023 version of Publication 15-A, the Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide located at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15a.pdf .
The Details:
IRS Publication 15-A supplements IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), by providing more specialized and detailed employment tax information on certain topics covered in IRS Publication 15.
There are sections in IRS Publication 15-A on: (1) Who Are Employees; (2) Employee or Independent Contractor; (3) Employees of Exempt Organizations; (4) Religious Exemptions and Special Rules for Ministers; (5) Wages and Other Compensation; (6) Sick Pay Reporting; (7) Special Rules for Paying Taxes; and (8) Pensions and Annuities.
A few of the highlights under “What’s New” are as follows:
Form W-4P and Form W-4R. Form W-4P, Withholding Certificate for Periodic Pension or Annuity Payments (previously titled Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments) was redesigned for 2022. The new Form W-4P is now used only to make withholding elections for periodic pension or annuity payments. Previously, Form W-4P was also used to make withholding elections for nonperiodic payments and eligible rollover distributions. Withholding elections for nonperiodic payments and eligible rollover distributions are now made on Form W-4R, Withholding Certificate for Nonperiodic Payments and Eligible Rollover Distributions. Although the redesigned Form W-4P and new Form W-4R were available for use in 2022, the IRS postponed the requirement to begin using the new forms until January 1, 2023.
Social security and Medicare tax for 2023. The rate of social security tax on taxable wages, including qualified sick leave wages and qualified family leave wages paid in 2023 for leave taken after March 31, 2021, and before October 1, 2021, is 6.2% each for the employer and Dec 19, 2022, employee, or 12.4% for both. Qualified sick leave wages and qualified family leave wages paid in 2023 for leave taken after March 31, 2020, and before April 1, 2021, aren't subject to the employer share of social security tax; therefore, the tax rate on these wages is 6.2%. The social security wage base limit is $160,200. The Medicare tax rate is 1.45% each for the employee and employer, unchanged from 2022. There is no wage base limit for Medicare tax. Social security and Medicare taxes apply to the wages of household workers you pay $2,600 or more in cash wages in 2023. Social security and Medicare taxes apply to election workers who are paid $2,200 or more in cash or an equivalent form of compensation in 2023.
Federal tax deposits must be made by electronic funds transfer (EFT). Employers must use EFT to make all federal tax deposits. Generally, an EFT is made using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). EFTPS can help employers whether they prepare and submit payroll taxes themselves or if they hire a provider to do it on their behalf. If you don't want to use EFTPS, you can arrange for your tax professional, financial institution, payroll service, or other trusted third party to make electronic deposits on your behalf. ADP provides electronic tax deposit and reporting for its tax filing clients.
Next Steps
Employers should review Publication 15-A to learn the requirements in 2023 regarding employment taxation.
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