irs extends 1095-C deadline

IRS Guidance Released on Payroll Tax Deferral

By: Sara Northcutt, CPA

On Friday, August 28, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued highly anticipated guidance surrounding the payroll tax deferral. President Trump’s Executive Order was signed on August 8, 2020, and delays the collection of the employee portion of Social Security and Medicare for those who earn less than $4,000 every two weeks, or about $104,000 annually.

Deferring the payroll tax for employees appears to be optional, but for those who choose to opt-in, employers may defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of the employee portion payroll taxes from September 1, 2020 until December 31, 2020. To compensate for the deferral, participating organizations would withhold double the amount of payroll taxes from January 2021 through April 2021.

If an employee leaves a company before the payroll taxes are recovered, the employer is still responsible for the repayment. This tax deferral cannot be forgiven and the IRS Notice, at this time, does not address tax deferrals for self-employed individuals.

While the deferral period begins tomorrow, September 1, 2020, there are still many questions to be answered. The business community is hoping that the IRS will release additional guidance to clarify how the deferral will be implemented and repaid.

More Information Coming Soon

The Aldrich team is closely observing the payroll tax deferral instructions and guidance. We’ll be updating our COVID-19 Resource Center with answers to your questions as they become available. For concerns specific to your organization, please reach out to your Aldrich Advisor.

Meet the Author
Partner

Sara Northcutt, CPA

Aldrich CPAs + Advisors LLP

Sara Northcutt joined the firm in 2005 and has more than a decade of experience working on a wide range of clients, including financial lending, private equity, real estate, and other closely held businesses. Sara specializes in multi-state tax compliance. Sara received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanguard University of Southern California and did her… Read more Sara Northcutt, CPA

Sara's Specialization
  • Closely-held businesses
  • Certified Public Accountant
  • Strategic tax planning and compliance
Connect with Sara
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