The IRS released Notice 1036 to assist employer’s with determining the payroll tax consequences of the fiscal cliff.
2013 Withholding Tables. Notice 1036 includes the 2013 Percentage Method Tables for Income Tax Withholding. Employers should implement the 2013 withholding tables as soon as possible, but not later than February 15, 2013. Employers can use the 2012 withholding tables until they implement the 2013 withholding tables.
Social Security Tax. For 2013, the employee tax rate for social security increases to 6.2%. The social security wage base limit increases to $113,700. Employers should implement the 6.2% employee social security tax rate as soon as possible, but not later than February 15, 2013. After implementing the new 6.2% rate, employers should make an adjustment in a subsequent pay period to correct any underwithholding of social security tax as soon as possible, but not later than March 31, 2013. The employer tax rate for social security remains unchanged at 6.2%.
Medicare Tax. The Medicare tax rate is 1.45% each for the employee and employer, unchanged from 2012. There is no wage base limit for Medicare tax.
Additional Medicare Tax Withholding. In addition to withholding Medicare tax at 1.45%, employers must withhold a 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax from wages paid to an employee in excess of $200,000 in a calendar year. Employers are required to begin withholding Additional Medicare Tax in the pay period in which it pays wages in excess of $200,000 to an employee and must continue to withhold it each pay period until the end of the calendar year. Additional Medicare Tax is only imposed on the employee. There is no employer share of Additional Medicare Tax. All wages that are subject to Medicare tax are subject to Additional Medicare Tax withholding if paid in excess of the $200,000 withholding threshold.
