Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
December 28, 2017
Attention Payroll Department:
Please take note of these important changes for 2018:
Department of Labor Overtime Rule:
The proposed changes to the Federal Overtime Rule has still not gone into effect. On November
22, 2016, a Federal Court issued an injunction to temporarily block the DOL from implementing
its new Overtime Rule, which would have increased the salary base for exempt employees as of
January 1, 2017. As of now the injunction stands and the DOL is in the process of revising the
Overtime Rule to reflect lower salary thresholds then first proposed. We are anticipating final
regulations in 2018 and will send out updates when there are new developments.
Employment Development Department Electronic Filing:
As of January 1, 2018, State law requires all employers to electronically submit all employment
tax returns, wage reports, and payroll tax deposits to the EDD.
California Minimum Wage Requirements Effective January 1, 2018:
The following minimum wage law will go in effect for the following businesses
Businesses with 26 or more employees $11.00 hourly
Businesses with 25 or less employees $10.50 hourly (until 2019)
As of January 1, 2018 the following payroll tax rates and depositing requirements will apply:
PAYROLL TAX RATES FOR 2018
Federal Taxes
FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act): Consists of Social Security Tax & Medicare Tax
2018 Medicare( $200K) Medicare($200K) Social Security
Employee 1.45% 2.35% 6.2%
Employer 1.45% 1.45% 6.2%
Self‐Employed 2.9% 3.8% 12.4%
Employees pay:
(a) 6.2% Social Security tax on the first $128,400 of an employee’s wages. The maximum tax is
$7,960.80.
(b) 1.45% Medicare tax on the first $200,000 of wages, plus
(c) An additional .09% on all wages in excess of $200,000 (1.45% + 0.9% additional tax = 2.35%)
Page 1 of 5
2018 Payroll Tax Rates
Employers pay a 7.65% FICA tax consisting of:
(a) 6.2% Social Security tax on the first $128,400 of an employee’s wages. The maximum tax is
$7,960.80.
(b) 1.45% Medicare tax on the employee’s total wages. There is no wage limit for Medicare tax.
Self‐employed tax imposed on self‐employed people has three tiers:
(a) 12.4% Social Security tax on the first $128,400 on self‐employed income, for a maximum tax
of $15,921.60.
(b) 2.9% Medicare tax on the first $200,000 of self‐employment income, plus
(c) 3.8% on all self‐employment income in excess of $200,000 (2.9% + 0.9%)
Additional 0.9% Medicare (hospital insurance, or HI) tax: applies only to employees, not
employers. Employers must begin withholding the additional Medicare tax once an
employee’s wages exceed $200,000, even if the employee may not ultimately be liable for
the additional tax. Any excess additional or overpayment of Medicare tax withheld will be
credited against the total tax liability shown on the employee's income tax return.
FWH (Federal Withholding):
Please refer to the charts in the 2018 Federal Employer’s Tax Guide Circular E (Pub 15). Amounts
are to be withheld from employee’s wages.
FUTA (Federal Unemployment Tax Act):
Federal FUTA tax is 0.6% of the first $7,000 in wages per employee per year for 2018. This is an
employer paid tax.
FUTA Year End Increase for 2017: California employers will continue to face a credit reduction
in 2017‐‐an additional 2.1% tax on the total FUTA wages, resulting in a total rate of 2.7% or $189
per employee earning at least $7,000. One lump sum payment for the additional tax is due by
January 31, 2018 with the year‐end filing of Form 940. If you have any problems in calculating
the year end 2017 FUTA liability feel free to call our office for assistance.
State Taxes
SDI (State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave):
SDI for 2018 is 1.0% of gross wages capped at $114,967. Total SDI tax withheld is not to exceed
$1149.67. Amounts are to be withheld from employee’s wages.
SWH (State Withholding):
Please refer to the charts in the 2018 California Employer’s Guide (DE‐44). Amounts are to be
withheld from employee’s wages. Employers may be required to withhold a different amount of
California Personal Income Tax (PIT) on supplemental wages and bonuses. Please contact our
office if you have any questions about the withholding requirements
Page 2 of 5
2018 Payroll Tax Rates
SUI and ETT (State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Training Tax):
State SUI rates are assigned individually to each employer based on historical data. The EDD will
mail notifications of your SUI and ETT rates (Form DE‐2088) in December 2017. If you have not
received your notification, you may call our office or look it up on the EDD website—go to
https://eddservices.edd.ca.gov/tap/open/rateinquiry/ . SUI withholding applies to gross wages
limited to $7,000 per employee. The employer pays both of these taxes.
FILING AND DUE DATES FOR W‐2 AND 1099‐MISC FORMS:
The IRS deadlines for submission of government copies of both 1099‐MISC (with reporting
amounts in Box 7) and W‐2 forms is still January 31. The same deadline also applies to issuing
copies to both employees and contractors. If you file 1099 Forms without amounts in Box 7, the
deadline remains February 28.
Employers that have 250 or more W‐2s must file electronically or you may be penalized by the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). To file electronically go to
https://www.ssa.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm
FEDERAL AND STATE TAX DEPOSIT REQUIREMENTS
Under the IRS deposit rules, an employer’s deposit status is determined by the tax liability from
the annual “look back” base period of July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. Employers must
deposit federal income tax withheld and both the employer and employee Social Security and
Medicare taxes quarterly, monthly, or semi‐weekly with the following exception: If an employer
accumulates tax liability of $100,000 or more, deposit the next business day. If this happens the
employer becomes a semi‐weekly depositor for the remainder of the calendar year and the
following calendar year.
QUARTERLY – If the tax liability is less than $2,500 for the entire quarter, the amount is
paid with the quarterly return.
MONTHLY – If the accumulated tax liability is less than $50,000 for the annual “look back”
base period, employers are required to deposit employment taxes on payroll checks
issued during the month by the 15th day of the following month. This method will also be
used for any new employers since their “look back” period is considered to be zero.
SEMI‐WEEKLY – If the accumulated tax liability is greater than $50,000 for the annual
“look back” base period, employers are required to deposit employment taxes on payroll
checks issued on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday by Wednesday of the following week.
Employment taxes on payroll checks issued on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday
must be deposited by Friday of the same week. Please note: the term semi‐weekly used
by the Internal Revenue Service does not mean every two weeks. Please refer to the
specific deposit days above.
FUTA – Calculate FUTA quarterly for deposit purposes. If the FUTA tax liability for a
quarter is $500 or less, the amount may be carried forward and added to the liability in
Page 3 of 5
2018 Payroll Tax Rates
the next quarter. If the FUTA tax liability for any quarter is over $500 (including the
amounts carried over from earlier quarters) the tax must be deposited using the EFTPS
system. Do not combine this payment with the Federal Withholding and Social Security
Taxes. The payment is due by the last day of the first month that follows the end of the
quarter.
SUI, ETT, SDI, AND STATE WITHHOLDING ‐ In general, SDI and state withholding deposits
should be made on the same day as the federal deposit. However, SUI and ETT deposits
are due quarterly. Additionally, for normal quarterly depositors, if more than $350 of
State withholding (PIT) has been accumulated by the end of a quarter, then a deposit
must be made by the 15th of the month that follows the end of the quarter. Recently
California has made it mandatory for some all employers with 10 or more employees to
make deposits by EFT. Employers not depositing by EFT should use tax deposit coupons
(Form DE88) and submit them directly to the Employment Development Department.
Once again, if you are using the Form DE88 coupon, we do strongly urge you to sign up
and begin depositing by EFT.
AFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA) REPORTING
Implemented in 2015, large employers with 50 or more full‐time equivalent employees will be
required to file annual information returns, Form 1094‐C with the IRS and provide statements
to their full‐time employees about their employer offered health insurance coverage (Form
1095‐C). The statements must be furnished to employees by January 31, 2018 and the
information return filed with the IRS by February 28, 2018 if filed on paper and March 31, 2018
if filed electronically.
The calculation of number of full‐time equivalent employees can be complicated. Businesses
with related ownership are required to report as “aggregates”, and add all employees together
to get to the total count. Please contact our office if you have questions about whether you
qualify, or if you need assistance in filing the Forms 1094 and 1095.
Employers who have filed more than 250 W‐2’s in the previous year are now required to report
employer provided group healthcare coverage costs on the employee’s W‐2’s. The cost of the
health care benefits should be reported in box 12 of the Form W‐2, with the Code DD to
identify the amount. In general the amount reported should include the portion paid by the
employer and portion paid by the employee.
HIRING EMPLOYEES
Employers are required to keep certain documentation on file for each new employee hired. This
documentation includes the Employee’s Employment Eligibility Verification Form I‐9 and Form
W‐4. All employers are required to report new hires on form DE34, California New Employee
Registry, within 20 days of their start‐of‐work date. If you have any questions you may contact
our office or the New Employee Registry Hotline at (916) 657‐0529.
Page 4 of 5
2018 Payroll Tax Rates
For current employees, the Form W‐4 currently on file remains in effect until the employee
submits a new one. Any employees who claimed “exempt” from withholdings must file a new
Form W‐4 each year by February 15.
Employers are required to furnish each employee, semimonthly or at the time of each payment
of wages, an itemized statement showing gross wages earned (i.e. a paystub), total hours worked
by the employee, all deductions, net wages earned, inclusive dates of the period for which the
employee is paid, the employee's name and Social Security number, the name and address of the
legal entity that is the employer, all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period and
the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate, and accrued sick leave. Visit
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html to view the full text of the Labor Code.
The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement has useful information on their website,
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse, and is a good resource for general labor code information.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss any of the requirements in this letter, please
do not hesitate to call our office.
Sincerely,
Godecke Clark
CPA Professionals…Accountable to You
44‐875 Deep Canyon Road
Palm Desert, CA 92260
Phone: (760) 346‐3861
Fax: (760) 568‐9123
Website: www.godeckeclark.com
Page 5 of 5