The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Notice 2009-27, Premium assistance for COBRA benefits. Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA, certain involuntarily terminated employees are eligible for employer-provided subsidies to...
Franchise Tax Board Suggests Taxpayers Review Withholding
The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) recently recommended that taxpayers review their withholding due to changes in the state personal income tax laws. Recent changes increased the tax rates by 0.25% and reduced the dependent exemption credit. Tax tables have been...
IRS Provides Guidance on Group Health Plan Termination
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Notice 2009-27, Premium assistance for COBRA benefits. Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA, certain involuntarily terminated employees are eligible for employer-provided subsidies to...
IRS Provides Guidance on Voluntary Continuation Coverage
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Notice 2009-27, Premium assistance for COBRA benefits. Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA, certain involuntarily terminated employees are eligible for employer-provided subsidies to...
Question of the Week: Does a Sole Proprietor Have to Pay Payroll Taxes on Children’s Wages?
This week’s question comes from Brad, a sole proprietor. My 16-year-old daughter will be out of school soon and I’d like to hire her for the summer in my sole proprietorship. Does a sole proprietor have to pay payroll taxes on children’s wages? Answer: Sole...
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report Update for June 6, 2009
According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending June 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 601,000, a decrease of 24,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 625,000. The 4-week moving average was 621,750, a decrease of...
Tip of the Week: IRS Proposes New Methods for Substantiating Cell Phone Use in Notice 2009-46
In Notice 2009-46, Substantiating Business Use of Employer Provided Cell Phones, the Internal Revenue Service requested comments from the public on several proposals for simplifying employer documentation of an employee’s business use of an employer-provided cell...
IRS Provides Guidance on Employer Determination of Involuntary Termination
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Notice 2009-27, Premium assistance for COBRA benefits. Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA, certain involuntarily terminated employees are eligible for employer-provided subsidies to...
KY Taxpayers Receive Extension of Time to File Returns and Pay Taxes
Due to severe storms, tornadoes, flooding and mudslides in Kentucky on May 3, 2009, President Barack Obama declared the following counties a federal disaster area: Breathitt, Floyd, Owsley and Pike. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced recently that...
FL Taxpayers Receive Extension of Time to File Returns and Pay Taxes
Due to severe storms, flooding, tornadoes and straight-line winds in Florida on May 17, 2009, President Barack Obama declared the following county a federal disaster area: Volusia. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced recently that it will waive...
Unemployment Rate Rose to 9.4 Percent in May
Nonfarm payroll employment fell by 345,000 in May, about half the average monthly decline for the prior 6 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor reported recently. The unemployment rate continued to rise, increasing from 8.9% to 9.4%....
Question of the Week: How Do Students Claim Exemption from Income Tax Withholding?
This week’s question comes from Will, a restaurant owner. We’ve hired several students to work for us this summer. Most of them don’t expect to owe any income tax this year. How do students claim exemption from income tax withholding? Answer: Students or others who...
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report Update for May 30, 2009
According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending May 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 621,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 625,000. The 4-week moving average was 631,250, an increase of...
Tip of the Week: The Impending Impact of the Employee Free Choice Act
You may have heard news reports about the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), but aren’t sure how it might impact your company. All employers must be aware of what its passage would mean, how it would impact the rôle of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and how...
US Department of Labor Issues Opinion Letter on On-Call Time for Ambulance Personnel
The US Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued Administrator signed Opinion Letter FLSA2009-7. Although Opinion Letters only apply to the exact set of facts and circumstances presented in each case, they are a valuable aid in understanding current interpretations of...
IRS Updates Form 941 Instructions for COBRA Premium Assistance Reporting
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has updated its instructions for Form 941, Employer’s QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return. Using the new guidance, employers are now instructed to report on line 12a “65% of the COBRA premiums for assistance eligible individuals” (AEIs)....
US Department of Labor Issues Opinion Letter on Exempt Status of Pilots
The US Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued Administrator signed Opinion Letter FLSA2009-6. Although Opinion Letters only apply to the exact set of facts and circumstances presented in each case, they are a valuable aid in understanding current interpretations of...
IRS Issues Guidance on Work Opportunity Tax Credit in Notice 2009-28
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Notice 2009-28 offering guidance on the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) under §51 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC). Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA, unemployed veterans...
Question of the Week: How Does an Employee Increase the Amount of Federal Income Tax Withholding?
This week’s question comes from Burt, an office manager. An employee filled out a Form W-4 and now is not having any federal income tax (FIT) withheld from his check. He wants to have $20 withheld each week since he thinks he’ll owe about $1,000 in FIT. How does an...
Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report Update for May 23, 2009
According to the US Department of Labor, in the week ending May 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 623,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 636,000. The 4-week moving average was 626,750, a decrease of...
Tip of the Week: Filing Period for Fiscal Year 2010 H-2B Visas Nears
The H-2B visa allows employers with peak load, seasonal, or intermittent needs to hire foreign workers to fill those slots in certain situations. According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), these visas are normally used in construction, health...
US Department of Labor Issues Opinion Letter on Lifeguard Minimum Wage and Overtime
The US Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued Administrator signed Opinion Letter FLSA2009-5. Although Opinion Letters only apply to the exact set of facts and circumstances presented in each case, they are a valuable aid in understanding current interpretations of...
Proposed Regulations Allow Employers to Suspend 401(k) Contributions
On May 18, 2009, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published at 74 FR 23134, REG-115699-09, Suspension or Reduction of Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions. The proposed regulations take effect May 18, 2009 and may be relied upon by taxpayers until final regulations...
WV Taxpayers Receive Extension of Time to File Returns and Pay Taxes
Due to severe storms, flooding, mudslides, and landslides in West Virginia on May 3, 2009, President Barack Obama declared the following counties a federal disaster area: McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh and Wyoming. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced...
AL Taxpayers Receive Extension of Time to File Returns and Pay Taxes
Due to severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes in Alabama on March 25, 2009, President Barack Obama declared the following counties a federal disaster area: Covington, Geneva and Houston. Therefore, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced recently that it will...
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