Employers Can Defer Payroll Taxes

Article Highlights:

  • Applicable Payroll Taxes 
  • Deferral Period 
  • Payback Times 
  • Self-Employed Individuals 
  • SBA Loan Forgiveness 
One of the benefits included in the COVID-19 epidemic stimulus package is the ability for an employer to defer payment of the employer’s share of certain federal payroll taxes. The deferral applies to the employer’s 6.2% share of the Social Security (OASDI) payroll tax.

The deferral does not apply to the employer’s 1.45% share of the hospital tax. The deferral is optional, applies to employers of any size and applies to wages paid between March 27, 2020 and December 31, 2020.

The deferred payments will be due 50% before December 31, 2021 and the balance before the end of 2022.



For self-employed individuals, the deferral applies to 50% of the self-employment tax liability (including any related estimated tax liability).

Employers who receive Small Business Administration loans that are forgiven under the CARES Act (so that the Federal government effectively gave the employers loan funds that they did not have to repay in order to fund as much as eight weeks of their payroll costs) are not eligible for this payroll tax deferral. However, after that eight-week period is complete, deferral may resume.

If you have questions related to deferring a portion of your payroll taxes, please give this office a call.

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“Bernard and his team at BR tax group are top notch. This is my first year using them after switching from a different local CPA and I didn't realize how much tax info I've been missing. His communication is great. The additional information he provides to maximize tax savings is something I didn't get from my previous CPA. Thanks Bernard”

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Frequently Asked Questions

You can prepare your taxes yourself, especially if your business is simple.

But once you have contractors, employees, business loans, equipment purchases, mileage, mixed expenses, or growing revenue, things get more complex. At that point, tax preparation becomes a way to make sure your business is reported correctly, your deductions are handled properly, and your records can support what you file.

Send anything that shows what your business earned, spent, bought, paid, borrowed, or changed during the year.

That usually means your income records, bank statements, credit card statements, payroll reports, contractor payments, loan documents, mileage records, and prior-year tax return. Also tell me about anything unusual, such as buying a vehicle, hiring someone, opening a new location, or taking out a business loan.

Messy books can slow things down. If expenses are in the wrong categories, transactions are missing, or personal and business spending are mixed together, your tax return may not show the right profit. We may need to clean things up before filing, so your return is accurate and easier to support.

Possibly, if it was truly for your business and you have proof.

Still, it is much better to avoid this when you can. A separate business bank account and business credit card make everything cleaner. They save time, reduce confusion, and make your records much easier to defend if anyone ever asks questions.

Most small business owners can deduct ordinary business expenses like software, advertising, supplies, insurance, rent, payroll, contractor payments, professional fees, travel, and some vehicle costs.

The question I usually ask is simple. Was this expense clearly for the business? If yes, we can look at how it should be handled. Personal expenses should stay personal.

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