Employers, have you reminded your employees to check that they are having the right amount of tax withheld from their paychecks? It’s a good idea for everyone to check their payroll withholding every year, but it is particularly important this year due to the big changes Congress made to the federal tax rules for 2018.
The law’s changes do not affect every taxpayer the same way. Some workers may need to increase their withholding so they will not face a tax bill —and possible penalties — next April when their 2018 tax return is due. Many other workers, however, benefit from the law’s changes and can take home more pay because the withholding amounts are less.
Help your employees avoid being surprised next spring when they prepare their 2018 returns. Remind them now to check their year-to-date withholding so they can make adjustments, if appropriate, on their paychecks for the rest of this year. It’s easy and convenient using tools provided by the IRS.
Here is a sample message to employees:
The IRS encourages everyone to use the Withholding Calculator to perform a quick “paycheck checkup.” This is even more important this year because of recent changes to the tax law for 2018.
The Calculator helps you identify your tax withholding to make sure you have the right amount of tax withheld from your paycheck at work. Use the Calculator to see if you should give your employer a new Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, to adjust your income tax withholding going forward.
To get started, gather your most recent pay stubs and a copy of your last federal tax return (2017 Form 1040). You’ll use the information to estimate your 2018 income and taxes.
The Withholding Calculator does not ask you to provide sensitive personally-identifiable information like your name, Social Security number, address, or bank account numbers. The IRS does not save or record the information you enter on the Calculator.
Ready to start? Make sure Javascript is enabled and go to: Withholding Calculator
by Kathleen Berger
Originally posted on thinkhr.com
