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In order for a business owner to know how to treat payments made to workers for services, he or she must first know the business relationship that exists between the business and the person performing the services. A worker’s status determines what taxes are paid and who is responsible for reporting and paying those taxes.A worker performing services for a business is generally an employee or an independent contractor. If a worker is classified incorrectly, the IRS may assess penalties on the employer for nonpayment of certain taxes.
Penalties and Interest
When the IRS determines that a worker is actually an employee rather than an independent contractor, the employer is subject to penalties for failure to withhold and remit income, FICA (Social Security and Medicare)and FUTA (federal unemployment tax) taxes, interest on the underpaid amounts, and penalties for failure to file information returns. The state will also seek to collect workers’ compensation and unemployment compensation premiums for unreported wages.
Independent Contractor
An independent contractor is self-employed and is generally responsible for paying his or her own taxes through estimated tax payments. A business issues Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income, to any one independent contractor, subcontractor, freelancer, etc.,to whom the business made $600 or more in payments over the course of the tax year. The business is not generally responsible for withholding income tax or FICA.
Employee
A worker treated as an employee will be issued Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, for wages paid. The business hiring the worker is responsible for withholding income tax and FICA. The employer is also liable for FUTA and various state employment taxes. Also, the employee may be eligible for certain fringe benefits offered by the employer, such as health care.
Please contact the Sarasota CPAs at Sterling Tax & Accounting for more information!