October 6, 2020

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has published a final rule to update its income tax withholding regulations to reflect the changes in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, formalize the redesign of the 2020 Form W-4, and revise the agency’s wage withholding tables and computational procedures. These final regulations affect employers that pay wages subject to Federal income tax withholding and employees who receive wages subject to Federal income tax withholding.

The final rule states that employees who have a Form W-4 on file with their employer from years prior to 2020 generally will continue to have their withholding determined based on that form. This rulemaking will therefore not require employees to furnish a new Form W-4 solely because of the redesign, but employees will be required to complete a new Form W-4 in the case of certain changed circumstances, such as marriage and other life events affecting withholdings. In addition, for tax years starting in 2020, employers will treat new employees who fail to furnish a properly completed Form W-4 as single and withhold using the standard deduction and no other adjustments.

You can read the full final rule here.

© 2024 Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance (SWACCA). All rights reserved.