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The Daily Insight

What are the payroll taxes incurred by an employer?

Author

Ava Robinson

Published May 16, 2026

Employer Payroll Taxes Social Security taxes of 6.2% in 2020 and 2021 up to the annual maximum employee earnings of $137,700 for 2020 and $142,800 for 2021. Medicare taxes of 1.45% of wages2 Federal unemployment taxes (FUTA) State unemployment taxes (SUTA)

Are employees responsible for payroll taxes?

These taxes include the federal, state, and local income taxes the employees must pay, FICA taxes withheld from employees and also paid by you as the employer. You as the employer must withhold the income taxes as the employee has designated in a W-4 form; FICA taxes are deducted as a percentage of gross pay.

Are wages a liability or expense?

A wage expense is the cost incurred by companies to pay hourly employees. Under cash accounting, wage expenses are reported only when the worker is paid. Wage expenses that are not yet paid are recorded as wages payable on the balance sheet, which is a liability account.

Where in the financial statements does the employer report taxes withheld from employees pay?

These will be reported on the income statement in the accounting period when the wages and salaries were earned by the employee. If the company is a manufacturer of products, the company-paid payroll taxes should be reported along with the respective wages and salaries.

Do employers and employees pay payroll liabilities?

Payroll taxes are taxes paid on wages or salaries that employees earn. Payroll taxes are paid by both employers and employees. Employees can usually be distinguished from other types of workers, like independent contractors, based on the work, payment terms, and relationship they have with their employer.

What is employer liabilities payroll?

Payroll liabilities are any type of payment related to payroll that a business owes but has not yet paid. A payroll liability can include wages an employee earned but has not yet received, taxes withheld from employees, and other payroll-related costs. These liabilities accompany every payroll you run.

What is the difference between income and payroll tax?

What’s the Difference Between Payroll and Income Taxes? The key difference is that payroll taxes are paid by employer and employee; income taxes are only paid by employers. However, both payroll and income taxes are required to be withheld by employers when they make payroll.

What makes up the employer’s payroll tax liability?

The payroll tax liability is comprised of the social security tax, Medicare tax, and various income tax withholdings. The liability contains taxes that are paid by employees, and taxes that are paid by the employer. The employer withholds those taxes that are paid by employees,…

How are payroll liabilities recorded in payroll journal?

This amount will be recorded as various liabilities. Here is the payroll journal entry to record the payment of the paycheck: Notice the Wage Expense is debited for the gross pay. We have credited a liability account for each of the tax amounts. Sometimes you will see all the taxes lumped together into one account called Payroll Taxes Payable.

How are payroll tax liabilities calculated when outsourced?

When payroll is outsourced, the payroll provider calculates all of these taxes and remits them on behalf of the employer, thereby effectively eliminating the workload of the employer in regard to calculating payroll tax liabilities.

What are payroll liabilities for an independent contractor?

Employee compensation: The gross wages owed to employees and independent contractors are payroll liabilities. Withheld amounts: Amounts withheld from worker pay for income taxes must be forwarded to the IRS and state departments of revenue. Amounts withheld and not yet sent are payroll liabilities.