If you are planning to shift to remote work it would be best for you to research the state’s income tax law. And even if you have been enjoying your home office for a while now, make sure you keep an eye on any changes. The rapid growth of the nation’s remote workforce spurs changes, which may affect your tax burden at some point. And https://remotemode.net/blog/how-remote-work-taxes-are-paid/ if this all sounds too overwhelming, consider getting professional help with your income taxes. If your employer operates out of another state, you typically won’t have to pay two sets of remote work taxes. Often, employee-based income taxes are based on the state where you generate income, not where the revenue itself is generated.

Furthermore, U.S. citizens who earn above a certain threshold—over $100,000 a year—may be required to pay taxes to the United States government even if they are earned money outside the country. Because the federal government levies these taxes, where you live doesn’t matter. Currently, https://remotemode.net/ W-2 employees can’t deduct home office expenses, but independent contractors or anyone who is self-employed can deduct the costs of having a dedicated workspace at home. Taxes can be confusing and working remotely has the potential to add one more complication to the mix.

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The W-2 determines the state tax withholding for remote employees (and everyone else). At the federal level, employers must withhold federal income tax, Social Security taxes, Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), and Medicare taxes for all W-2 employees, including remote workers. In a traditional, in-person work environment where your employees live and work in the same state as your organization, there’s less uncertainty to navigate. You simply withhold state and federal personal income taxes, if applicable in your area, and pay any required payroll taxes, like FUTA.

State Income Tax is the biggest challenge when it comes to taxes on remote workers. All employees, whether remote or on location, are required to pay state income tax in almost all states. There are a handful of states that do not require state income taxes withheld from employees. These states are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. The tax issues related to remote work have an effect on passthrough entities (e.g., partnerships and S corporations), not just C corporations.

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For example, U.S. employees who perform full-time remote work might have a dedicated space for this, which often qualifies for a home office deduction, reducing the amount you need to pay on taxes. However, hybrid workers are less likely to have this dedicated space, meaning they can’t claim deductions based on workspaces that aren’t permanently for work. Your employer should initiate a tax compliance review when it is made aware of a remote employee’s new location. In addition, I encourage you to follow up with a certified tax professional who is familiar with your new state and local taxation regulations. This article explains how taxes work for remote employees, including the different types of remote workers, which states have unique tax circumstances, and how remote work affects employee benefits.

  • However, depending on where you’re working and why you’re out of the office, this could cost you double — as in double taxation and double filings  – come April 18.
  • 384 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2012), the New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division affirmed that an out-of-state employer could be liable for the state’s corporation business tax (CBT) by virtue of one employee telecommuting from the state.
  • According to research from Ladders, 25% of workers in North America will be fully remote by the end of 2022.
  • For example, suppose your organization is based in New York, but you have an employee working from home in Utah.

The amount that employees pay for FICA taxes is the same for both remote and in-house employees. The current total amount for FICA tax is 15.3% and is equally shared between employer and employee. Sourcing of payroll for apportionment purposes usually either follows a hierarchy similar to that used for unemployment compensation purposes or is based on employee withholding rules, as discussed in greater detail below. Therefore, the shifting of employee work locations, whether on a permanent or hybrid basis, has the potential to affect the payroll factor.

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If you have a telecommuting employee in a different state than your office location or have employees in multiple states, you must withhold income taxes for the state they live and work in. You’ll pay unemployment taxes and report their income to the states where they live, not your state. However, if the remote employee works in a different state, they likely pay state income tax to their home state rather than their employer’s state.

  • Some states offer reciprocity, which allows taxpayers to only pay in the state where they’re living and working.
  • These include Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.
  • You can offer your employees a remote work stipend through WorkPerks by PeopleKeep.