• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
FinanceTaxes

As Trump’s payroll tax holiday kicks in, here’s what employers and employees need to know

Anne Sraders
By
Anne Sraders
Anne Sraders
Down Arrow Button Icon
Anne Sraders
By
Anne Sraders
Anne Sraders
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 31, 2020, 10:00 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Employers are down to the wire to decide if they want to opt in to President Trump’s so-called payroll tax holiday, and tax experts note there’s a plethora of possible consequences to deferring the payroll taxes.

Back in early August, Trump issued a memorandum that would allow employers to defer the employee portion of the Social Security tax (that 6.2% per paycheck) for employees making less than $4,000 bi-weekly (or roughly $104,000 per year) from September 1 through December 31 this year. But guidance released by the IRS and Treasury on Friday, just days before the holiday would start taking effect, has many experts skeptical of the scheme.

While not explicitly stated in the guidance, experts believe it’s clear employers will be able to opt out of participating—and that most would indeed skew on the conservative side and do just that.

The upshot is that employees could temporarily see bigger checks for the next four months, and the most an employee could theoretically receive back in their paycheck would be roughly $2,232 spread over those four months—which they would have to pay back next year, likely via higher taxes for the first four months. And in that sense, those like Andre Shevchuck, a tax partner at accounting firm BPM, note it may put employers in between a “rock and a hard place”: “Saying, ‘Well, here’s this opportunity to save a little bit of cash and we’re not going to follow it because it’s complex,’ is not a really good answer,” he tells Fortune. But he argues if the employer is able to explain that the holiday really functions as a “very short term no-interest loan,” most employees would understand it’s likely not worth it, he argues.

Tax experts point out three things for employers to consider now.

It’s likely you’ll get stuck with the bill

While experts are awaiting more guidance on exactly who is on the hook for paying back the taxes, some experts suggest the big risk with participating in the payroll tax holiday is that the employer would get stuck with the bill come next year. While “It’s the employee’s tax, … it’s the employer’s responsibility to collect and remit that tax,” notes Shevchuck.

Ultimately, those like Christopher Moran, an attorney in the labor and employment practice group at Troutman Pepper, say employers need to consider if the benefits outweigh the risks: “Every little bit [for your employees] helps, I know, but is that significant enough to opt in to this administrative scheme?” However, federal employees may not even have the option to opt out, The Washington Post reported Monday, which would mean they could see even higher taxes for the first four months next year.

The language of the guidance itself is a bit ambiguous, experts note, but since it’s the employer’s responsibility to withhold and remit the employee’s portion of the tax, “It would be the employer’s obligation to deposit anything deferred, so that becomes a potential struggle for them should any of their employees leave, the burden is on them to collect the funds in the coming year,” Laura Melville, a manager and CPA at account firm Wiss & Co, tells Fortune.

And failing to pay back those taxes on time is going to cost you. The IRS and Treasury guidance spells out that “interest, penalties, and additions to
tax will begin to accrue on May 1, 2021, with respect to any unpaid Applicable Taxes.” Or, in other words, “It would be the typical penalties and interest for not fully properly withholding your payroll taxes,” Shevchuck says.

It’s a ‘gamble’ that Congress will forgive the taxes

President Trump has stated his intent to have the taxes forgiven, but he would need Congress to do that (and would also likely need to win re-election). And for employers betting on Congress acting to dismiss the tax, it’s “speculative but not seemingly likely,” Shevchuck believes.

“You are sort of gambling that it’s converted from a deferral to a forgiveness,” notes Moran.

In the meantime, the payroll tax holiday is merely a deferral of the taxes, and based on the guidance from the IRS and Treasury, the taxes would have to be paid back ratably from January 1 through April 30, 2021. In that case, “it seems like in one hand, the employee gets the benefit upfront, and they effectively get double taxed on the next four months immediately following the year end,” Shevchuck points out.

If many companies do opt in to the holiday, which experts note is unlikely, it “does put pressure on Congress to dismiss the tax, and that would be the only real hope there” for employees, notes Shevchuck.

Employees leaving could be a big problem

For those like Melville, the “biggest complication” for employers would be who is ultimately footed with the bill if an employee leaves during the four month deferral or even at the beginning of next year.

“Collecting it itself is going to be its own complication, but when you add wrinkles in if your employee were to quit or leave sometime during the September through December time period, what does that mean?” says Shevchuck. “The questions that will get posed are going to be, ‘Who’s really on the hook for that tax?'” he suggests.

While the IRS guidance notes employers are able to “make arrangements” with employees about paying back taxes, those like Moran are not optimistic these agreements will turn out well for the person paying the check. That arrangement might look something like paying a lump sum, Shevchuck suggests, but Moran argues “in my experience, arrangements to collect money from employees who have departed are inherently problematic.”

The bottom line, experts say, is that employers need to weigh the pros and cons of opting in. For Moran, that might mean looking at the salaries of your workforce and who would actually benefit (in other words, who makes $104,000 per year and under), and whether or not your business is in an industry that historically has high employee turnover—If that’s the case, “you’re going to have problems,” he suggests.

For now, employers may want to have conversations with their employees to make sure they “communicate clearly with the employees that it’s not a tax break, it’s a loan, and making sure they understand it’s complex and something that’s not really vetted out,” Shevchuck says. “Those conversations have to be had right now.”

About the Author
Anne Sraders
By Anne Sraders
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

The 30-year fixed mortgage was supposed to be predictable. Two costs quietly broke that promise
Real EstateHousing
The 30-year fixed mortgage was supposed to be predictable. Two costs quietly broke that promise
By Sydney LakeJune 27, 2026
4 hours ago
Big Short legend Steve Eisman says everyone is buying the wrong AI stocks
InvestingFinance
Big Short legend Steve Eisman says everyone is buying the wrong AI stocks
By Shawn TullyJune 27, 2026
7 hours ago
Illustration of a bomb with the Bitcoin logo printed on it, against an orange background.
CryptoCryptocurrency
Bitcoin down 20% since May as Strategy fallout spooks investors
By Camila Grigera NaónJune 26, 2026
20 hours ago
One chart explains the economy’s terrible baby boomer hangover, Gen X’s invisibility, and millennial and Gen Z irrelevance
Economybaby boomers
One chart explains the economy’s terrible baby boomer hangover, Gen X’s invisibility, and millennial and Gen Z irrelevance
By Tristan BoveJune 26, 2026
22 hours ago
AI boom may be on its last legs amid stock volatility and dash for cash—but will go out in a blaze of glory with ‘blow-off phase’ before bubble pops
AItech stocks
AI boom may be on its last legs amid stock volatility and dash for cash—but will go out in a blaze of glory with ‘blow-off phase’ before bubble pops
By Jason MaJune 26, 2026
23 hours ago
m
PoliticsNew York City
Mamdani lives up to campaign promise, freezing rent for about 1 million New Yorkers
By Anthony Izaguirre and The Associated PressJune 26, 2026
23 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
2 days ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
3 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
4 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 26, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Economy
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
By Nick LichtenbergJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
Economy
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
By Eva RoytburgJune 25, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.