On November 27, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that the 2018 social security wage base will be $128,400, not $128,700 as it previously reported on October 13. This is still an increase of $1,200 from $127,200 in 2017. The lower amount is due to approximately 500,000 Forms W-2c (correcting 2016 Forms W-2) submitted to the SSA in late October by a payroll service provider.

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that California and the Virgin Islands will lose the full Federal Unemployment Tax Act credit for 2017 because they could not pay their federal loans by the November 10, 2017, deadline. Each will have a credit reduction of 2.1% for 2017.

On its December 7 industry payroll call, the IRS stated that several items, including the 2018 federal withholding tables, Form W-4, and Publications 15, 15-A, and 15-B, will be issued later than usual due to the potential enactment of H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Employers should continue to use the 2017 information until the 2018 versions are issued.

Jan. 1 – Dec. 31
$70 Individual – National Non Member
$60 – Individual – National Member with Member ID #*

GSA establishes the maximum CONUS (Continental United States) Per Diem rates for federal travel customers.  Rates are set by fiscal year, effective October 1 each year. Find current rates in the continental United States (“CONUS Rates”) by searching below with city and state (or ZIP code), or by clicking on the map.

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates 

By Alice P. Jacobsohn, Esq Albert Einstein once said, “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.” With that in mind, APA’s Government Relations Task Force Subcommittee on IRS Issues made two requests of the IRS in September to help members with compliance. First, “APA is asking that the IRS waive […]

The IRS has released certain inflation-adjusted amounts for 2018. The maximum excludable qualified transportation fringe increases to $260 per month, the maximum employee deferral to a health flexible spending arrangement increases to $2,650, and the maximum foreign earned income exclusion amount increases to $104,100.

The IRS has announced the cost-of-living adjustments applicable to dollar limits on the benefits and contributions under qualified retirement plans, as well as other items for tax year 2018. The dollar limit on employee elective deferrals to 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans increases to $18,500 (up from $18,000) and the limit on catch-up contributions for individuals age 50 or over remains unchanged at $6,000.

On October 13, the SSA announced that the 2018 social security wage base will be $128,700, an increase of $1,500 from $127,200 in 2017. All covered wages are still subject to the 1.45% Medicare tax. The maximum social security tax employees and employers will each pay in 2018 is $7,979.40, an increase of $93 from $7,886.40 in 2017.