Payroll taxes are the federal, state, and local taxes that come out of your paycheck and that employers pay on your behalf. If you work as an employee, you'll see these deductions on your pay stub—Social Security tax, Medicare tax, federal income tax withholding, and possibly state or local taxes. Understanding what these deductions are and why they happen helps you make sense of your take-home pay and your tax obligations.
The articles here answer common questions about how payroll taxes work: what each type of tax does, how withholding amounts are calculated, what to do if too much or too little is being withheld, and how self-employed workers handle payroll taxes differently. You'll also find information about tax forms like the W-4 and what happens during tax season.
- How Social Security Payroll Tax Works and Where Your Money GoesLearn about How Social Security Payroll Tax Works and Where Your Money Goes
- When You Can Deduct Payroll Taxes From Your TaxesLearn about When You Can Deduct Payroll Taxes From Your Taxes
- How Payroll Taxes Work on Tips Your Employees ReceiveLearn about How Payroll Taxes Work on Tips Your Employees Receive
- What QuickBooks Enterprise Gold Does and Doesn't Handle for Quarterly Payroll TaxesLearn about What QuickBooks Enterprise Gold Does and Doesn't Handle for Quarterly Payroll Taxes
- What Enterprise Gold QuickBooks Does and Doesn't Handle for Quarterly Payroll TaxesLearn about What Enterprise Gold QuickBooks Does and Doesn't Handle for Quarterly Payroll Taxes
- What QuickBooks Payroll Online Actually Does and Doesn't Do With Your Employer TaxesLearn about What QuickBooks Payroll Online Actually Does and Doesn't Do With Your Employer Taxes
- How Payroll Taxes Are Calculated From Your PaycheckLearn about How Payroll Taxes Are Calculated From Your Paycheck
- How to Calculate Payroll Taxes on Your PaycheckLearn about How to Calculate Payroll Taxes on Your Paycheck
- How to Calculate Your Payroll Taxes Step by StepLearn about How to Calculate Your Payroll Taxes Step by Step
- How to Calculate Employer Payroll Taxes Step by StepLearn about How to Calculate Employer Payroll Taxes Step by Step
- How to Calculate Your Payroll Tax Deductions Step by StepLearn about How to Calculate Your Payroll Tax Deductions Step by Step
- How to Pay Your Federal Payroll Taxes as an Employer or Self-Employed PersonLearn about How to Pay Your Federal Payroll Taxes as an Employer or Self-Employed Person
- How to Pay Your Payroll Taxes: Step-by-StepLearn about How to Pay Your Payroll Taxes: Step-by-Step
- How to Pay Payroll Taxes OnlineLearn about How to Pay Payroll Taxes Online
- How Payroll Taxes Are Calculated and Withheld From Your PaycheckLearn about How Payroll Taxes Are Calculated and Withheld From Your Paycheck
- How Employers Calculate Payroll Taxes Step by StepLearn about How Employers Calculate Payroll Taxes Step by Step
- How Payroll Tax Deductions Are Calculated From Your PaycheckLearn about How Payroll Tax Deductions Are Calculated From Your Paycheck
- How to Calculate Payroll Taxes Step by StepLearn about How to Calculate Payroll Taxes Step by Step
- How Payroll Taxes Are Calculated From Your PaycheckLearn about How Payroll Taxes Are Calculated From Your Paycheck
- How Payroll Taxes Get Paid: The Mechanics Behind Withholding and DepositsLearn about How Payroll Taxes Get Paid: The Mechanics Behind Withholding and Deposits
- How Payroll Tax Gets Calculated and Taken From Your PaycheckLearn about How Payroll Tax Gets Calculated and Taken From Your Paycheck
- How Payroll Tax Is Calculated From Your PaycheckLearn about How Payroll Tax Is Calculated From Your Paycheck
- California Payroll Tax Rates and What Gets Withheld From Your PaycheckLearn about California Payroll Tax Rates and What Gets Withheld From Your Paycheck
- What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll TaxesLearn about What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll Taxes
- What You Pay in Federal Payroll Taxes and Where the Money GoesLearn about What You Pay in Federal Payroll Taxes and Where the Money Goes
- How Much Payroll Tax You Pay From Each PaycheckLearn about How Much Payroll Tax You Pay From Each Paycheck
- What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll TaxesLearn about What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll Taxes
- What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll TaxesLearn about What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll Taxes
- What Employers Pay in Payroll Taxes and WhyLearn about What Employers Pay in Payroll Taxes and Why
- What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll TaxesLearn about What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll Taxes
- What You Pay in Payroll Tax and Where It GoesLearn about What You Pay in Payroll Tax and Where It Goes
- What Payroll Tax Rates Do Employers Actually PayLearn about What Payroll Tax Rates Do Employers Actually Pay
- What Employers Pay in Payroll Taxes: Rates and CalculationLearn about What Employers Pay in Payroll Taxes: Rates and Calculation
- California Payroll Tax Rates and What Gets Withheld From Your PaycheckLearn about California Payroll Tax Rates and What Gets Withheld From Your Paycheck
- What Payroll Taxes You'll Pay in TexasLearn about What Payroll Taxes You'll Pay in Texas
- What Payroll Taxes Cost You and Your EmployerLearn about What Payroll Taxes Cost You and Your Employer
- What Employers Pay in Payroll Tax and How Much It CostsLearn about What Employers Pay in Payroll Tax and How Much It Costs
- What Payroll Tax Rates Are and How They're CalculatedLearn about What Payroll Tax Rates Are and How They're Calculated
- California Payroll Tax Rates for Employers and EmployeesLearn about California Payroll Tax Rates for Employers and Employees
- How Much Payroll Tax Comes Out of Your PaycheckLearn about How Much Payroll Tax Comes Out of Your Paycheck
- What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll TaxesLearn about What Employers Actually Pay in Payroll Taxes
- What Payroll Taxes Employers Actually PayLearn about What Payroll Taxes Employers Actually Pay
- What Payroll Taxes Does an Employer Actually PayLearn about What Payroll Taxes Does an Employer Actually Pay
- How Your Payroll Tax Is CalculatedLearn about How Your Payroll Tax Is Calculated
- How to Calculate Employer Payroll Taxes Step by StepLearn about How to Calculate Employer Payroll Taxes Step by Step
- How to Calculate Payroll Tax on Your PaychequeLearn about How to Calculate Payroll Tax on Your Paycheque
- How to Calculate Your Payroll Tax DeductionsLearn about How to Calculate Your Payroll Tax Deductions
- How to Calculate Payroll Tax Withholding From Your PaycheckLearn about How to Calculate Payroll Tax Withholding From Your Paycheck
- How To Calculate Payroll Taxes Step by StepLearn about How To Calculate Payroll Taxes Step by Step
- How to Calculate Payroll Taxes in TexasLearn about How to Calculate Payroll Taxes in Texas
- How To Calculate Your Business's Payroll Tax ObligationsLearn about How To Calculate Your Business's Payroll Tax Obligations
- How To Calculate Payroll Taxes Step by StepLearn about How To Calculate Payroll Taxes Step by Step
- How to Calculate Your Employer Payroll Tax ObligationsLearn about How to Calculate Your Employer Payroll Tax Obligations
- How Employers Calculate and Pay Payroll TaxesLearn about How Employers Calculate and Pay Payroll Taxes
- How Payroll Taxes Are Calculated and Withheld From Your PaycheckLearn about How Payroll Taxes Are Calculated and Withheld From Your Paycheck
- How to Calculate Your Payroll Taxes Step by StepLearn about How to Calculate Your Payroll Taxes Step by Step
- How To Pay Your Payroll Taxes to the IRSLearn about How To Pay Your Payroll Taxes to the IRS
- The Steps for Paying Payroll Taxes to the IRSLearn about The Steps for Paying Payroll Taxes to the IRS
- How to Pay Payroll Taxes OnlineLearn about How to Pay Payroll Taxes Online
- When You Can Deduct Payroll Taxes From Your BusinessLearn about When You Can Deduct Payroll Taxes From Your Business
- Can You Deduct Payroll Taxes From Your IncomeLearn about Can You Deduct Payroll Taxes From Your Income
- What You Should Know About Payroll Tax Changes and ProposalsLearn about What You Should Know About Payroll Tax Changes and Proposals
- What a Payroll Tax Is and Where Your Money GoesLearn about What a Payroll Tax Is and Where Your Money Goes
- How Employer Payroll Taxes Work and What They CostLearn about How Employer Payroll Taxes Work and What They Cost
- What Payroll Taxes Are and Where Your Money GoesLearn about What Payroll Taxes Are and Where Your Money Goes
- What Payroll Taxes Actually Fund and Why Employers Pay ThemLearn about What Payroll Taxes Actually Fund and Why Employers Pay Them
- How Payroll Taxes Work in CaliforniaLearn about How Payroll Taxes Work in California
- What Payroll Taxes Are Actually Calculated OnLearn about What Payroll Taxes Are Actually Calculated On
- Where Your Payroll Taxes Go: Social Security, Medicare, and UnemploymentLearn about Where Your Payroll Taxes Go: Social Security, Medicare, and Unemployment
- What Payroll Taxes Are and Where Your Money GoesLearn about What Payroll Taxes Are and Where Your Money Goes
- How Your Business Size and Pay Schedule Determine When You Deposit Payroll TaxesLearn about How Your Business Size and Pay Schedule Determine When You Deposit Payroll Taxes
- Payroll Taxes vs. Income Taxes: What You Actually PayLearn about Payroll Taxes vs. Income Taxes: What You Actually Pay
- What Payroll Tax Is and Where Your Money GoesLearn about What Payroll Tax Is and Where Your Money Goes
- Payroll Tax vs. Income Tax: What Gets Taken From Your Paycheck and WhyLearn about Payroll Tax vs. Income Tax: What Gets Taken From Your Paycheck and Why
- What Payroll Tax Includes and Where Your Money GoesLearn about What Payroll Tax Includes and Where Your Money Goes
- What Makes Up Your Payroll Tax DeductionLearn about What Makes Up Your Payroll Tax Deduction
- What Medicare Payroll Tax Is and How It WorksLearn about What Medicare Payroll Tax Is and How It Works
- What Payroll Tax Is and Where Your Money GoesLearn about What Payroll Tax Is and Where Your Money Goes
- How Payroll Tax Works in CaliforniaLearn about How Payroll Tax Works in California
- What Payroll Taxes Are and Where Your Money GoesLearn about What Payroll Taxes Are and Where Your Money Goes
- How Payroll Withholding Tax Works and Where Your Money GoesLearn about How Payroll Withholding Tax Works and Where Your Money Goes
- How Social Security Payroll Tax Works and Where Your Money GoesLearn about How Social Security Payroll Tax Works and Where Your Money Goes
- Income Tax vs. Payroll Tax: What Gets Taken From Your PaycheckLearn about Income Tax vs. Payroll Tax: What Gets Taken From Your Paycheck
- Income Tax vs. Payroll Tax: What Your Paycheck CoversLearn about Income Tax vs. Payroll Tax: What Your Paycheck Covers
- How Federal Payroll Tax Rates Work and What Gets Withheld From Your PaycheckLearn about How Federal Payroll Tax Rates Work and What Gets Withheld From Your Paycheck
- How the Medicare Payroll Tax WorksLearn about How the Medicare Payroll Tax Works
- What Payroll Tax Is and Where Your Money GoesLearn about What Payroll Tax Is and Where Your Money Goes
- How Social Security Payroll Tax Works and Where Your Money GoesLearn about How Social Security Payroll Tax Works and Where Your Money Goes
- How Payroll Tax Rates Work and What Gets Deducted From Your PaycheckLearn about How Payroll Tax Rates Work and What Gets Deducted From Your Paycheck
- How Much of Your Paycheck Goes to Payroll TaxesLearn about How Much of Your Paycheck Goes to Payroll Taxes
- How the Social Security Payroll Tax Works and Where Your Money GoesLearn about How the Social Security Payroll Tax Works and Where Your Money Goes
- What Payroll Taxes Employers Pay on Your BehalfLearn about What Payroll Taxes Employers Pay on Your Behalf
- What Payroll Taxes Employers Must Withhold and PayLearn about What Payroll Taxes Employers Must Withhold and Pay
- How Much of Your Paycheck Goes to Payroll TaxLearn about How Much of Your Paycheck Goes to Payroll Tax
- How Much to Set Aside for Payroll TaxesLearn about How Much to Set Aside for Payroll Taxes
- When Payroll Taxes Are Due: Deposit and Filing DeadlinesLearn about When Payroll Taxes Are Due: Deposit and Filing Deadlines
- What Payroll Taxes Employers Pay on Your BehalfLearn about What Payroll Taxes Employers Pay on Your Behalf
- Which Payroll Taxes Only Employers PayLearn about Which Payroll Taxes Only Employers Pay
- Who Pays Payroll Taxes and How the Split WorksLearn about Who Pays Payroll Taxes and How the Split Works