Many small businesses have to squeeze down costs any way they can just to survive.  One way many businesses do this is by hiring workers as independent contractors rather than as regular employees.  Unlike rules for regular employees, a business does not have to pay social security (FICA) taxes and unemployment insurance payments for independent contractors.  Similarly, it does not have to withhold federal, state, or local income taxes or the employee’s share of FICA taxes.  The IRS has a 20-factor test determining whether a worker should be considered an employee or a contractor, but many businesses ignore those rules or interpret them loosely in their favor.  When workers are treated as independent contractors, they do not get a W-2 form at tax time (they geta 1099 instead), they do not have any income taxes withheld, and they find themselves subject to self-employment taxes, by which they bear the brunt of both the employees and the employer’s share of FICA taxes.  Requirements When a business abuses this issue, how is the independent contractor hurt? If a business takes an aggressive position—that is interprets the law in a very slanted way—is there an either issue involved? Who is hurts?

SWFT Comprehensive Vol 2020
43rd Edition
ISBN:9780357391723
Author:Maloney
Publisher:Maloney
Chapter5: Gross Income: Exclusions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 44P
icon
Related questions
Question

Many small businesses have to squeeze down costs any way they can just to survive.  One way many businesses do this is by hiring workers as independent contractors rather than as regular employees.  Unlike rules for regular employees, a business does not have to pay social security (FICA) taxes and unemployment insurance payments for independent contractors.  Similarly, it does not have to withhold federal, state, or local income taxes or the employee’s share of FICA taxes.  The IRS has a 20-factor test determining whether a worker should be considered an employee or a contractor, but many businesses ignore those rules or interpret them loosely in their favor.  When workers are treated as independent contractors, they do not get a W-2 form at tax time (they geta 1099 instead), they do not have any income taxes withheld, and they find themselves subject to self-employment taxes, by which they bear the brunt of both the employees and the employer’s share of FICA taxes. 

Requirements

  1. When a business abuses this issue, how is the independent contractor hurt?
  2. If a business takes an aggressive position—that is interprets the law in a very slanted way—is there an either issue involved? Who is hurts?
Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 3 steps with 2 images

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Rules of Conduct and its Interpretations
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, accounting and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
Recommended textbooks for you
SWFT Comprehensive Vol 2020
SWFT Comprehensive Vol 2020
Accounting
ISBN:
9780357391723
Author:
Maloney
Publisher:
Cengage
SWFT Comprehensive Volume 2019
SWFT Comprehensive Volume 2019
Accounting
ISBN:
9780357233306
Author:
Maloney
Publisher:
Cengage
SWFT Essntl Tax Individ/Bus Entities 2020
SWFT Essntl Tax Individ/Bus Entities 2020
Accounting
ISBN:
9780357391266
Author:
Nellen
Publisher:
Cengage
SWFT Individual Income Taxes
SWFT Individual Income Taxes
Accounting
ISBN:
9780357391365
Author:
YOUNG
Publisher:
Cengage
Income Tax Fundamentals 2020
Income Tax Fundamentals 2020
Accounting
ISBN:
9780357391129
Author:
WHITTENBURG
Publisher:
Cengage
SWFT Corp Partner Estates Trusts
SWFT Corp Partner Estates Trusts
Accounting
ISBN:
9780357161548
Author:
Raabe
Publisher:
Cengage