President signs payroll tax cut extension bill; new Form 941 released

BY ALISTAIR M. NEVIUS

On Wednesday evening at the White House, President Barack Obama signed into law the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, H.R. 3630. On Thursday, the IRS released a revised Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, to reflect the extended payroll tax cut.

The act extends the 4.2% rate for the employee portion of Social Security tax through the end of 2012. It also extends certain unemployment benefits and blocks a cut in Medicare payments to doctors. The act also repeals earlier-enacted shifts in the timing of corporate estimated tax payments.

The act raises revenue through an auction of the spectrum of public airwaves, currently reserved for television, to allow for more wireless internet systems.

A 2% recapture tax enacted in the December legislation that extended the payroll tax cut through Feb. 29, which effectively capped the amount of wages eligible for the payroll tax cut at $18,350, was also repealed by the act.

Alistair M. Nevius ( anevius@aicpa.org ) is editor-in-chief for tax.

More from the JofA:

 Find us on Facebook  |   Follow us on Twitter  |   View JofA videos

Where to find March’s flipbook issue

The Journal of Accountancy is now completely digital. 

 

 

 

SPONSORED REPORT

Get Clients Ready for Tax Season

This comprehensive report looks at the changes to the child tax credit, earned income tax credit, and child and dependent care credit caused by the expiration of provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act; the ability e-file more returns in the Form 1040 series; automobile mileage deductions; the alternative minimum tax; gift tax exemptions; strategies for accelerating or postponing income and deductions; and retirement and estate planning.