What remote workers need to know about their 2021 taxes

For instance, if you live in Maryland but work in the District of Columbia, you only need to worry about having taxes withheld for Maryland and filing a tax remote work taxes return there. In some states, you may also be required to reimburse your employees for their remote work costs, such as the necessary tools to do their jobs.

After reading this article, you’ll know how to correctly pay remote workers as you continue to provide the flexibility that employees increasingly desire. “Massachusetts is clearly within its rights to tax income earned in the state,” writes the Tax Foundation. “But when that person’s office becomes their Nashua home, what is Massachusetts’ ongoing claim? ” Moreover, if the work is no longer being performed in another state, reciprocity agreements may no longer apply, meaning that employees could be taxed by two states, the organization adds. Instead of making assumptions about the nature of the relationship, remote workers must know their status in the organization. They can check out the local laws and find the differences between a contractor and an employee.

Taxes for remote workers based in another country

The employer may purchase private insurance, state insurance, or apply to be a self-insurer. All states require employers to purchase workers’ compensation insurance and to compensate employees for workplace injuries or illnesses. Some states allow you to buy your own workers’ compensation insurance, to purchase the state insurance, or to self-insure. The National Federation of Independent Businesses has a state-by-state comparison of workers’ compensation laws.

First, the entire favorable tax treatment of working remotely is based on the assumption that the employee is truly a legal nonresident. For employees who move from California to a lower tax state like Nevada, Texas, or Florida, it’s important they follow residency rules and meet the legal standard for changing California residency status. If they don’t make the necessary changes to disentangle themselves from California contacts and manage those they keep , they may find themselves in an unpleasant residency tax audit with a large tax liability at stake. There have always been some people who worked remotely for companies in other states, but that number exploded during COVID-19. First, many employees started working at home – often because they were required to due to quarantine restrictions and closed offices — and some of them happened to live in different states from their jobs.

Trust G2’s multi-country payroll leader to keep you compliant

You simply withhold state income taxes, if applicable in your area, and pay any required payroll taxes. In 2020, employees are free from state taxes in Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. The state constitution of Texas outright forbids its government to create a state income tax. Remote workers in these states who do not perform work in other states only have to file federal tax returns. As remote work in other states becomes more common, some people are concerned that more states may enact convenience rules because they are concerned about the amount of income tax revenue they’re losing.

What adjustments need to be made will depend chiefly on state and local tax laws governing your new residence. There are also local taxes that you may be required to pay or withhold from your employees’ paychecks, depending on their state of residence. However, when employees work remotely from another state, things can get complicated. Generally, your employees are taxed by the state where they live and work. You should speak with the labor and unemployment agencies of each state your employees live and work in to ensure that you follow all the proper tax procedures and withholdings.

Paying international remote workers

By offloading payroll, benefits, taxes, and compliance to an EOR, such as Remote, companies can guarantee compliance with local labor and tax regulations while providing a better experience for their international teams. For remote workers in the U.S., physical location remains the determining factor for which taxes workers pay. Employers who hire employees outside their home states must fulfill their duties to withhold state taxes on a state-by-state basis. There is little purpose to arguing with the employer over this, unless you are a key employee with negotiating power.