Not sure if your new worker and Independent Contractor or an employee? The IRS has very particular guidelines when making this decision. Please see the below information posted on IRS website: (http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99921,00.html)
It is critical that business owners correctly determine whether the individuals providing services are employees or independent contractors. Generally, you must withhold income taxes, withhold and pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, and pay unemployment tax on wages paid to an employee. You do not generally have to withhold or pay any taxes on payments to independent contractors. Select the Scenario that Applies to You:-
I am an independent contractor or in business for myself
If you are a business owner or contractor who provides services to other businesses, then you are generally considered self-employed. For more information on your tax obligations if you are self-employed (an independent contractor), see our Self-Employed Tax Center. - I hire or contract with individuals to provide services to my business If you are a business owner hiring or contracting with other individuals to provide services, you must determine whether the individuals providing services are employees or independent contractors. Follow the rest of this page to find out more about this topic and what your responsibilities are.
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An employee (common-law employee)
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Behavioral: Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job?
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Financial: Are the business aspects of the worker’s job controlled by the payer? (these include things like how worker is paid, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides tools/supplies, etc.)
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Type of Relationship: Are there written contracts or employee type benefits (i.e. pension plan, insurance, vacation pay, etc.)? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business?
If you classify an employee as an independent contractor and you have no reasonable basis for doing so, you may be held liable for employment taxes for that worker (the relief provisions, discussed below, will not apply). See Internal Revenue Code section 3509 for more information. Relief Provisions
If you have a reasonable basis for not treating a worker as an employee, you may be relieved from having to pay employment taxes for that worker. To get this relief, you must file all required federal information returns on a basis consistent with your treatment of the worker. You (or your predecessor) must not have treated any worker holding a substantially similar position as an employee for any periods beginning after 1977. See Publication 1976, Section 530 Employment Tax Relief Requirements (PDF) for more information. Misclassified Workers Can File Social Security Tax Form
Workers who believe they have been improperly classified as independent contractors by an employer can use Form 8919, Uncollected Social Security and Medicare Tax on Wages to figure and report the employee’s share of uncollected Social Security and Medicare taxes due on their compensation. See the full article Misclassified Workers to File New Social Security Tax Form for more information. References/Related Topics
- Proper Worker Classification Audio
- Virtual Small Business Tax Workshop – Lesson 6 The Virtual Small Business Tax Workshop is composed of nine interactive lessons designed to help new small business owners learn their tax rights and responsibilities. See Lesson 6 for information on how to identify an employee versus an independent contractor.
- IRS Internal Training: Employee/Independent Contractor (PDF) This manual provides you with the tools to make correct determinations of worker classifications. It discusses facts that may indicate the existence of an independent contractor or an employer-employee relationship. This training manual is a guide and is not legally binding.
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Publication 15-A, The Employer’s Supplemental Tax Guide (PDF) has detailed guidance including information for specific industries.
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Publication 15-B, The Employer’s Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits supplements Circular E (Pub. 15), Employer’s Tax Guide, and Publication 15-A, Employer’s Supplemental Tax Guide. It contains specialized and detailed information on the employment tax treatment of fringe benefits.