Tax Advantages of Pre-tax Salary Deductions
Tax-free transit benefits provided as a pre-tax benefit permits your employees to have up to $230 per month taken out of their current monthly pay, to put towards the actual cost of commuting on transit or vanpool before taxes are applied. They would save federal income and payroll taxes on the amount of the benefit selected. Up to $2,760 per year of their wages or salary would be treated as a tax-free benefit rather than taxable income. Their W-2 forms would reflect a reduction equal to the amount of the benefit. Many employers prefer this option because the employee pays the cost. Your share of FICA and unemployment taxes is also reduced.
Employee pays 6% in state income tax
If a private employer provides tax-free transit benefits to an employee at the maximum of $230 per month ($2,760 per year) through pre-tax salary deductions, the following represents the cost to the employee:
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Cost of tax-free transit benefit
|
$2,760
|
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Federal Income Tax Saved (25%)
|
($690)
|
|
Employee FICA (7.65%) Saved*
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($211.14)
|
|
State Income Tax Saved (6%)
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($165.60)
|
|
Total Cost to Employee
|
$1,693.26
|
The following represents the SAVINGS to the employer:
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Base amount paid to WMATA for tax-free transit benefit
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($2,760)
|
|
Money deducted from employee salary to pay for tax-free transit benefit
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$2,760
|
|
Actual cost to employer
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$0
|
|
Employer FICA (7.65%) Saved
|
$211.14
|
|
Employer unemployment tax saved*
|
$165.60
|
|
Net savings to employer compared to cash salary payment
|
$376.74
|
*Federal Unemployment Tax payable on first $7,000 of each employee's salary per year
For more information, contact Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) at 703.247.9299 (TDD: 711), solutions@transpartners.com, or request ATP's services by filling out this form.