Millions of workers will see their take-home pay rise during 2011 because the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act Of 2010 provides a 2-percentage point payroll tax cut for employees, reducing their Social Security tax withholding rate from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent of wages paid, according to a news release issued Friday by the IRS. The reduced withholding will have no effect on the employee's future Social Security benefits.
The new law also maintains the income-tax rates that have been in effect in recent years.
Employers should start using the new withholding tables and reducing the amount of Social Security tax withheld as soon as possible in 2011 but no later than Jan. 31, 2011, the release said.
Employers and payroll companies will handle the withholding changes, so workers typically won't need to take any additional action, such as filling out a new W-4 withholding form.
