Deck 4: Income Tax Withholding

Question 1

Of the two main methods of withholding, only the wage-bracket method distinguishes unmarried persons from married persons.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The special withholding allowance may be claimed only by those employees who do not itemize deductions on their income tax returns.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In the case of a 401(k) plan, employees age 50 or over can shelter an extra $10,000 of their wages from federal income tax.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

If married employees do not claim their marital status on Form W-4, the employer must withhold according to the withholding tables for single employees.

Question 5

The IRA format of the SIMPLE plan allows employees to make tax-free contributions of up to $12,000.

Question 6

In the IRA form of the Simple Retirement Account, employers must match the employee's contribution, dollar-for-dollar, up to 3% of the employee's compensation.

Question 7

An employer must withhold federal income taxes on both the tips reported by tipped employees and the tips that the employer allocates to the employees.

Question 8

Persons eligible for deductible IRA contributions may put aside a specified amount of their compensation without paying federal income taxes on that amount.

Question 9

On August 6, Hunt filed an amended Form W-4 to show a decrease in the number of allowances claimed. Hunt's employer must put the new withholding allowance certificate into effect before the next weekly payday on August 8.

Question 10

After completion of Form W-4, an employer must copy the employee's social security card and place it in the employee's employment file.

Question 11

There is no limit to the amount that an employer can contribute in an employee's SIMPLE retirement account.

Question 12

A person holding two jobs may have additional income tax withheld by increasing the number of withholding allowances claimed.

Question 13

There is no limit to the amount of educational assistance that is exempt from federal income tax withholdings.

Question 14

The withholding of federal income and FICA taxes from a tipped employee is made from the employee's wages that are under the employer's control.

Question 15

The payments to a cook employed by a college fraternity are excluded from federal income tax withholding.

Question 16

An employee submits an invalid Form W-4 to the employer and does not replace it with a valid form. The employer should withhold federal income taxes at the rate for a single person claiming no exemptions.

Question 17

Evers, who works for two employers, is entitled to three personal allowances. Evers must claim the three allowances with each of the two employers during the entire calendar year.

Question 18

By completing Form W-4P, a person can elect to have no income tax withheld from the annuity amounts the person receives.

Question 19

Gere became the father of triplets on June 20. He must file an amended Form W-4 on or before June 30.

Question 20

An employer is required to submit a copy of the employee's Form W-4 to the IRS if the employee has claimed 15 or more withholding allowances.

Question 21

Employees must be given Form W-2 on or before January 31 following the close of the calendar year.

Question 22

A personal allowance:

A) amounted to $2,000 in 2014.
B) may be claimed to exempt a portion of the employee's earnings from withholding.
C) is indexed for inflation every calendar quarter.
D) may be claimed at the same time with each employer for whom an employee is working during the year.
E) for one person is a different amount for a single versus a married taxpayer.

Question 23

Under the federal income tax withholding law, which of the following is not defined as an employee?

A) Partner who draws compensation for services rendered the partnership
B) General manager, age 66
C) Payroll clerk hired one week ago
D) Governor of the state of Florida
E) Secretary employed by a not-for-profit corporation

Question 24

If you, an employer, are filing 550 Forms W-2, you must use electronic filing rather than paper Forms W-2.

Question 25

Which of the following cannot be included in a cafeteria plan?

A) Health insurance
B) Group-term life insurance (first $50,000 of coverage)
C) Dependent care assistance (first $5,000)
D) Self-insured medical reimbursement plan
E) Educational assistance

Question 26

The standard deduction varies according to whether the wage-bracket method or the percentage method is used.

Question 27

Form W-3 is filed with the Social Security Administration when transmitting information returns on Forms W-2.

Question 28

Which of the following statements correctly describes the withholding of federal income taxes and social security taxes on tips?

A) Tips amounting to $10 or more in a calendar month must be re- ported by tipped employees to their employers.
B) The withholding of federal income taxes on employees' reported tip income is made from the amount of tips reported by employees.
C) When employees report taxable tips in connection with employment in which they also receive regular wages, the amount of tax to be withheld on the tips is computed as if the tips were a supplemental wage payment.
D) Employers do not withhold FICA taxes on the tipped employees' reported tip income.
E) None of the above statements is correct.

Question 29

An employer must file an information return under all of the following conditions except:

A) to report $1,000 of compensation paid to an individual who is not an employee.
B) to report the wages totaling $600 paid to an independent contractor during the calendar year.
C) to report dividends totaling $600 paid to an individual during the calendar year.
D) to report commissions of $500 paid to a self-employed salesman.
E) An information return must be filed under each of the above conditions.

Question 30

Which of the following forms is used to report rents paid over $600 to landlords?

A) Form 1099-R
B) Form 1099-INT
C) Form 1099-MISC
D) Form 1099-G
E) Form 8027

Question 31

Which of the following forms is used to report the amount of distributions from pension and retirement plans?

A) Form W-2c
B) Form 1099-R
C) Form 1099-PEN
D) Form W-3p
E) Form W-4

Question 32

In calculating a "gross-up" amount of a bonus payment, an employer does not use the OASDI/HI tax rates in the formula.

Question 33

To curb the practice of employees filing false Forms W-4, the IRS requires that an employer submit to the agency a copy of each Form W-4:

A) the IRS has requested in writing.
B) on which an employee, usually earning $180 each week at the time Form W-4 was filed, now claims to be exempt from withholding.
C) on which an employee claims to be single but has 9 withholding allowances.
D) on which a married employee claims no withholding allowances.
E) on which a recently divorced employee claims 5 withholding allowances and authorizes an additional $10 to be withheld each week.

Question 34

When you pay supplemental wages at the same time as regular wages, the method of calculating the withholding is the same for vacation payments as for semiannual bonuses.

Question 35

All of the following are properly defined as wages subject to the withholding of federal income taxes except:

A) year-end bonus.
B) kitchen appliances given by manufacturer in lieu of cash wages.
C) dismissal payment.
D) vacation pay.
E) payments made under worker's compensation law.

Question 36

For which of the following payments is the employer required to withhold federal income taxes?

A) Advances made to sales personnel for traveling expenses
B) Tipped employee's monthly tips of $120
C) Deceased person's wages paid to the estate
D) Minister of Presbyterian church
E) All of the above

Question 37

For state income tax purposes, all states treat 401(k) plan payroll deductions as nontaxable.

Question 38

Beech refuses to state her marital status on Form W-4 which she gave to you, the payroll manager, when she was hired. You should:

A) tell Beech that it is OK since you know that she was recently divorced and is reluctant to talk about it.
B) inform Beech that she will have to write the IRS and give her reasons for refusing to state her marital status.
C) tell Beech that you will have to withhold income taxes as if she were married and had claimed one allowance.
D) tell Beech that you will have to withhold income taxes according to the withholding table for a single employee with no allowances.
E) advise Beech to write "It is no business of yours." in the margin of her Form W-4.

Question 39

Arch gives you an amended Form W-4 dated March 13, 2014, on which he claims two additional withholding allowances. He asks you to refund the excess taxes that were deducted from January 1 to March 13 when Arch claimed only one withholding allowance. You should:

A) repay the overwithheld taxes on Arch's next payday.
B) tell Arch that you will spread out a refund of the overwithheld taxes equally over the next six pays.
C) inform Arch that you are unable to repay the overwithheld taxes that were withheld before March 13 and that the adjustment will have to be made when he files his annual income tax return.
D) tell Arch to write the IRS immediately and ask for a refund of the overwithheld taxes.
E) inform Arch that you will appoint a committee to study his request.

Question 40

Which of the following noncash fringe benefits does not represent taxable income subject to federal income tax withholding?

A) Flight on employer-provided airline
B) Personal use of company car
C) Sick pay
D) Employer-paid membership to a country club
E) All of the above are taxable.

Question 41

A company must withhold federal income taxes from payments made to independent contractors in which of the following cases?

A) When there is a signed contract between the parties
B) When the contractor is paid more than $10,000
C) When the contractor is a corporation
D) When the contractor has not provided a taxpayer identification number and the contract is $600 or more
E) All of the above