IRS Data Affirms Payroll’s Vital Role in Nation’s Tax System

On June 29, the IRS released its 2019 Internal Revenue Service Data Book, which provides statistics that underscore the importance of payroll professionals to the integrity of the American tax system [IRS Pub. 55B, rev. June 2020].

Primary Source of Federal Revenue

The IRS Data Book reports that, of the $3.56 trillion paid into the Treasury in FY 2019, $2.49 trillion was transmitted by employers for employment taxes. This represents nearly 70% of all federal revenue.

Payroll payments included:

• $1.35 trillion in withheld individual income taxes
• $1.13 trillion in employer and employee FICA (social security and Medicare) taxes
• $6.4 billion in unemployment insurance tax
• $6.2 billion in Railroad Retirement Tax Act taxes

To learn more about federal and state laws, regulations, and information to keep your company's payroll operations in compliance, check out Payroll Source Plus!

Jyme Mariani, Esq., is Managing Editor of Payroll Currently and Payroll Information Resources for the APA.