Federal income tax liability is the amount that is owed (or a liability) the federal government on sources of income. Federal tax laws regarding this area are highly regulated and mandated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the United States. Federal income tax liability can be adjusted by individuals through various sources, but not by companies.
Facts
Federal income tax liability is the amount of tax owed the federal government on income above a stated amount. The amount of federal income tax liability is determined by both the amount of earnings and the number of claimed exemptions by the individual. Employers are required to withhold this tax from employees' paychecks. Federal income tax liability is under strict legal guidelines set forth by the federal government's tax collection agency. Self-employed individuals are responsible for their own federal income tax liability.
Significance
Failure to follow strictly defined federal government tax laws can reap negative consequences, such as penalties and interest. For instance, the IRS has developed tax tables that must be used to determine the federal income tax liability and amount to be withheld from paychecks. Individuals are responsible for filing their annual tax returns, which calculate their federal income tax liability or refund.
Identification
Federal income tax liability can be identified on an individual's paycheck by either Federal Withholding Tax (FWT) or Federal Income Tax (FIT) as a deduction from the individual's gross pay. Business-wise, federal income tax liability is reflected on the balance sheet as a current liability because it is money being held. The business acts as a collection agency for the federal government. The funds are expected to be submitted to the federal government no later than the filing of quarterly payroll tax returns.
Time Frame
There are strict time frames affecting federal income tax liability. They all depend upon the date of payroll. The IRS allows for only a certain amount of days after the payroll processing date in order to submit the withheld funds.There are IRS schedules that must be followed that highlight these date requirements. If these dates are not adhered to, penalties and interest will likely result. There also are strict time frames for filing the associated tax returns with the federal government.
Benefits
One benefit of federal income tax liability that an individual has is the fact the liability is adjustable. There is a withholding calculator that can be used to determine the amount of federal income tax liability found on the IRS site and other tax sites throughout the Internet. By utilizing this tool, the employee can receive more or less income. Employers can benefit by maintaining good payroll records, thereby avoiding penalties by the IRS.
