HomeWork Solutions, Inc., January 2006
Mileage Reimbursement: The standard mileage rate is 40.5 cents per mile. This may be used by employers to reimburse employees for the business use of their personal automobiles.
|
Social Security Wage Base: The Social Security wage base for 2006 is $94,200. The maximum amount an employee can have withheld for Social Security tax in 2005 is $5,840.40. Employers must contribute funds equal to the amounts withheld from employees for both Social Security and Medicare(which has no wage base).
Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit: The tax-free amount an employer may reimburse an employee monthly under a qualified transportation fringe benefit plan is $105. See Related Article
Educational Assistance: The annual tax free amount for employer-provided educational assistance is $5,250 for 2005 and now also applies to graduate-level course work. According to the IRS, "Employers offering tax-free educational assistance are required to have a written plan describing the benefit and the terms under which it is available." (Notice 97-60 Exclusion For Employer-Provided Educational Assistance). An employer may pay for any form of instruction or training that improves or develops an individual's capabilities, whether or not job-related or part of a degree program under a qualified education assistance program without defeating the non-taxable status of the benefit supplied to the employee. MORE INFORMATION