Payroll Tax News LISTSERV

                                                                                   March 2010

                                    Please send this information to anyone who would benefit from it. 

I.  Important updates

A. Unemployment:

 

The download for OTTER 2010 has been temporarily disabled. They anticipate having an improved version released by early April. In the meantime, if you have already downloaded the 2010 version, you should be able to file your report as usual.

 

Be sure to check back on the Employment website at http://www.oregon.gov/EMPLOY/TAX/  for additional updates.  If you have any further questions, contact the Employment Departments OTTER Help Line at 503 947-1544. 

 

B. Withholding Tax Tables Update:

 

The Oregon Withholding Tax Tables dated January 1, 2007 remain in effect for all employees with wages under $125,000.00 a year.  However, if you have employees with annual wages that exceed $125,000.00, use the payroll withholding calculator located on our website at http://www.oregon.gov/DOR/BUS/payroll_updates.shtml to adjust for changes resulting from Measure 66.

 

For employers with a small number of employees with annual wages of $125,000 or more, an option is to have the employee(s) modify withholding using form W4 and the Oregon Personal Allowances Worksheet.


The tables will be modifies effective
January 1, 2011 and should be available by the week of November 29, 2010.   For any questions on using the withholding calculator or any other questions, please contact us at 503 945-8091 or by e-mail at payroll.help.dor@state.or.us.
 

C. Additional Updates:

 

a. Personal Allowances:  $177.00

b. Standard Deductions:  Single $1950.00, Married $3900.00

c. Federal Tax Subtraction: $5850.00

 

II. Credit Notices

The new credit notices issued by the Employment Department and the Department of Revenue now allow for employers to indicate how they wish to have overpayments applied (State Withholding, TriMet/Lane Transit, State Unemployment, Workers Benefit Fund) and what amounts they wish to apply for each program.  It still also allow for refund of any overpayment.

 

Notices are sent to advise you that an overpayment is currently reflected on your account.  It is very important to carefully research these notices to ensure that you have in fact overpaid your payroll tax account.  An amended or corrected return may be needed if you find that this information is not correct.

If you think that a notice may have been issued in error, or have any questions as to the nature of the overpayment, please contact the specific agency that issued the credit notice to go over your account.  Contact Department of Revenue at 503 945-8091, the Employment Department - 503 947-1488, or the Workers Benefit Fund- 503 378-2372 

 

III. W2 Information:

We are currently accepting electronic W2 information from employers who have over 250 employees and all payroll service providers.  Those that are electronically filing the W-2’s are required to have the Form WR (Oregon Withholding Annual Reconciliation Report) for 2009 submitted by March 31, 2010.  However, all other employers are required to submit the Form WR for 2009 by February 28, 2010.
 
If you have not done so, please complete the form located on our website at http://www.oregon.gov/DOR/BUS/forms-payroll.shtml and submit it as soon as possible. You are not required to submit your W2 information by paper. However, if you are reporting a large adjustment, be sure to indicate the reason on line 7 and attach any W2C’s that support this change.

 

 

*****The Payrolltax-News e-mail list provides employers with complete and up-to-date payroll tax information. Employers can self-subscribe here. Representatives in the Business Division will send information to employers through this list. Employers can request additional information by e-mailing payroll.help.dor@state.or.us.
 
As a standard practice, e-mail sent from the department will be in text form only. Department of Revenue will not open attachments.
 
Questions about list content and subscription problems should be directed to the list owner:  
 
Cathy Tavares
Oregon Dept of Revenue
Cathleen.M.Tavares@state.or.us
503-945-8762