The Internal Revenue Service has been working over time thanks to all the new tax laws just passed. Thankfully they placed a rush order for their team to create the new form needed to allow employers to take advantage of some nice provisions of the HIRE Act.

Form W-11, “Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act Employee Affidavit,” is now posted on IRS.gov, along with answers to frequently asked questions about the payroll tax exemption and the related new hire retention credit. The new law requires that employers get a statement from each eligible new hire, certifying under penalties of perjury, that he or she was unemployed during the 60 days before beginning work or, alternatively, worked fewer than a total of 40 hours for anyone during the 60-day period. Employers can use Form W-11 to meet this requirement.

Most employers then use Form 941, “Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return,” to claim the payroll tax exemption for eligible new hires. This form, revised for use beginning with the second calendar quarter of 2010, is currently posted as a draft form on IRS.gov and will be released next month as a final along with the form’s instructions. Be sure to check with your payroll company or CPA to see if they will be ready. Read More→