Generally, the state where your employee lives and works is the one that taxes them. You should speak with the labor and unemployment agencies of each state your employees live and work in to ensure you follow all the proper tax procedures and withholdings. It’s also not clear how many people are moving to different states to work remotely, since there’s a lag in IRS data.
Home-based Remote Workers
Full-time remote workers can only make standard or itemized tax deductions available to all other taxpayers. Independent contractors can claim business expense deductions on tax returns. Take advantage of tax software tailored to digital nomads and the self-employed. These tools can help track income, maximize deductions, and file taxes. You may want to consider working with an accountant as well who specializes in remote workers and knows the nuances of your unique tax situation. The only difficulty companies that hire remote workers might face is that they may have to pay different local taxes for their remote employees depending on their place of residence.
While taxes for remote workers are usually not more complicated than those for traditional office workers, most educational resources on taxation cater to people in traditional environments. It is a key to establish a “tax home” to verify where to pay taxes and claim residence. For digital nomads, this is often where they maintain residence, keep belongings, or return to regularly. When they do not have a permanent home, they can choose a place where they spend most of their time. Independent contractors that move from one state to another while working remotely from the same employer must establish a domicile or obtain a permanent residence to avoid double taxation. Employers that hire out-of-state employees who predominantly work from home must report state taxes to the states where their remote employees live and not the state where their companies are registered.
Trying to summarize international tax laws in a few paragraphs would be as hopeless as counting grains of sand on a beach. “At the end of the day, it’s a cost-benefit analysis. If somebody wants to work in Florida, there’s no income tax. But it can be a morass once you branch out to other states.” “This may not ensure total compliance, but it will avoid unexpected and unwelcome surprises and should allow most businesses to spot the areas with the most significant potential exposure.” “This way of working will only gain ground. I think a continued exodus of employees from big cities is inevitable.”
This can be where the employee’s permanent home is located or where their economic interests lie. For remote workers constantly on the move, it can be confusing to figure out where to owe taxes. Some states have reciprocal agreements that enable remote workers to pay taxes in just one state and avoid double taxation. Under this legal requirement, you pay taxes in your state rather than the employee’s state. Additionally, double taxation risks, such as those for employees who commute across state lines, can still exist in some states. If you have a telecommuting employee in a state different from your office location or have employees in multiple states, you must withhold income taxes for the state they live and work in.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about remote work taxes ❓❓❓
That could mean a higher standard of living and a lower income tax rate for the growing number of remote workers. But in some instances it could mean having to pay taxes for a place where they now neither live nor work — or even being taxed on the same income twice. Employees’ state of residence and the state where they work affect which state and local taxes they pay. Sometimes, if employees live in one state but have been working in another, they’ll receive a credit on their resident tax return to offset the nonresident state tax liability. But that’s not always the case, as different states have different laws.
‘Work from anywhere’ downside: potential double taxation from states. Here’s what to know.
Every state has different rules, but states generally require you to pay taxes and file a return if you’re a resident or a nonresident earning income in the state. That is unless the state has a reciprocity agreement with your home state or doesn’t levy an income tax. You may also be required to file a tax return in your employer’s state. A sole proprietor’s business income and losses are reported on their personal tax return. Then again, forming an LLC or corporation allows you to take advantage of business deductions and pay taxes at the business level. You will need to file business tax returns in the home state or country and any state or country where you earn income.
- If you’re looking for a tax-free health benefit option, a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) is a great choice.
- Independent contractors that move from one state to another while working remotely from the same employer must establish a domicile or obtain a permanent residence to avoid double taxation.
- It’s also not clear how many people are moving to different states to work remotely, since there’s a lag in IRS data.
- The same rules apply to full-time employees who live in the same state where they work and go to the office at least a few times per week and remote workers that do most of their work from home.
- Employees can’t deduct unreimbursed employee expenses or home office costs.
But moving data from United Van Lines last year suggests people are increasingly moving from states with high taxes to states with lower or no income taxes. Some states offer a credit that can help offset part or all the taxes you must pay to the state where your employer is. New Jersey, for example, offers a tax credit to offset state taxes its residents paid to New York because of the convenience rule while working from home. The state constitution of Texas outright forbids its government from creating a state income tax. Remote workers in these states who don’t perform work in other states only have to file federal tax returns. Navigating the tax implications of remote work can be a complex process.
You set a monthly or annual allowance for your employees to use on individual health insurance premiums and more than 200 other types of eligible expenses. This allows you to reimburse your employees for their health coverage instead of trying to find a group plan that works for all of them. In many states, having an employee or any official presence in that location triggers a sales tax nexus for your organization. Local tax jurisdictions, such as counties and cities, further complicate this.
How do taxes work for remote workers?
In general, they need to pay income taxes based on where they consider themselves as a tax resident. This is usually where they spend the most days in a year or where they maintain residential ties like a home or apartment. Digital nomads may end up paying double taxation when they pay taxes in multiple countries. The convenience rule can obligate employees to pay income tax to states they might now never step foot in, since it taxes income based on the location of the employer’s office. Typically, when this happens, the state where the person lives would award a tax credit to offset taxes in the state where that person works. A number of states have allowed people currently telecommuting to be taxed in the state where their job is located.
In this case, you and your cross-border worker could be subject to tax liabilities in both states. Reciprocal agreements—or a compromise how does remote work get taxed between states that allows nonresident workers to request tax exemption from the other state—exist in some places to prevent double taxation, but only some states have one. In these situations, the employee’s resident state may issue a tax credit for any income paid to your organization’s state. When you have remote workers in different states, it can be difficult to understand your state tax requirements.