On Aug. 8, President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum that would defer payroll tax obligations “in light of the ongoing COVID-19 disaster.” The memorandum is set to defer the Social Security portion of payroll taxes from Sept. 1 until Dec. 31. Currently, both employers and employees pay a 6.2% Social Security payroll tax on the first $137,700 of annual earnings.
8月8日，唐纳德·特朗普总统签署了一份行政备忘录，“鉴于持续发生的COVID-19灾难，该备忘录将推迟支付工资税义务。”该备忘录将把薪金税的社会保障部分从9月1日推迟到12月31日。目前，雇主和雇员双方都需要为年薪的前137,700美元缴纳6.2％的社会保障税。
“This modest, targeted action will put money directly in the pockets of American workers and generate additional incentives for work and employment, right when the money is needed most,” the memorandum states.
备忘录指出：“这种适度，有针对性的行动将把钱直接投入美国工人的口袋，并在最需要钱的时候产生额外的工作和就业激励。”
But how exactly would the deferment work? And who would benefit from it — or possibly be harmed by it — the most? Here’s what financial experts say the repercussions of a payroll tax cut would be on Americans’ finances now and in the future.
但是延期将如何运作？谁能最大程度地从中受益（或可能受到损害）？这就是金融专家所说的，工资税减税的影响将影响美国人现在和将来的财务状况。
Last updated: Aug. 21, 2020The Tax Break Applies To Those Making $100,000 or Less Per Year
上次更新时间：2020年8月21日该税收减免适用于年收入100,000美元或以下的人群
Not everyone would get a tax break under Trump’s plan: “The deferral shall be made available with respect to any employee the amount of whose wages or compensation, as applicable, payable during any bi-weekly pay period generally is less than $4,000, calculated on a pre-tax basis, or the equivalent amount with respect to other pay periods,” the memorandum states.
并非所有人都可以根据特朗普的计划获得减税优惠：“应向在任何双周工资期内应支付的工资或补偿金（如适用）通常少于4,000美元的任何雇员提供延期，按备忘录指出：“税前基础或与其他工资期相当的金额。”
That means the tax cut does not apply to anyone who makes more than $100,000 annually.It's Unclear What This Means for People Who Make More Than $100,000 Annually
这意味着减税不适用于年收入超过100,000美元的任何人，目前尚不清楚这对年收入超过100,000美元的人意味着什么
Although the memorandum clearly waives the payroll tax for those making $100,000 or less, it isn’t stated if there will be benefits for those making more.
尽管该备忘录明确免除了收入在100,000美元以下的人的工资税，但并未说明收入在100,000美元以下的人是否会受益。
“It is somewhat unclear whether workers who make more than this will be ineligible, or if that portion of wages for any worker is eligible,” said Nate Smith, director of the CBIZ MHM National Tax Office.It's Also Unclear What This Means for People Who Are Self-Employed
CBIZ MHM国家税务局局长内特·史密斯（Nate Smith）说：“目前尚不清楚收入超过此水平的工人是否符合资格，或者该工人的那部分工资是否符合资格。”这也不清楚人们的含义。谁是自雇人士
Self-employed workers and contractors typically pay their Social Security taxes with their income taxes, so it’s unknown if and how the payroll tax cut would apply to these workers, CNET reported.It Does Not Benefit People Who Are Unemployed
CNET报道，自雇工人和承包商通常以所得税的形式缴纳社会保障税，因此尚不清楚减薪税是否适用于以及如何适用于这些工人。这不会使失业人员受益
Critics of Trump’s tax cut say that it does nothing to help the Americans who are in most need of financial relief.
特朗普减税的批评者表示，这无助于最需要经济救济的美国人。
“The tax cuts will not benefit the approximately 38 million jobless Americans, which are arguably those that are affected the most by the pandemic,” said Daniel J. Laginess, CPA, managing partner at Creative Financial Solutions in Southfield, Michigan. “Opponents to the tax cuts argue that there are more effective ways to benefit this population, including another round of stimulus checks and a continuation of banning evictions.”It Doesn't Benefit Small-Business Owners
“减税将不会使大约3,800万失业美国人受益，这无疑是受到大流行影响最大的美国人，”密歇根州Southfield的Creative Financial Solutions的注册会计师C. Daniel J. Laginess说。 “减税的支持者认为，有更有效的方法使这一人口受益，包括另一轮刺激措施和继续的驱逐令。”这对小企业主没有好处
Although employees would not have to pay a Social Security income tax, employers would still be responsible for paying their share under Trump’s proposal.
尽管员工不必缴纳社会保障所得税，但根据特朗普的提议，雇主仍然有责任支付其股份。
“To extend relief to small businesses, we should consider extending the suspension to employers to put money back into the hands of small businesses,” said Chad Parks, founder and CEO of Ubiquity Retirement + Savings.
Ubiquity Retirement + Savings的创始人兼首席执行官查德·帕克斯（Chad Parks）表示：“为减轻小型企业的负担，我们应考虑将停职范围扩大至雇主，以便将钱重新交到小型企业手中。”
Bernie Wants Billionaires To Pay: Will It Help or Hurt America’s Tax Debt Situation?Employers Might Even Be Liable for Employees' Unpaid Taxes
伯尼希望亿万富翁付钱：这会帮助还是损害美国的税收债务状况？雇主甚至可能要为雇员的未缴税款负责
A payroll tax cut could possibly be an additional financial burden on small-business owners.
降低工资税可能会给小企业主带来额外的财务负担。
“Right now there has not been any guidance provided on whether the employer will be responsible for the deferred amounts from the employee,” said Mike Savage, CEO of 1-800Accountant. “This is a major concern for employers because if the employee’s portion of the payroll taxes are deferred, and the employee does not pay back the amounts, the employer may potentially be liable for the employee’s portion.”Some Employers Might Choose Not To Participate
1-800Accountant首席执行官麦克·萨维奇（Mike Savage）说：“目前没有提供任何有关雇主是否应对雇员递延的款项负责的指导。” “这是雇主的主要担忧，因为如果雇员的工资税部分被递延，而雇员没有偿还这笔款项，则雇主可能会对雇员的部分承担责任。”一些雇主可能选择不参加
Even if you are an employee who makes $100,000 or less, you might not get the tax break if your employer opts to hold onto the 6.2% to pay it back to the government at a later date, CNET reported. The memorandum leaves it up to the employer to determine whether or not the 6.2% savings is passed onto the employees.For Those Who Do Benefit, the Amount Saved Could Be Negligible
据CNET报道，即使您的雇员年薪在100,000美元或以下，如果您的雇主选择保留6.2％的税率并在以后偿还给政府，您也可能无法获得减税优惠。该备忘录由雇主决定是否将6.2％的积蓄转嫁给员工。对于那些受益的人，节省的金额可以忽略不计
Trump believes the tax cut could help stimulate the economy by putting more money in workers’ pockets — but some say the extra earnings might not be enough to make a real impact.
特朗普认为，减税可以通过向工人的口袋里放更多的钱来帮助刺激经济，但有人说，额外的收入可能不足以产生真正的影响。
“The payroll tax order covers wages paid during September through December, or one-third of annual wages. Hence, a maximum of $34,667 appears to be eligible,” Smith said. “At 6.2%, a maximum of $2,150 of the worker’s Social Security taxes would be deferred, or $269 on a biweekly basis. But the U.S. median wage is closer to $50,000, and so the more common biweekly deferral amount would be closer to $129. Many workers may not perceive $129 on a biweekly basis as much of a benefit, especially if they must pay it back later.”But Even a Small Savings Could Be Impactful for Some
“工资税令涵盖了9月至12月期间支付的工资，或年度工资的三分之一。因此，最高有资格获得$ 34,667的奖金。” Smith说。 “按6.2％的税率，该工人的社会保障税最多可递延$ 2,150，即每两周$ 269。但是美国的工资中位数接近50,000美元，因此更常见的双周递延额将接近129美元。许多工人可能不会每两周就收到$ 129的收益，特别是如果他们以后必须偿还的话。”但是，即使是少量的储蓄也可能对某些人产生影响。
Although an extra $50 or so a week isn’t much — and could eventually have to be paid back — some people will be able to make productive use of these funds in the short-term, said Paul Miller, CPA and managing partner at Miller & Company LLP. Miller suggests putting the money into an interest-earning savings account.
注册会计师兼米勒管理合伙人保罗·米勒说，尽管每周多付50美元左右并不多，而且最终可能还清，但有些人可以在短期内有效地使用这些资金。 ＆Company LLP。米勒建议把钱存入赚取利息的储蓄账户。
“You get a little interest and wait and see what happens. It’s a no lose situation,” he said. “You could even pay down some debt, provided you could borrow it back and save a couple of bucks in interest.”There's a Possibility the Tax Could Be Forgiven
“您有一点兴趣，然后等待，看看会发生什么。这是不输的情况，”他说。 “您甚至可以偿还一些债务，前提是您可以将其借回来并节省几美元的利息。”有可能免除税收
“President Trump would like to see the deferred taxes eventually waived, and if Congress made that a reality, it would at least solve the repayment conundrum,” Smith said.
史密斯说：“特朗普总统希望看到最终免除递延税，如果国会将其变为现实，它将至少解决还款难题。”
As it stands, the memorandum only calls for the deferment of payroll taxes as the president does not have the power to waive taxes. However, Trump proposes in the memorandum that the “Secretary of the Treasury [Steven Mnuchin] shall explore avenues, including legislation, to eliminate the obligation to pay the taxes deferred pursuant to the implementation of this memorandum.”But There's Also a Possibility the Tax Will Have To Be Paid Back
按照目前的情况，该备忘录只要求延缓工资税，因为总统没有权力免税。但是，特朗普在备忘录中建议“财政部部长[史蒂文·努钦（Steven Mnuchin）]应探索各种途径，包括立法，以消除根据该备忘录的实施而支付的递延税款的义务。”但是，税收也有可能将不得不还清
“To date, neither political party in Congress has coalesced behind an initiative to cut payroll taxes,” Smith said. “Without Congressional action, the deferred taxes must be repaid.”
史密斯说：“迄今为止，国会中没有一个政党联合提出削减工资税的倡议。” “如果没有国会采取行动，则必须偿还递延税款。”
Compare: How Much Money Gets Taken Out of Paychecks in Every StateDeferred Taxes Now Could Mean More Taxes Owed in 2021
比较：每个州从薪水中扣除多少钱现在递延税可能意味着2021年欠更多税
As it stands, the 6.2% extra that’s going into employees’ paychecks would have to be paid back, though it has not been stated how or when this payment would be due.
按目前的情况，虽然还没有说明应如何或何时支付这笔款项，但必须偿还付给员工薪水的6.2％的额外费用。
“Forthcoming guidance should clarify whether the deferred taxes would be repaid all at once, or gradually over a payback period,” Smith said. “Either way, these taxes would be repaid on top of normal payroll tax withholding, which means worker paychecks would be less than normal during 2021.”
史密斯说：“即将出台的指南应阐明，是否可以一次全部偿还或在偿还期内逐步偿还递延税款。” “无论哪种方式，这些税款将在扣缴正常工资税的基础上偿还，这意味着在2021年期间工人的薪水将低于正常水平。”
Major business groups — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Retail Federation and the National Association of Manufacturers — said they won’t participate in the payroll tax cut because of the future burden it could place on employees, Politico reported.
据Politico报道，包括美国商会，国家零售联合会和美国全国制造商协会在内的主要商业集团表示，由于未来可能给员工带来负担，他们将不参加薪资减税。
“Many of our members consider it unfair to employees to make a decision that would force a big tax bill on them next year,” the organizations said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Mnuchin.If the Payroll Tax Is Deferred and Not Waived, It Should Not Have Long-Term Consequences
这些组织在致参议院多数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔（Mitch McConnell），众议院南希·佩洛西（Nancy Pelosi）和姆努钦（Mnuchin）发言人的信中说：“我们的许多成员认为，做出明年要向他们征收巨额税单的决定是不公平的。”薪资税是递延且不免除的，不应有长期后果
“Currently this is a deferral. Trump doesn’t have the authority to reduce payroll taxes, so this doesn’t affect Social Security or Medicare,” Miller said.If the Payroll Tax Is Waived, It Could Deplete Social Security Funds Sooner Than Expected
“目前这是一个延期。米勒说：“特朗普无权削减工资税，因此这不会影响社会保障或医疗保险。”如果免除工资税，社会保障基金的消耗可能会超出预期
Waiving four months’ worth of payroll taxes could have a significant effect on the Social Security reserve if no action is taken to make up for these losses. Currently, Social Security funds are estimated to be depleted by 2034.
如果不采取行动弥补这些损失，则免征四个月的工资税可能会对社会保障储备产生重大影响。目前，社会保障基金估计到2034年将用尽。
“At that point, Social Security payments will only be made from the money coming in rather than from the reserves,” Parks said. “Terminating contributions for the next four months will accelerate the timeline for the depletion of Social Security funds.”This Could Affect Your Finances in the Future
帕克斯说：“到那时，社会保障金将仅从进来的钱中支付，而不是从储备金中支付。” “未来四个月终止供款将加快社会保障基金耗尽的时间表。”这可能会影响您将来的财务状况
If the Social Security reserve runs out, the amount of benefit you receive could be smaller than expected.
如果社会保障储备金用完，您获得的福利金额可能会比预期的少。
“The greatest negative effect [of a payroll tax cut] is that the reduction of future benefits will come sooner than Social Security trustees are reporting right now,” Parks said. “Social Security has already been massively impacted by the pandemic as the 30 or 40 million people who are not currently working are not paying into Social Security. Essentially, this tax cut would be a double whammy to Social Security.”However, the Government Could Intervene To Prevent This From Happening
帕克斯说：“（薪资减税）最大的负面影响是，未来福利的减少将比社会保障受托人现在所报告的要早。” “由于目前没有工作的30或4000万人没有支付社会保障费用，因此社会保障已经受到大流行的严重影响。从本质上讲，这种减税措施将对社会保障产生双重打击。”但是，政府可以进行干预以防止这种情况的发生
Even if the payroll tax is waived, the government could explore other avenues to fund Social Security.
即使免征工资税，政府也可以探索其他途径来资助社会保障。
“President Trump stated that the U.S. government’s general fund would fund any tax deferrals that would not have to be paid back so that Social Security funding will not be affected,” Laginess said. “However, according to USDebtClock.org, the government is running a deficit of almost $3 trillion thus far for 2020 and the national debt stands at approximately $26.6 trillion. The New York Times reported that deferring and forgiving the Social Security payroll tax from August through December would cost the government approximately $400 billion in tax revenue. Using those estimates, suspending the tax from September through December would cost the government $320 billion, driving our country even deeper into debt.”The Government Could Increase Taxes at a Later Date To Make Up for the Cuts
拉吉斯说：“特朗普总统表示，美国政府的普通基金将资助不必偿还的任何延期税收，以免社会保障资金受到影响。” “不过，根据USDebtClock.org的数据，到2020年为止，政府的赤字将近3万亿美元，国家债务约为26.6万亿美元。 《纽约时报》报道说，从8月到12月递延和宽恕社会保障税将使政府损失大约4,000亿美元的税收。使用这些估计数，从9月到12月暂停征收税款将使政府损失3,200亿美元，使我国的债务负担更加沉重。“政府可能会在以后增加税收以弥补削减费用
A lack of payroll tax now could mean more taxes down the line.
现在，缺少工资税可能意味着需要增加税率。
“If the amounts are forgiven, then the government may potentially try to make up the shortfall in other areas, such as future increased income taxes or other additional taxes in the future,” Savage said.The Long-Term Effects of a Payroll Tax Cut Are Still Unknown
萨瓦奇说：“如果宽恕了这一数额，那么政府可能会试图弥补其他领域的缺口，例如未来增加的所得税或将来的其他附加税。”减薪的长期影响仍然未知
“If President Trump is reelected next year, there is a possibility the payroll tax cut could stay past 2020,” said Tony Zabiegala, CRPC, vice president and COO of Strategic Wealth Partners. “If this happens, it could result in a lack of funding to government programs or a general tax increase to make up for lost revenue. Something has to give. There could very well be negative long-term effects, especially as it relates to the unknowns of how this tax cut will be made up in the future.”
战略财富合伙人副总裁兼首席运营官CRPC托尼·扎比加拉说：“如果明年特朗普总统再次当选，则工资税减税可能会持续到2020年以后。” “如果发生这种情况，可能会导致政府计划缺乏资金或增加一般税收以弥补税收损失。”必须付出一些。这很可能会带来长期的负面影响，尤其是与未来减税措施的未知数有关。”