Is payroll tax considered a part of labor expense or is it considered tax?
I’m calculating EBITDA for my business. And I need to determine if employer contribution to payroll tax is a part of operating expenses or taxes. Putting it in taxes improves my EBITDA number, but I don’t know if that’s right.
3 Responses to Is payroll tax considered a part of labor expense or is it considered tax?
Jay
September 3, 2010 at 7:21 am
The payroll taxes that are employer contributions, such as the portion YOU pay towards unemployment insurance, is reported as a tax.
The portion that you remove from the employees check that THEY pay is still considered payroll and as such is labor expense.
An easy way to make the determination is reminding yourself that the employee gets to claim the portion of tax they pay. It can only be claimed by one person/organization as a tax. Other taxes that you pay directly can be claimed by you as a tax expense.
t-rexs
September 3, 2010 at 7:21 am
we consider it a tax
because that is what it is
it is an expense because that is what it take to operate a business
it is both, the accountant will put it in the correct line,
this might be where this question belongs, in accounting or in taxes
ms
September 3, 2010 at 7:21 am
In my opinion, when EBITDA refers to taxes, it means "Income tax" which is the main or principal tax a company must pay, directly linked to the Net profit.
Payroll taxes should be part of the labor expense.
The payroll taxes that are employer contributions, such as the portion YOU pay towards unemployment insurance, is reported as a tax.
The portion that you remove from the employees check that THEY pay is still considered payroll and as such is labor expense.
An easy way to make the determination is reminding yourself that the employee gets to claim the portion of tax they pay. It can only be claimed by one person/organization as a tax. Other taxes that you pay directly can be claimed by you as a tax expense.
we consider it a tax
because that is what it is
it is an expense because that is what it take to operate a business
it is both, the accountant will put it in the correct line,
this might be where this question belongs, in accounting or in taxes
In my opinion, when EBITDA refers to taxes, it means "Income tax" which is the main or principal tax a company must pay, directly linked to the Net profit.
Payroll taxes should be part of the labor expense.