Employer Payroll Taxes Explained: What US Small Businesses Pay
Learn which payroll taxes are paid by the employer—Social Security, Medicare, FUTA and state unemployment—and how to calculate employer taxes on payroll.
Quick answer: Employer payroll taxes are the mandatory federal and state taxes a business pays on top of an employee's gross wages. Every US employer pays 7.65% in matching FICA taxes (6.2% Social Security up to the annual wage base and 1.45% Medicare), plus Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) of 0.6% net on the first $7,000 of each employee's wages and state unemployment tax (SUTA).
Payroll taxes paid by the employer vs. withheld from employees
When running employee payroll, it helps to separate taxes you withhold from an employee's paycheck from the employer taxes on payroll that come out of your business bank account:
- Social Security tax (6.2% employer match): You match the employee's 6.2% contribution dollar-for-dollar up to the annual IRS Social Security wage base.
- Medicare tax (1.45% employer match): You match 1.45% on all employee wages with no wage cap. (The 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000 is withheld only from the employee—there is no employer match.)
- Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA): Paid 100% by the employer on the first $7,000 paid to each worker per year. The statutory rate is 6.0%, but businesses that pay state unemployment on time receive a 5.4% credit, bringing the net FUTA cost to 0.6% ($42 maximum per employee per year).
- State Unemployment & Local Taxes (SUTA / SUI): Paid by the employer based on your state's wage base and experience rate (for example, California employers also pay Employment Training Tax and Unemployment Insurance on the first $7,000 per employee).
How an employer payroll tax calculator works (example)
Suppose your small business pays an employee $40,000 during the year in a state with a 2.7% SUTA rate on the first $7,000 of wages:
- Social Security (6.2% of $40,000): $2,480
- Medicare (1.45% of $40,000): $580
- Net FUTA (0.6% of $7,000): $42
- State Unemployment (2.7% of $7,000): $189
- Total employer payroll taxes for the year: $3,291 (about 8.2% above gross wages)
How to report and deposit employer payroll taxes without penalties
FICA and withheld federal income taxes are reported quarterly on IRS Form 941 and deposited on either a monthly or semi-weekly deposit schedule via EFTPS. FUTA is reported annually on Form 940. Our online payroll services for small business calculate every paycheck, track deposit deadlines in QuickBooks Payroll or ADP, and reconcile your payroll liabilities with your monthly bookkeeping.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of payroll is employer payroll taxes?
For most US small businesses, mandatory employer payroll taxes add roughly 8% to 10% on top of an employee's gross pay (7.65% for FICA plus FUTA and state unemployment taxes).
Are employer payroll taxes tax-deductible for a small business?
Yes. The employer share of FICA (Social Security and Medicare), FUTA and state unemployment taxes are deductible business expenses on your corporate or small business tax return.
How do California employer payroll taxes work?
In addition to federal FICA and FUTA, California employers pay Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Employment Training Tax (ETT) on the first $7,000 of wages per employee each calendar year, while withholding State Disability Insurance (SDI) and California personal income tax from employee paychecks.
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