Comments on: 4 benefits & pay mistakes that draw IRS ire

By: Helga S

Helga S — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:00:23 +0000

This is sort of off the subject, however I am asking anyway, has anyone ever heard of a situation where a company over paid a person or persons on their end of year bonuses, and then later came and asked for part or all of it back because there was a calculation error? Is this legal? The bonus was part of the compensation plan for management level employees and since no one ever knows what they are suppose to get, or what anyone else gets, the employees have to take the company’s word that it was an overpayment. No mention of fixing the taxes taken out or fixing the W-2 later down the road, you must just presume they will do it.

By: Karol S

Karol S — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:22:57 +0000

I agree with Lori, Mary and Pat. I do not understand how I can be held accountable for what an employee puts down as his/her exemptions.

By: Stephanie C

Stephanie C — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:03:58 +0000

Employees complete their W-4 based on a number of things, one of which is their tax bracket. Most people who have filed tax returns know exactly what allowance to claim so as not to pay extra to the govt and not to pay out of pocket at tax time. Who are we to govern their allowances?

By: Pat S

Pat S — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:18:54 +0000

Not sure what the author means by the organization having to pay both halves. I think that’s a referral to FICA and Social security taxes. That doesn’t have anything to do with W-4′s. I was under the impression you only had to have proof of any exemptions over 10.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:02:51 +0000

I don’t understand the problem with W-4 forms … how can I determine whether an employee should have specified 3 exemptions instead of 10? A) It’s none of my business how my dependents s/he has and/or whether they are blind or over 65; B) I am not supposed to give out any tax advice or recommendations on what to claim; and C)I was under the impression that the only time I over-rode what an employee told me on their W-4 is when I get a letter from the IRS. Lastly, why can’t an employee fill out a new W-4 any time in the year s/he wants to in order to make mid-year adjustments? Something has to be done if a mistake was made when the employee filled out the first W-4; if not filling out a new one, then what?

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:38:09 +0000

W-4 forms:
How can the employer be responsible for making sure that employees claim the right amount of exemptions? How can we question what they put on that form?