GTN Mobility Tax Blog

US social security tax is withheld from employees’ wages under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), which provides funding for the Social Security and Medicare programs. The goal of the Social Security program is to offer retirement, disability, and survivor’s benefits, whereas Medicare provides health insurance. 

Although many companies believe they have a good process in place to address the withholding of these taxes for their US-based employees that work in the US, it is critical that they review and understand the rules for their internationally mobile population. Through proper review and planning, companies can mitigate risks and may also achieve substantial cost savings.

All US citizens and permanent residents must file federal income tax returns if they meet the IRS filing threshold. The amount of this threshold will vary depending on factors such as age, filing status, and type of income (i.e., income from employment or self-employment). For example, a single individual under the age of 65 would be required to file a 2019 US federal tax return if their gross income exceeded $12,200. If the earnings came from self-employment, this same person would need to file a US federal tax return if their net earnings exceeded $400.

It is not uncommon for businesses expanding their operations across international borders to discover that moving employees abroad has created tax issues—and unfortunately, they often don’t discover this until they receive notice that overseas employees are noncompliant in either their Home or Host country. 

Keeping up with regulations around global taxes, travel, and expatriate programs can be difficult, especially when juggling multiple other priorities. Our team of industry experts continually creates informative resources to help you navigate the tax landscape. 

Companies that plan to send employees outside of their Home country should first know about the possible tax complexities that may result from the use of an international workforce. Here are five things employers need to know before sending employees abroad.

Our team of mobility tax professionals is always looking to keep organizations updated on industry trends and regulations regarding international employees. In addition to our regularly updated blog, we put a wealth of resources at your fingertips regarding mobility tax, global equity, and business travel—including on-demand webinars, online newsletters, and downloadable guides.

We’ve put together this roundup of some of our top blog articles that we published in Q2.