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Treasury Regulations · 26 CFR

§ 31.3201-2. Rates and computation of employee tax.

In effect eCFR current as of October 15, 2026

Regulation text, no changes From the eCFR, current as of October 15, 2026. The eCFR is an authoritative but unofficial editorial compilation of the Code of Federal Regulations; the official text is the annual CFR on govinfo. Compare it with this section on ecfr.gov (external site) or the official annual CFR on govinfo (external site).

Regulation under 26 U.S.C. § 3201

Cite as 26 CFR § 31.3201-2

At a glance

Read from the text and its source citation. Not part of the regulation.

Status
In the current eCFR
Issued
December 23, 1994 by T.D. 8582
Issued under
26 U.S.C. § 3201
Length
447 words · about 2 min to read
Cross-references
cites 3 Code sections and 1 regulation; cited by 1
(a) Rates—
(1)
(i) Tier 1 tax. The Tier 1 employee tax rate equals the sum of the tax rates in effect under section 3101(a), relating to old-age, survivors, and disability insurance, and section 3101(b), relating to hospital insurance. The Tier 1 employee tax rate is applied to compensation up to the contribution base described in section 3231(e)(2)(B)(i). The contribution base is determined under section 230 of the Social Security Act and is identical to the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance wage base and the hospital insurance wage base, respectively, under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act.
(ii) Example. The rule in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section is illustrated by the following example.
Example.

A received compensation of $60,000 in 1992. The section 3101(a) rate of 6.2 percent would be applied to A's compensation up to $55,500, the applicable contribution base for 1992. The section 3101(b) rate of 1.45 percent would be applied to the entire $60,000 of A's compensation because the applicable contribution base for 1992 is $130,200.

(2)
(i) Tier 2 tax. The Tier 2 employee tax rate equals the percentage set forth in section 3201(b) of the Code. This rate is applied to compensation up to the contribution base described in section 3231(e)(2)(B)(ii).
(ii) Example. The rule in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section is illustrated by the following example.
Example.

A received compensation of $60,000 in 1992. The section 3201(b) rate of 4.90 percent would be applied to A's compensation up to $41,400, the applicable contribution base for 1992.

(b)
(1) Computation. The employee tax is computed by multiplying the amount of the employee's compensation with respect to which the employee tax is imposed by the rate applicable to such compensation, as determined under paragraph (a) of this section. The applicable rate is the rate in effect when the compensation is received by the employee. For rules relating to the time of receipt, see § 31.3121(a)-2 (a) and (b).
(2) Example. The rule in paragraph (b)(1) of this section is illustrated by the following example.
Example.

In 1990, employee A received compensation of $1,000 as remuneration for services performed for employer R in 1989. The employee tax is payable at the rate of 12.55 percent (7.65 percent plus 4.90 percent) in effect for 1990 (the year the compensation was received), and not the 12.41 percent rate (7.51 percent plus 4.90 percent) in effect for 1989 (the year the services were performed).

[T.D. 8582, 59 FR 66189, Dec. 23, 1994]

Other regulations under § 3201

Cross-references

Computed from the citations in the text of 26 CFR.

Code sections it cites

Regulations it cites

Cited by 1 other regulation

Amendment history

From the source citation at the end of the section, newest first. T.D. is a Treasury decision; FR is the Federal Register.

  1. Issued by T.D. 8582 (59 FR 66189)

Where it sits in 26 CFR

  1. Subchapter C Employment taxes and collection of income tax at source
  2. Part 31 Employment taxes and collection of income tax at source
  3. Subpart C Railroad Retirement Tax Act (Chapter 22, Internal Revenue Code of 1954)
  4. Tax on Employees

Nearby sections