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Treasury Regulations · 26 CFR

§ 31.3221-2. Rates and computation of employer 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. § 3221

Cite as 26 CFR § 31.3221-2

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. § 3221
Length
497 words · about 2 min to read
Cross-references
cites 3 Code sections and 2 regulations; cited by 0
(a) Rates—
(1)
(i) Tier 1 tax. The Tier 1 employer tax rate equals the sum of the tax rates in effect under section 3111(a), relating to old-age, survivors, and disability insurance, and section 3111(b), relating to hospital insurance. The Tier 1 employer 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.

R's employee, A, received compensation of $60,000 in 1992. The section 3111(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 3111(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 employer tax rate equals the percentage set forth in section 3221(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. This rate is applied 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.

R's employee, A, received compensation of $60,000 in 1992. The section 3221(b) rate of 16.10 percent would be applied to A's compensation up to $41,400, the applicable contribution base for 1992.

(3) Supplemental Annuity Tax. The supplemental annuity tax for each work-hour for which compensation is paid by an employer for services rendered during any calendar quarter by employees is imposed at the tax rate determined each calendar quarter by the Railroad Retirement Board. See also § 31.3221-3.
(b)
(1) Computation. The employer tax is computed by multiplying the amount of the compensation with respect to which the employer 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 at the time the compensation is paid. For rules relating to the time of payment, 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, R's employee A received $1,000 as remuneration for services performed for R in 1989. The employer tax is payable at the rate of 23.75 percent (7.65 percent plus 16.10 percent) in effect for 1990 (the year the compensation was received) and not the 23.61 percent rate (7.51 percent plus 16.10 percent) in effect for 1989 (the year the services were performed).

[T.D. 8582, 59 FR 66190, Dec. 23, 1994]

Other regulations under § 3221

Cross-references

Computed from the citations in the text of 26 CFR.

Code sections it cites

Regulations it cites

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 66190)

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 Employers

Nearby sections