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Treasury Regulations · 26 CFR

§ 31.3401(a)(4)-1. Cash remuneration for service not in the course of employer's trade or business.

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. § 3401(a)(4)

Cite as 26 CFR § 31.3401(a)(4)-1

At a glance

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

Status
In the current eCFR
Source
T.D. 6516, 25 FR 13032, Dec. 20, 1960; 25 FR 14021, Dec. 31, 1960, unless otherwise noted.
Issued under
26 U.S.C. § 3401(a)(4)
Length
696 words · about 3 min to read
Defines
2 terms
Cross-references
cites 1 Code section and 2 regulations; cited by 2
(a) Cash remuneration paid for services not in the course of the employer's trade or business performed by an employee for an employer in a calendar quarter is excepted from wages and hence is not subject to withholding unless—
(1) The cash remuneration paid for such services performed by the employee for the employer in the calendar quarter is $50 or more; and
(2) Such employee is regularly employed in the calendar quarter by such employer to perform such services.

Unless the tests set forth in both paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section are met, cash remuneration for service not in the course of the employer's trade or business is excluded from wages. (For provisions relating to the exclusion from wages of remuneration paid in any medium other than cash for services not in the course of the employer's trade or business, see § 31.3401(a)(11)-1.)

(b) The term “services not in the course of the employer's trade or business” includes services that do not promote or advance the trade or business of the employer. As used in this section, the term does not include service not in the course of the employer's trade or business performed on a farm operated for profit or domestic service in a private home, local college club, or local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority. Accordingly, this exception does not apply with respect to remuneration which is excepted from wages under section 3401(a)(2) or section 3401(a)(3) (see §§ 31.3401(a)(2)-1 and 31.3401(a)(3)-1, respectively). Remuneration paid for service performed for a corporation does not come within the exception.
(c) The test relating to cash remuneration of $50 or more is based on the remuneration earned during a calendar quarter rather than on the remuneration paid in a calendar quarter. However, for purposes of determining whether the test is met, it is also required that the remuneration be paid, although it is immaterial when the remuneration is paid. Furthemore, in determining whether $50 or more has been paid for service not in the course of the employer's trade or business, only cash remuneration for such service shall be taken into account. The term “cash remuneration” includes checks and other monetary media of exchange. Remuneration paid in any other medium, such as lodging, food, or other goods or commodities, is disregarded in determining whether the cash-remuneration test is met.
(d) For purposes of this exception, an individual is deemed to be regularly employed by an employer during a calendar quarter only if—
(1) Such individual performs service not in the course of the employer's trade or business for such employer for some portion of the day on at least 24 days (whether or not consecutive) during such calendar quarter; or
(2) Such individual was regularly employed (as determined under paragraph (d)(1) of this section) by such employer in the performance of service not in the course of the employer's trade or business during the preceding calendar quarter.
(e) In determining whether an employee has performed service not in the course of the employer's trade or business on at least 24 days during a calendar quarter, there shall be counted as one day—
(1) Any day or portion thereof on which the employee actually performs such service; and
(2) Any day or portion thereof on which the employee does not perform service of the prescribed character but with respect to which cash remuneration is paid or payable to the employee for such service, such as a day on which the employee is sick or on vacation.

An employee who on a particular day reports for work and, at the direction of his employer, holds himself in readiness to perform service not in the course of the employer's trade or business shall be considered to be engaged in the actual performance of such service on that day. For purposes of this exception, a day is a continuous period of 24 hours commencing at midnight and ending at midnight.

Terms defined here

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Other regulations under § 3401

Cross-references

Computed from the citations in the text of 26 CFR.

Code sections it cites

Regulations it cites

Cited by 2 other regulations

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 E Collection of Income Tax at Source

Nearby sections