Bryan Camp has published his article, “Lesson From The Tax Court: Distinguishing Employees From Independent Contractors”, which discusses whether employers should classify their workers as as employees or independent contractors. The article begins as follows:
Pro Publica has proudly proclaimed that “If You’re Getting a W-2, You’re a Sucker.” I know lots of workers who would strongly disagree. For them, being a W-2 worker (a/k/a “employee”) is far more beneficial than their realistic alternative, which is being a 1099 worker (a/k/a “independent contractor”). The Pro-Publica story was channeling this Brookings Institution study which noted how business owners can often hide their income but workers cannot because their employers rat them out with W-2s.
But most workers have no realistic choice. Just ask your next Uber or Lyft driver. For them, as for many others in various industries—from child-care to health-care to landscaping and construction—the choice is not whether or not to hide income. Their choice is only whether their income gets reported to the IRS on a Form W-2 or a Form 1099. The upside of being an employee is lower employment taxes and eligibility for unemployment benefits. The potential downside is no §199A and no ability to deduct unreimbursed job expenses, given the current nastiness codified in §67(g).
And the choice of status is often on the employer. Employers must decide whether and when to treat their workers as employees or as independent contractors. Today’s lesson shows how they might be on the hook if they make the wrong classification. Pediatric Impressions Home Health, Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2022-35 (Apr. 12, 2022) (Judge Greaves), teaches us how Tax Court distinguishes employees from independent contracts. It also shows us a potential safe harbor that employers can use to escape the unpaid obligations if it turns out they erroneously classified employees as independent contractors. Details below the fold.
To see the full article, click: “Lesson From The Tax Court: Distinguishing Employees From Independent Contractors”
Posted by Mallory Wentz, Associate Editor, Wealth Strategies Journal.
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