Employee Holiday Gifts May Be Taxable: Article Highlights:
De Minimis Benefits - In general, a de minimis benefit is one that, considering its value and the frequency with which it is provided, is so minor as to make accounting for it unreasonable or impractical. De minimis benefits are excluded from income under Internal Revenue Code section 132(a)(4) and include items not specifically excluded under other sections of the Code. Examples of de minimis benefits include such items as:
Whether an item or service is de minimis depends on all the facts and circumstances. In addition, if a benefit is too large to be considered de minimis, the entire value of the benefit is taxable to the employee, not just the excess over a designated de minimis amount. The IRS has ruled previously that items with a value exceeding $100 cannot be considered de minimis, even under unusual circumstances. Holiday Gifts - A gift of cash, regardless of the amount, is considered additional wages and subject to employment taxes (FICA) and withholding taxes. Caution: If the gift recipient is a W-2 employee, the employer may not issue them a Form 1099-NEC or a 1099-MISC for a holiday gift of cash; the amount must be treated as W-2 income. When an employer gives gift certificates, debit cards or similar items that are convertible to cash, the value is considered additional wages regardless of the amount. However, if the gift is a coupon that is nontransferable and convertible only into a turkey, ham, gift basket or the like at a particular establishment, the gift coupon is not treated as a cash equivalent. Holiday group meals, cocktail parties, picnics or similar events for employees are also treated as de minimis fringe benefits. If you have questions about the tax treatment of holiday gifts to employees, please give this office a call.
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