East Texas
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2010
- Messages
- 746
A friend of mine recently signed up for social security benefits using the online SSA system. He told me the amount of his check and when I asked him if the amount was gross or net (of taxes) he had the proverbial deer in the headlights look (apologies to you non-Texans for the phrase). He wasn't aware federal withholding is NOT automatic with SSA. He said he didn't see any place to select federal tax withholding as a part of the online documentation process. Now he has to print, complete, and mail Form W-4V to have federal taxes withheld. That doesn't sound very paperless to me.
Does anyone know the rationale behind the SSA not having a federal tax withholding selection as a part of their online system? Printing and mailing a hard copy seems to be diametrically opposed the government pushing a paperless system. I realize a few decades ago most people might not have needed federal withholding due to their income level; however, I think now the majority of people will have their social security taxed. It just makes more sense to handle the federal tax selection during the initial sign-up process.
I'd rather drive to the nearest social security office and sit in front of an agent to process my retirement and the federal withholding all at one time.
What am I missing?
Does anyone know the rationale behind the SSA not having a federal tax withholding selection as a part of their online system? Printing and mailing a hard copy seems to be diametrically opposed the government pushing a paperless system. I realize a few decades ago most people might not have needed federal withholding due to their income level; however, I think now the majority of people will have their social security taxed. It just makes more sense to handle the federal tax selection during the initial sign-up process.
I'd rather drive to the nearest social security office and sit in front of an agent to process my retirement and the federal withholding all at one time.
What am I missing?