When managing payroll for employees in different states, it's important to be aware of local and city payroll tax requirements. These taxes are in addition to federal and state taxes. Below is a guide for Payroll Managers
GoCo Embedded payroll makes it easy to stay compliant! As long as your employee's work and home locations are kept up to date, any requirements for local and city taxes will be communicated to you to provide account details.
Several states in the U.S. have local and city payroll taxes, where specific cities, municipalities, counties, or school districts impose taxes in addition to state and federal requirements. Here’s an overview of the states that have notable local payroll taxes:
⭐ Ohio
Ohio has extensive city and school district income taxes. Cities like Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, along with many smaller municipalities, levy local income taxes on both residents and non-residents working within their jurisdictions. Main local taxes are:
Municipal tax: The work location determines where municipal taxes must be paid.
Municipal taxes are collected by the city, a neighboring city (i.e. Columbus collects for neighboring city), or they can outsource their collections to a third-party collector (i.e. Regional Income Tax Agency or RITA, Central Collections Agency or CCA).
You can enter the employee's home address here to find which taxes they are subject to.
School district tax: The home location determines where the school district taxes must be paid.
Ohio tends to add new local school districts that assess taxes each year—look for the current year's list of School District Tax Rates. You can also enter the employee's home address here to find which taxes they are subject to.
Since school district taxes are required to be withheld by employers, our system will automatically determine what taxes are owed based on the employee's home address.
JEDD/JEDZ: These taxes are applied to those located in a specified area to fund economic development projects.
JEDDs and JEDZs are taxes imposed on those located in a specified area to fund specific economic development projects in that area, like building a new shopping center.
JEDDs and JEDZ are territorial areas created by contract between municipal corporations, townships, and counties to promote economic development.
We do not populate JEDD/JEDZ automatically (unlike other OH locals), so if they're liable for one of these taxes, contact support@goco.io to make this selection in the company location in order for GoCo's Embedded Payroll partner Gusto to collect. Once the specific tax is added, the rate will pull in from our system and deduct the tax for anyone linked to that address.
⭐ Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s local payroll tax structure includes the Earned Income Tax (EIT) and Local Services Tax (LST), levied by municipalities and school districts.
The EIT applies to most residents and non-residents working within the jurisdiction.
The LST is generally a small annual fee used to fund local services.
Pennsylvania has some specific rules around when the employer should collect and remit local taxes. Generally, the rule is that Employers with worksites located in Pennsylvania are required to withhold and remit the local Earned Income Tax (EIT) and Local Services Tax (LST) on behalf of their employees working in PA. Examples of business worksites include, but are not limited to: factories, warehouses, branches, offices and residences of home-based employees. If you have an employee who lives in PA, but commutes daily to another state for work, GoCo Embedded Payroll would not automatically calculate, debit and remit those PA Local taxes for your employee, but GoCo can set up Courtesy Withholding.
For more Details on PA Local Taxes visit PA Local Income Tax Requirements
⭐ New York
New York City imposes a local income tax on residents of the city, which employers need to consider in payroll processing.
Additionally, employers in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD), which includes New York City and surrounding counties, must pay a Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax (MCTMT).
⭐ Missouri
In Missouri, certain cities, including St. Louis and Kansas City, impose a local earnings tax on both residents and non-residents who work within the city limits.⭐ Kentucky
Kentucky has local payroll taxes (often called occupational license taxes or occupational taxes) imposed by counties and cities, including Louisville and Lexington. These are typically a percentage of wages earned within the locality.⭐ Michigan
Several Michigan cities, such as Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Flint, impose local income taxes on both residents and non-residents working within the city limits.⭐ Alabama
Some Alabama cities and counties, like Birmingham, impose occupational taxes, which are a form of local payroll tax for employees working within those areas.⭐ Colorado
Denver and some surrounding areas impose a Head Tax or Occupational Privilege Tax (OPT), which is a flat monthly tax per employee and is often shared between employees and employers.⭐ Oregon
In Multnomah County and Portland, the Preschool for All Program imposes a tax on higher-income residents.
The TriMet tax is a transit payroll tax in the Portland area, and there is also a Lane Transit District (LTD) payroll tax in Lane County, which includes Eugene.
⭐ Maryland
Maryland counties and the city of Baltimore impose local income taxes on residents. While it’s typically a part of state income tax filing, it affects payroll calculations for employees living in these areas.⭐ Indiana
Many Indiana counties impose a County Adjusted Gross Income Tax (CAGIT), County Option Income Tax (COIT), or County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT) on residents and sometimes non-residents who work within the county.⭐ Delaware
Wilmington has a city wage tax that applies to both residents and non-residents working within city limits.
For any additional questions, please reach out to us at support@goco.io 💚
Disclaimer:
This article is not to be taken as tax, legal, benefits, financial, or HR advice. Since rules and regulations change over time and can vary by location, consult a lawyer or HR expert for specific guidance.