New employer tax credit for 2018 and 2019

The IRS announced that eligible employers who provide paid family and medical leave to their employees may qualify for a new business credit for tax years 2018 and 2019.

In addition, eligible employers who set up qualifying paid family leave programs or amend existing programs by Dec. 31, 2018, will be eligible to claim the employer credit for paid family and medical leave, retroactive to the beginning of the employer’s 2018 tax year, for qualifying leave already provided, the IRS said in a statement Sept. 24.

The credit was enacted by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

Only paid family and medical leave provided to employees whose prior-year compensation was at or below a certain amount qualify for the credit. Generally, for tax year 2018, the employee’s 2017 compensation from the employer must have been $72,000 or less.

The IRS announcement clarifies how to calculate the credit including the application of special rules and limitations.

Updates on the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act can be found on the Tax Reform page of IRS.gov