What is Tax Gross-Up?
Additional compensation provided to cover the tax liability created when an employer pays taxes on behalf of an employee.
Definition
A tax gross-up is the additional amount an employer pays to cover the tax created when employer-paid benefits (such as relocation expenses or employer-paid taxes under equalization) are treated as taxable income. When an employer pays $10,000 of taxes on your behalf, that $10,000 is itself taxable income, creating additional tax, which requires another gross-up, and so on. The gross-up calculation iterates until the employee is made whole, which can significantly increase the employer's cost.
Who Needs to Know This?
Internationally assigned employees whose employers pay taxes on their behalf, or employees receiving taxable relocation benefits with gross-up provisions.
Key Deadline
Calculated and processed by employer during tax equalization settlement
Potential Penalties
N/A - employer calculation
Related Forms
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- 1Not understanding that gross-up income is itself taxable
- 2Employers not iterating the gross-up calculation fully
- 3Not including gross-up amounts on the tax return
- 4Confusing gross-up with tax reimbursement
Related Terms
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