The tables posted at www.irs.gov contain the percentage method formulas used by payroll
programmers. By week's end, the wage bracket method tables should be on the site. The IRS
expects to mail printed copies of Publication 15-T, containing all the tables, to employers
nationwide by the third week of June.
The tables reflect changes made by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act signed by
President Bush. Employers are requested to use the new tables as soon as they can work them
into their payroll systems. Barring unusual circumstances, they should implement them not later
than July 1, 2003.
The tables incorporate tax rate changes for most taxpayers and the higher standard deduction for
married couples.
The new law extended the 10 percent rate to cover the first $7,000 of taxable income for single
persons, $14,000 for married couples. It also lowered the tax rates above 15 percent to 25, 28, 33
and 35 percent. This is a drop of two percentage points for each rate except the top one, which
went down 3.6 points.
The new law also raised the standard deduction for married couples to $9,500 and extended their
15 percent tax rate to $56,800 of taxable income. Each figure is double the number for single
taxpayers. The changes reduce the "marriage penalty" -- the difference between the tax couples
pay and the amount they would have paid as two single persons.
The IRS also released information about the advance tax child credit. Beginning the last week of
July, eligible taxpayers who claimed the Child Tax Credit on their 2002 tax returns will
automatically receive an advance payment of the 2003 increase in this credit.