Congress has announced that the 0.2% FUTA surcharge will not be extended beyond June 30, 2011. Employers have been required to pay a flat rate of 6.2% on the first $7,000.00 of each employee’s annual wages for FUTA. The 6.2% FUTA rate included a temporary 0.2% surcharge that was first added in the 1970’s. The FUTA rate will be reduced from 6.2% to 6.0% effective July 1, 2011. Employers will still receive the 5.4% credit for paying state unemployment on time, reducing the FUTA rate to .6% on wages paid up to the annual FUTA limit of $7,000.00.

The IRS is currently revising Form 940 (Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return) to accommodate the two different FUTA rates for calendar year 2011.