A payroll tax is a percentage of the employee’s wages, salaries, and tips withheld by the employer and paid to the government on behalf of the employee. For example, federal payroll taxes are deducted from the employee’s earnings and paid to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Payroll taxes are designated to fund specific government programs and income taxes are paid to the U.S. (or state) treasury for general expenses. For example, federal payroll taxes are deducted to fund Medicare and Social Security programs; are known as Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes; and are labeled as MedFICA and FICA on employee pay stubs. Payroll taxes are levied only up to a certain income level, and any income above that level is not subject to payroll taxes.

Although the employer is responsible for payment of payroll taxes, income tax is the employee’s responsibility. For federal income taxes the employer will typically withhold a percentage of the employee’s wages based on the federal withholding table and submit the funds withheld to the U.S. treasury—but it is the employee’s responsibility to pay any additional income tax due by the April 15 deadline—or to seek a refund if the amounts withheld by the employer are more than the employee owes. Most states and some cities and counties also impose income taxes—much of which may be withheld by the employer and paid to state, city, or county treasury.

Self-employed persons are also required to remit payroll taxes, and these are referred to as self-employment taxes.

In New Jersey, payroll taxes are amounts withheld from an employee's wages by the employer and are paid to the government. These taxes include federal payroll taxes, which fund Medicare and Social Security through the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and are noted as MedFICA and FICA on pay stubs. Payroll taxes have an income cap, beyond which earnings are not taxed. While employers handle the payment of payroll taxes, employees are responsible for their own income taxes. Employers withhold a portion of wages for federal income taxes based on federal withholding tables and submit this to the U.S. Treasury, but employees must ensure they pay any additional taxes due by April 15 or claim a refund if they've overpaid. New Jersey also imposes a state income tax, which employers may withhold and remit to the state treasury. Self-employed individuals in New Jersey must pay self-employment taxes, which serve a similar purpose to payroll taxes for employees.