GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE, Base -- In order to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, a Presidential Memorandum was issued Aug. 8, 2020 and guidance followed from Internal Revenue Service on Aug. 28, 2020, to temporarily defer Social Security (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)) tax withholdings. This change is effective through the end of the 2020 calendar year.
Military Members - Effective for the September mid-month pay, withholding of the 6.2 percent Social Security tax was deferred if your monthly rate of basic pay is less than $8,666.66. If your monthly rate of basic pay is at or above this threshold, your social security tax withholding was not be affected by the temporary deferral. Military members can use their August or prior leave and earnings statement as a good reference for their typical Social Security tax amount which can be found in the deduction section of the LES. The Social Security tax is generally calculated as 6.2 percent of basic pay for military members.
Civilian Employees - Effective pay period ending Sept. 12, 2020, DFAS temporarily deferred your 6.2 percent OASDI tax withholding if your wages, subject to OASDI are less than $4,000 in any given pay period. Employees can use the “Taxable Wages” on the LES as a good reference for whether they will have OASDI tax deferred.
The OASDI deduction is found on your LES under the deductions tab/section.
Military members are not eligible to opt-out of the deferral if their Social Security wages fall within the stated limits. The deferral will happen automatically.
Civilian employees are not eligible to opt-out of the deferral if their Social Security wages fall within the stated limits. The deferral will happen automatically.
For questions on the temporary deferral of the 6.2 percent OASDI withholding:
For more information on financial readiness:
Editor’s note: Information compiled from https://www.dfas.mil/taxes/Social-Security-Deferral/.