Question

An employee receives an hourly rate of $15, with time and a half for all hours worked in excess of 40 during the week. Payroll data for the current week are as follows: hours worked, 46; federal income tax withheld, $120; all earnings are subject to social security tax; Social security tax rate, 6%; and Medicare tax rate, 1.5%; state unemployment tax, 5.4% on the first $7,000; federal unemployment tax, 0.8% on the first $7,000. Prepare the journal entry to record the salaries expense. If required, round your answers to two decimal places. If an amount box does not require an entry, leave it blank.

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

The journal entries are shown below:

On December 31

Salary Expense $735.00  

  To Federal Withholding Taxes Payable $120.00  

     To Social Security Taxes Payable 44.10 (735  × 6%)

     Medicare Taxes Payable 11.03 (735  × 1.5%)

     Salaries Payable 559.87

(Being salary expense is recorded)

Here the salaries expense is debited as it increased the expense and credited the payable account as it increased the liabilities account

Working note

Regular earnings 600 (40 × 15)  

Overtime earnings 135 (46 - 40) × 15 × 1.5  

Gross earnings 735