Ehrlich co. began business on january 2, 20y8. salaries were paid to employees on the last day of each month, and social security tax, medicare tax, and federal income tax were withheld in the required amounts. an employee who is hired in the middle of the month receives half the monthly salary for that month. all required payroll tax reports were filed, and the correct amount of payroll taxes was remitted by the company for the calendar year. early in 20y9, before the wage and tax statements (form w-2) could be prepared for distribution to employees and for filing with the social security administration, the employees' earnings records were inadvertently destroyed.
none of the employees resigned or were discharged during the year, and there were no changes in salary rates. the social security tax was withheld at the rate of 6.0% and medicare tax at the rate of 1.5%. data on dates of employment, salary rates, and employees’ income taxes withheld, which are summarized as follows, were obtained from personnel records and payroll records:
employee date first
employed monthly
salary monthly income
tax withheld
arnett jan. 2 $3,800 $532
cruz oct. 1 5,200 936
edwards apr. 16 2,300 288
harvin nov. 1 2,100 263
nicks jan. 16 5,650 1,271
shiancoe dec. 1 3,300 512
ward feb. 1 6,800 1,462