Article

FUTA

August 22, 2026 · Aditya Gupta

Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) tax funds federal unemployment insurance — paid solely by employers (not deducted from employee wages). 2026 FUTA rate: 6% on the first $7,000 of each employee's annual wages = $420/employee maximum. Most employers receive a 5.4% credit for paying state unemployment tax (SUTA), reducing effective FUTA to 0.6% = $42/employee. States with FUTA credit reductions (when state borrowed from federal trust fund) face higher rates. Sole proprietors don't pay FUTA on themselves. Form 940 reports annually. FUTA, alongside SUTA, funds unemployment compensation programs administered by states.

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