(a) In general.

(1) Every employer liable for tax under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act shall keep records of all remuneration, whether in cash or in a medium other than cash, paid to his employees after 1954 for services (other than agricultural labor which constitutes or is deemed to constitute employment, domestic service in a private home of the employer, or service not in the course of the employer's trade or business) performed for him after 1936. Such records shall show with respect to each employee receiving such remuneration—

(i) The name, address, and account number of the employee and such additional information with respect to the employee as is required by paragraph (c) of §31.6011(b)-2 when the employee does not advise the employer what his account number and name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security Administration.

(ii) The total amount and date of each payment of remuneration (including any sum withheld therefrom as tax or for any other reason) and the period of services covered by such payment.

(iii) The amount of each such remuneration payment which constitutes wages subject to tax. See §§31.3121(a)-1 to 31.3121(a)(12)-1, inclusive.

(iv) The amount of employee tax, or any amount equivalent to employee tax, collected with respect to such payment, and, if collected at a time other than the time such payment was made, the date collected. See paragraph (b) of §31.3102-1 for provisions relating to collection of amounts equivalent to employee tax.

(v) If the total remuneration payment (paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section) and the amount thereof which is taxable (paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section) are not equal, the reason therefor.

(2) Every employer shall keep records of the details of each adjustment or settlement of taxes under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act made pursuant to the regulations in this part. The employer shall keep as a part of his records a copy of each statement furnished pursuant to paragraph (c) of §31.6011(a)-1.

(3) Every employer shall keep records of all remuneration in the form of tips received by his employees after 1965 in the course of their employment and reported to him pursuant to section 6053(a). The employer shall keep as part of his records employee statements of tips furnished him pursuant to section 6053(a) (unless the information disclosed by such statements is recorded on another document retained by the employer pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section) and copies of employer statements furnished employees pursuant to section 6053(b).

(b) Agricultural labor, domestic service, and service not in the course of employer's trade or business.

(1) Every employer who pays cash remuneration after 1954 for the performance for him after 1950 of agricultural labor which constitutes or is deemed to constitute employment, of domestic service in a private home of the employer not on a farm operated for profit, or of service not in the course of his trade or business shall keep records of all such cash remuneration with respect to which he incurs, or expects to incur, liability for the taxes imposed by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, or with respect to which amounts equivalent to employee tax are deducted pursuant to section 3102(a). See §§31.3101-3, 31.3111-3, and 31.3121(a)-2 for provisions relating, respectively, to the liability for employee tax which is incurred when wages are received, the liability for employer tax which is incurred when wages are paid, and the time when wages are paid and received. Such records shall show with respect to each employee receiving such cash remuneration—

(i) The name of the employee.

(ii) The account number of each employee to whom wages for such services are paid within the meaning of §31.3121(a)-2, and such additional information as is required by paragraph (c) of §31.6011(b)-2 when the employee does not advise the employer what his account number and name are as shown on an account number card issued to the employee by the Social Security Administration.

(iii) The amount of such cash remuneration paid to the employee (including any sum withheld therefrom as tax or for any other reason) for agricultural labor which constitutes or is deemed to constitute employment, for domestic service in a private home of the employer not on a farm operated for profit, or for service not in the course of the employer's trade or business; the calendar month in which such cash remuneration was paid; and the character of the services for which such cash remuneration was paid. When the employer incurs liability for the taxes imposed by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act with respect to any such cash remuneration which he did not previously expect would be subject to the taxes, the amount of any such cash remuneration not previously made a matter of record shall be determined by the employer to the best of his knowledge and belief.

(iv) The amount of employee tax, or any amount equivalent to employee tax, collected with respect to such cash remuneration and the calendar month in which collected. See paragraph (b) of §31.3102-1 for provisions relating to collection of amounts equivalent to employee tax.

(v) To the extent material to a determination of tax liability, the number of days during each calendar year after 1956 on which agricultural labor which constitutes or is deemed to constitute employment is performed by the employee for cash remuneration computed on a time basis.

(2) Every person to whom a “crew leader”, as that term is defined in section 3121(i), furnishes individuals for the performance of agricultural labor after December 31, 1958, shall keep records of the name; permanent mailing address, or if none, present address; and identification number, if any, of such “crew leader”.

[T.D. 6516, 25 FR 13032, Dec. 20, 1960, as amended by T.D. 7001, 34 FR 1003, Jan. 23, 1969]