Northwestern University

Allowable fringe benefits consist of employer contributions, such as constributions to health plans, insurance plans, social security, and retirement plans. The fringe rate charged to the department on an employee’s earnings is not determined by the (ARC) account number used. This marks a change from the way fringe charges were calculated prior to the implementation of the labor accounting system. This means your company is paying an additional 25% on top of the base salary for the employee.

What is a good fringe benefit?

Some of the most common examples of fringe benefits are health insurance, workers' compensation, retirement plans, and family and medical leave. Less common fringe benefits might include paid vacation, meal subsidization, commuter benefits, and more.

As salaries and FB can represent the largest component of cost on a given project, the University negotiates its FB rates with the federal government on an annual basis. Rates are calculated for benefit eligible (full benefits) and benefit ineligible employees (FICA, Medicare and Workers’ Comp only). In addition, a Federal rate is calculated which is the same as the benefit eligible rate, excluding unallowable dependent tuition remission benefit expenses. The rate depends on how much you pay employees and how much an employee receives in benefits.

Fringe Rates

For more information about these rates, including a detailed breakdown by FB Component, please visit the Facilities & Administrative, Fringe Benefits, & Disclosure Statements page. Fringe benefit charges are not assessed on non-W-2 earnings, such as stipend payments and scholarship payments.

  • To get the employee’s annual wages, multiply the hourly rate by the number of weeks in a year (52) and the number of hours worked per week (40).
  • The fringe rate charged to the department on an employee’s earnings is not determined by the (ARC) account number used.
  • For more information about these rates, including a detailed breakdown by FB Component, please visit the Facilities & Administrative, Fringe Benefits, & Disclosure Statements page.
  • Prior year provisional fringe benefit rates remain in effect until DHHS-CAS approves the current fiscal year rates.
  • Check Composite Benefits Rate page for current Faculty Family-Friendly Childbearing/Childrearing benefit rate.
  • Because the university uses fringe benefit rates to assess benefits to sponsored projects, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) requires Rutgers to submit and negotiate an annual fringe benefit rate proposal.
  • Keep in mind that some fringe benefits are only nontaxable in certain situations.

UCSF policy is to use the most accurate benefit rates for budgeting on sponsored proposals. Keep in mind that some fringe benefits are only nontaxable in certain situations. And, some taxes could apply (e.g., some types of fringe benefits are only exempt from FICA tax). Next, multiply your total from above (0.25) by 100 to get your fringe benefit percentage. For a full list of fringe benefits, check out the IRS’s Fringe Benefit Guide and Publication 15-B.

Fringe Benefit Rates

The University’s fringe benefit rates are calculated by Financial Services annually and negotiated with the Department of Health and Human Services. This employee’s “hourly rate” including the fringe benefits cost would be $48.07. Although fringe benefits are typically taxable, some are nontaxable. Taxable fringe benefits can include personal use of a company car, bonus pay, and paid time off. Some nontaxable fringe benefits include group-term life insurance up to $50,000 and employee discounts. Fringe rates are based on the principle of allocating a group (ex Clinical Faculty, Non-Clinical Faculty, etc.) of employee’s total benefit cost over that group’s total salary base for a given fiscal year.

Fringe Benefits Rates

For example, if the total benefits paid were $25,000 and the wages paid were $100,000, then the fringe benefit rate would be 25%. Once both sets of rates are approved annually, implementation and application of the composite rate may begin. View a breakdown of the FY21, FY22, and FY23 proposed composite fringe benefit rates by component and our rate agreements. Because the university uses fringe benefit rates to assess benefits to sponsored projects, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) requires Rutgers to submit and negotiate an annual fringe benefit rate proposal. When finalized, the rates are appended to the university’s F&A Rate Agreement.

Offices & Departments

Rutgers’ composite fringe benefit rate is a hybrid of the benefit components detailed below. While the account code charged no longer determines the fringe rate, it is important to continue to use the correct combo-code when charging employee earnings in [email protected] (PAC). This will ensure that reporting and reconciliation with your budget remains consistent.

What is the fringe benefits rate at Northwestern University?

27.9% (provisional)

Rutgers develops and submits the fringe benefit rates annually to DHHS Cost Allocation Services (DHHS-CAS), our federal cognizant audit agency, for approval. Prior year provisional fringe benefit rates remain in effect until DHHS-CAS approves the current fiscal year rates. Once approved, the final negotiated fringe benefit rates become effective on July 1 of the fiscal year noted by the rate agreement. A fringe benefit rate is the proportion of benefits paid to the wages paid to an employee. The rate is calculated by adding together the annual cost of all benefits and payroll taxes paid, and dividing by the annual wages paid.

Although rates vary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average fringe benefit rate (aka benefit costs) is 30%. Employers can use a fringe benefit rate to examine the total cost of labor per employee. The fringe rate shows you how much an employee actually costs your business beyond their base wages. A fringe benefit rate is the percent of an https://kelleysbookkeeping.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-form-1096-and-its-due/ employee’s wages relative to the fringe benefits they receive. Calculate a fringe benefit rate by dividing the cost of an employee’s fringe benefits by the wages they receive. In order to recover these additional fringe benefit costs, the University applies a higher rate to salaries that are funded by sources other than government grants and contracts.

  • Employers can use a fringe benefit rate to examine the total cost of labor per employee.
  • The salary base includes the academic year salary plus summer appointment salary.
  • Rutgers’ composite fringe benefit rate is a hybrid of the benefit components detailed below.
  • Once both sets of rates are approved annually, implementation and application of the composite rate may begin.

The salary base includes the academic year salary plus summer appointment salary. This is based on the assumption that summer session salary is subject to FICA and is entitled to receive the full employer funded contribution to a retirement program. Generally the retirement contribution is 10% of gross salary and the FICA component is 7.65% of gross salary. This means your company is paying an additional 22% of the employee’s wages for this employee. Check out examples of calculating fringe benefits rates for salaried and hourly employees below.

Learn about Fringe Benefit Rates

The University is required to use the current federal fringe benefit rates (below) as the provisional rates for future years until DHHS amends the rate for all federal proposals. The University Budget Office sets the non-federal fringe benefit rate to be used for all non-federal proposals. No increments may be added to the current fringe rate for future years’ budgets. Divide the employee’s annual fringe benefits of $20,000 by their annual salary of $80,000. Our sponsors will reimburse us for fringe benefit costs, expressed as a percentage of total salaries.

Fringe Benefits Rates

To calculate an employee’s fringe benefit rate, add up the cost of an employee’s fringe benefits for the year (including payroll taxes paid) and divide it by the employee’s annual wages or salary. Then, multiply the total by 100 to get the fringe benefit rate percentage. To get the employee’s annual wages, multiply the hourly rate by the number of weeks in a year (52) and the number of hours worked per week (40). The CBR Fringe Benefits Rates is projected to escalate annually and benefit rates will be applied based on budget period start/end date (similar to indirect costs). Please note that the Faculty Family-Friendly Childbearing/Childrearing benefit is assessed separately and is added to the CBR to calculate total fringe benefits on all proposals. Check Composite Benefits Rate page for current Faculty Family-Friendly Childbearing/Childrearing benefit rate.

Use the following formula to calculate an employee’s fringe benefit rate. The fringe benefit rate can be used to examine the total cost of labor, especially when determining whether to outsource work or to shift a company location. Northwestern University applies distinct employee benefit rates in the compensation of its personnel. These rates are charged to sponsored projects from which Northwestern personnel are paid. For questions related to eligibility under any of the rate categories, see HR Benefit Eligibility.

  • These rates are charged to sponsored projects from which Northwestern personnel are paid.
  • Rates are calculated for benefit eligible (full benefits) and benefit ineligible employees (FICA, Medicare and Workers’ Comp only).
  • Then, multiply the total by 100 to get the fringe benefit rate percentage.
  • Our sponsors will reimburse us for fringe benefit costs, expressed as a percentage of total salaries.