Timeline
When will this be released?
Release Date: 08/21/2025 from 05:00 – 06:00 pm PDT, PST.
Is there downtime for this release?
No.
Tax Updates
The latest round of tax updates from the Symmetry tax engine were released. They contain both updates from version R8, R8a and R8b.
Nebraska
Added new parameter to Nebraska SIT for the number of employees.
By default, the STE always accounted for the minimum 1.5% withholding amount of the employee's taxable wages.
Symmetry has confirmed that the STE should not apply this 1.5% minimum for employers with less than 25 employees. To support this, symmetry hasN added the following new miscellaneous parameter to Nebraska SIT: NUMBER_EMPLOYEES. When NUMBER_EMPLOYEES is greater than 25, the STE will calculate the same as before.
The following logic from the Nebraska Circular EN would previously always take place if the withholding didn't meet the 1.5% minimum, but now this will only happen if the withholding doesn't meet the minimum AND NUMBER_EMPLOYEES is 25 or more:
"If this calculation is less than 1.5% of the taxable wage amount, adjust the income tax withholding to be at least 50% or more of the income tax withholding for a single employee with one income tax withholding allowance, or for a married employee with two allowances." (The STE uses a value of 50%).
With STE-2025-R8b release, Symmetry has changed the default value to 25 employees. In practical terms, this means that if you do not set up this parameter, you will see the same results between the 2025-R8 and 2025-R8b releases.
Nebraska
New Mexico State Tax filing statuses updated
Since New Mexico uses the Federal W-4, Symmetry has updated the FILINGSTATUS values to align with the Federal W-4 for consistency. The New Mexico FILINGSTATUS miscellaneous parameter will now accept the following values:
- S: Single or Married filing separately
- M: Married filing jointly or Qualifying surviving spouse
- H: Head of household
While it will no longer be reported as an active value, FILINGSTATUS will still accept an input of MH ("Married but w/h at higher single rate") for employees with a pre-2020 Form W-4.
North Dakota
North Dakota State Tax filing statuses updated
Since North Dakota uses the Federal W-4, Symmetry has updated the FILINGSTATUS values to align with the Federal W-4 for consistency. The North Dakota FILINGSTATUS miscellaneous parameter will now accept the following values:
- S: Single or Married filing separately
- M: Married filing jointly or Qualifying surviving spouse
- H: Head of householdWhile it will no longer be reported as an active value, FILINGSTATUS will still accept an input of MH ("Married but w/h at higher single rate") for employees with a pre-2020 Form W-4.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania SUI wage type change
Symmetry has updated the wage type used for Pennsylvania SUI to align with the wages used for Pennsylvania Employer SUTA. These taxes go hand in hand (i.e., if you pay one, you pay the other) and they are taxed on the same wages.
In practical terms, this means the following:•Pennsylvania SUI will be calculated using SUTA gross wages, rather than regular and supplemental wages•The Pennsylvania SUI calculation results will be returned with the SUTA gross wage type, rather than the combined wage type
The PA_WAGES_ONLY miscellaneous parameter will be deprecated, as it will no longer be needed.
Pennsylvania EIT Updates
The following Earned Income Taxes (EITs) and Local Services Taxes (LSTs) have been updated effective July 1, 2025, per the latest updates to the Pennsylvania Real-Time Register on July 14, 2025.
- Venango Township, Penncrest School District
- The municipal non-resident EIT rate remains
- 1%•The municipal resident EIT rate increased from 0.05% to 0.5%
- The school district resident EIT rate remains 0.5%
- The total resident EIT rate increased from 0.55% to 1%
- The municipal low income exemption (LIE) amount remains $0•The school district low income exemption (LIE) amount remains $0
Pennsylvania LST Updates
- Conyngham Township, Greater Nanticoke Area School District
- The municipal LST amount remains $5
- The school district LST amount remains $5
- The total LST amount remains $10
- The municipal low income exemption (LIE) amount remains $0
- The school district low income exemption (LIE) amount increased from $0 to $4,000
- Nanticoke City, Greater Nanticoke Area School District
- The municipal LST amount remains $47
- The school district LST amount remains $5
- The total LST amount remains $52
- The municipal low income exemption (LIE) amount remains $12,000
- The school district low income exemption (LIE) amount increased from $0 to $4,000
- Newport Township, Greater Nanticoke Area School District
- The municipal LST amount remains $47
- The school district LST amount remains $5
- The total LST amount remains $52
- The municipal low income exemption (LIE) amount remains $12,000
- The school district low income exemption (LIE) amount increased from $0 to $4,000
- Plymouth Township, Greater Nanticoke Area School District
- The municipal LST amount remains $47
- The school district LST amount remains $5
- The total LST amount remains $52
- The municipal low income exemption (LIE) amount remains $12,000
- The school district low income exemption (LIE) amount increased from $0 to $4,000
Iowa
Iowa State Unemployment Tax updated
Effective January 1, 2026, the Iowa State Unemployment Tax wage base has decreased from $39,500 to $20,400.
Ohio
Canal Fulton City Tax now administered by RITA
Effective October 1, 2025, the Canal Fulton City Tax will be administered by RITA. The engine tracks whether an Ohio local tax is administered by RITA and uses this information in certain credit calculations. The tax rate remains 2%, the credit factor (tax credit) remains 100%, and the credit rate (credit limit) remains 2%.
New Jersey
Newark Employer Payroll Tax
Symmetry has corrected the reported tax limit for the Newark Employer Payroll Tax. Previously, the STE was displaying the tax limit as 3. It will now correctly be returned as 0, in alignment with other employer percent-of payroll taxes.Please note that this only affected the displayed rate, not any calculations.
U.S. Shapefile Updates
Ohio
Symmetry have updated the Fairfield Township JEDD shapefile according to the Fairfield Ohio JEDD website.
https://www.fairfield-city.org/270/Joint-Economic-Development-Districts-JED
Government Registration (IDGV)
Alabama
Delivered a new Govt Rate Type on the Government Registration (IDGV) to allow and override rate for PC 7110 Alabama Employment Security.
Appendix: Bugs Resolved
Functional
| Scenario When Issue Encountered | Issue ResolvedWhen |
|---|---|
| When a W‑2c is generated, any element that appeared on the original W‑2 but was subsequently removed (rather than adjusted) should be listed on the W‑2c under “Previously Reported.” Historically, if an element was on a prior W-2 run but was removed from the IDFDV (Define Legislative Form Variables) page, it would not show up on the W‑2c at all. The only time it appeared was when the element existed on both the original W‑2 and the W‑2c but with a changed amount. | With the latest changes, removing the element on the IDFDV page will now generate a W‑2c change. Example: An administrator set up Box 12 (W2-CODE-AA) in the IDFDV configuration for a Roth 401(k) pay code, which then populated Box 12 Code AA on finalized W‑2s for employees. Later, the administrator realized the entry was a mistake and removed Box 12 Code AA from the IDFDV setup. Before this update, running the W‑2c would not detect removing a Box 12 code as a correction. After these changes, running the W‑2c now recognizes this removal as a valid change that needs to be reported. |
| When you have a unique account for check and direct deposit on the Payrolls (IPPR) page, and you are using the Payroll Setup page and edit your Pay Schedule to override the ACH Interface code. When you navigate back to the Payrolls (IPPR) page and check the deposit accounts, the account of deposit was getting updated to the account which is present on the Payroll-Setup page. | After this change, If the changes are not done on the bank account section of the pay schedule screen then the accounts should not be updated on the Payroll (IPPR) page. |
| When you run Generate Timesheets (UEGTS) and Load Timesheets to Payroll (UPCTS) for an employee having two assignments. Then you run UPCALC. Next delete the generated Employee Pay Header. This action was reverting back the timesheet status to approved for only once assignment. | The Employee Pay Header Delete action now reverts back the timesheet to approved status for both assignments. |
| When employee PC codes are associated with themselves, it causes data issues with total compensation reports and Employees (IPEPDL) pay history records to be missing. | After this change the self associated pc codes will not break the screen UI (IPPH-Maintain Employee Pays temp screen), data should load despite not ideal data setup on PC code level. |
508(C) Compliance
| Screen(s) | Count of Bugs Resolved |