What occurs if a taxing authority views the Contractor as an employee for tax purposes?

When a taxing authority considers a contractor as an employee for tax purposes, this reclassification leads to different tax implications. Primarily, it means that the employer would need to withhold additional taxes from the payments made to the contractor, such as income tax and payroll taxes. As a result, the amounts that the contractor ultimately receives would likely be lower, as they may not account for these additional tax withholdings in the original agreement.

Furthermore, this reclassification can also trigger liability for the employer to pay employer-side taxes, such as Social Security and Medicare taxes, which are not typically required for independent contractors. This additional tax burden would necessitate an adjustment to the amounts payable under the agreement. Therefore, it directly impacts the payment structure and could lead to a reduction in the funds that the contractor takes home, aligning with the reasoning behind choosing the correct answer.