Kentucky · 2026 planning data
Kentucky SUTA rate and employer cost for 2026
Kentucky's sourced 2026 unemployment-insurance model uses a taxable wage base of $12,000 per employee and a 2.70% standard new-employer rate. The assigned rate can differ after an acquisition, experience rating, industry classification, or state assessment.
How the Kentucky SUTA line is estimated
State unemployment tax applies only up to the annual UI wage base for each employee. For an employee earning at least $12,000, the planning calculation is:
min(UI-taxable wages, $12,000) × 2.70% = up to $324The standard sourced new-employer rate in the EmployerCost model is 2.70%. A transferred experience account, special industry rule, assessment, or employer notice can produce a different total.
What changes the real employer cost
- Kentucky confirms Rate Schedule A and a $12,000 wage base for 2026; the standard new-employer rate is 2.70%.
- The experienced range is 0.30% to 9.00%. New contract-construction employers use the Schedule A maximum of 9.00%.
- Employer Social Security, Medicare, and FUTA remain separate federal cost lines.
- Workers compensation depends on class code, carrier, payroll exposure, and employer history.
- Health benefits, retirement contributions, payroll software, and HR administration depend on the employer's choices.
Use the calculator's custom SUTA field whenever an official notice supplies a different rate. Read the SUTA rate guide and employer payroll tax guide before relying on a planning result.
Kentucky employer cost questions
What is the Kentucky SUTA wage base for 2026?
The sourced taxable wage base used by EmployerCost is $12,000 per employee. Wages above that cap are not included in this SUTA line, but can still affect Social Security, Medicare, benefits, workers compensation, and other costs.
What rate should a new Kentucky employer use?
The standard sourced new-employer rate in the EmployerCost model is 2.70%. A transferred experience account, special industry rule, assessment, or employer notice can produce a different total.
Is SUTA the full cost of a Kentucky employee?
No. Start with salary, then add employer FICA, FUTA, SUTA, workers compensation, benefits, and payroll administration. The Kentucky calculator keeps uncertain items as ranges.
Official sources
- Kentucky OUI 2026 Schedule A and employer guidance
- U.S. Department of Labor — Significant Provisions of State UI Laws, effective January 2026
Verified against official sources July 30, 2026.
General planning information only. Not payroll, tax, legal, insurance, or HR compliance advice.