what are the advantages and disadvantages to the payroll tax?

Answer 1

Advantages? People blindly pay income taxes without realizing how much they actually pay.
Disadvantage? Same as advantage. If people had to write a check for their taxes monthly or quarterly to the IRS, there would be an instant revolution in this country. The only real solution to the tax problem is the FAIR TAX as it is fair to everyone. There would be no discrimination for or against the poor or the rich.. Stop the so called earned income provision as it is a give away program. Stop congress and senate from getting their income for life once they have been elected to office. Make each expenditure of our tax money stand on its own behalf and STOP adding hidden programs into bills that wont stand on their own. Make tax cuts permanant as it puts people to work.

Answer 2

The advantage is that workers only have to pay half of their SS and Medicare taxes; employers pay the rest.

The disadvantage, if you want to call it that, is that it increases employers' costs