"The Supreme Court agreed on [October 1] to consider whether severance pay in an involuntary layoff can be subject to federal payroll taxes in a case the Obama administration says could affect $1 billion in refund claims. The administration asked the justices to hear the case after losing a dispute with agricultural retailer Quality Stores Inc.... The legal question is whether the company was required to pay the taxes under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, which helps finance federal retirement and healthcare benefits."  MORE >>