Sept. 11, 2020 DOD educates military service members, civilian employees on Social Security Payroll Tax Deferral In order to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, a Presidential Memorandum was issued Aug. 8, 2020, followed by Internal Revenue Service guidance issued Aug. 28, 2020, to temporarily defer the withholding of Social Security taxes for certain individuals beginning Sept. 1 through Dec. 31,