Author:

Mike Kappel

Mike Kappel, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Patriot Software, offers payroll advice from more than 30 years of experience to small business owners.

How Familiar Are You With Federal Legal Holidays?

By Mike Kappel

As a small business owner, your doors likely aren’t open 24/7. And if you’re like most businesses, you might be closed on federal legal holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average full-time employee receives approximately 7.6 paid holidays annually.

What Is Minimum Wage? Federal & State Rates for 2024

By Mike Kappel

Minimum wage law prevents employers from paying employees below a certain amount per hour. There is a federal minimum wage, but many states and localities set a higher wage for employers to follow. To ensure your business is compliant with labor laws, read on to learn what is minimum wage.

How to Correct a W-2 Form If You Make a Mistake (Amend Your W-2)

By Mike Kappel

Let’s face it: everybody makes mistakes. So, if you make a mistake on an employee’s Form W-2, don’t panic. Instead, learn how to correct a W-2 form and take action.

Types of Business Structures

By Mike Kappel

As a small business owner, one of the first decisions you make is deciding between the different types of business structures. But, choosing between business structures can be intimidating and confusing. Before you decide what business structure type to use for your small business, understand your options.

What Is Per Diem? How to Cover Employees’ Travel-related Business Expenses

By Mike Kappel

When employees incur travel-related business expenses, you might consider covering their costs. You can reimburse employees for expenses by giving them per diem pay. What is per diem pay?

Understanding Publication 1542 Per Diem Rates

By Mike Kappel

You might have heard about per diem pay before. But, are you familiar with Publication 1542? Learn more about Publication 1542 per diem rates and how to calculate per diem pay below.

What Is Filing Status, and How Does It Affect Payroll?

By Mike Kappel

Withholding federal income tax from employee wages is a necessary (but tricky) part of running payroll. There is no standard amount you withhold from employee wages for federal income taxes. Instead, tax amounts are determined by factors like pay, Form W-4 withholding information, and filing status. But, what is filing status?

What Is a Highly Compensated Employee?

By Mike Kappel

If your company offers retirement plan options, you have to ensure each employee can benefit equally from the plan. To do this, you must consider who is a highly compensated employee (HCE). Not familiar with highly compensated employees? No worries—we’ll go over the HCE definition, how to determine who is classified as a highly compensated […]

What Is Mileage Reimbursement, and How Does it Work?

By Mike Kappel

As a business owner, running errands is inevitable. But sometimes, you are too busy to make the run yourself. You might send an employee to pick up something or handle a task for you. If you find yourself counting on employees to use their personal cars for business, consider offering mileage reimbursement. So, what is […]