Author:

Rachel Blakely-Gray

Rachel Blakely-Gray has spent more than a decade writing about payroll, payroll taxes, and accounting for small business owners at Patriot Software. As Content Manager, she covers everything from multi-state payroll tax filing to 1099 reporting requirements, translating IRS and state regulations into plain English.

Employer-provided Childcare: Unlocking the Potential for Your Business

April 27, 2022

School closings. Remote schooling. Daycare labor shortages. COVID ushered in a new era of problems for parents requiring new solutions, like employees working flexible or fewer hours. Another solution that’s gained new ground? Employer-provided childcare benefits (aka a dependent care assistance plan).

Revolutionizing Bookkeeping: The Role of AI in Accounting

April 26, 2022

AI (artificial intelligence) has been a game-changer for everything from speech recognition to language translation and … accounting? Yes, AI in accounting continues to transform the process of bookkeeping. How so?

Owner using a calculator to calculate business interest.

Have a Business Interest Expense? You May Be Able to Deduct It

April 21, 2022

Take out a business loan or have a mortgage for your brick-and-mortar? You may cringe when you see your business interest expense add up. But here’s a bit of good news, there’s a business interest expense deduction you may be eligible to claim (hooray!).

Pay Card Laws by State and Regulations

April 20, 2022

As pay card usage picks up steam, you may consider using them in your small business. But before you decide to implement this payment method, you must understand pay card laws by state.

Can Employers Make Direct Deposit Mandatory?

April 19, 2022

Many employees (more than 93% of them) receive their wages via direct deposit. When you are deciding how to pay your employees, direct deposit likely comes to mind. However, not all employees want to receive their wages through direct deposit. Can you require mandatory direct deposit? Brush up on federal and mandatory direct deposit by […]

Hands on a laptop with piggy banks on the table.

Is Paid Family Leave Taxable?

April 19, 2022

State-mandated and voluntary paid family and medical leave is on the rise. A number of states (and D.C.) have implemented paid family leave (PFL) programs, and more than one in three employers offer this benefit. To avoid payroll mishaps, employers must be able to answer: Is paid family leave taxable?

Business vs. Hobby: Which Is It?

April 14, 2022

You’ve decided to start a business. Er … is it a hobby? How do you know if you’re making a little side money from a hobby or running a full-fledged business? Does it matter? Well, the IRS cares about whether you have a business vs. hobby, so you should, too.

Woman looking at a bookkeeping clean-up checklist.

A Comprehensive Bookkeeping Clean-Up Checklist: Master Your Books

April 7, 2022

Spring cleaning is a staple in households for a reason. Over time, things get pretty messy, especially when you’re busy. And in business, the same thing can happen to your accounting books. Do your books need tidying up? Use our bookkeeping clean-up checklist to get started.

Small Business Accounting Services: In-demand Services to Offer

April 6, 2022

Here’s the scoop. You’re putting together or updating your list of small business accounting services. Nobody knows your expertise and strengths better than you. But … is that enough? Not quite. You also need to know what services resonate with business owners (give the people what they want!). Read on for a list of accounting […]

Does PTO Accrue During FMLA?

March 16, 2022

Say you have a PTO (paid time off) accrual policy where employees earn hours throughout the year. One of your employees goes on maternity leave, a type of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)-covered leave. She’s gone for 12 weeks. Does PTO accrue during FMLA?