Do you need to withhold money from employee wages beyond taxes (e.g., garnishments or benefits)? Then you might be wondering when exactly you deduct the employee’s contributions (before or after taxes). Well, it depends. For accurate withholding, understand what are pre-tax deductions.
Read More A Look at Qualified Pre-tax Deductions
Payroll isn’t as easy as handing checks to employees for the amount of time they worked. You also need to subtract deductions from payroll. Deductions include taxes, pre-tax deductions, and post-tax deductions from payroll.
Read More What Are Post-tax Deductions from Payroll?
As an employer, it’s your responsibility to collect, file, and deposit payroll taxes with the proper agencies (e.g., IRS). Depending on your payroll and tax liability amount, you may need to deposit taxes more frequently. If you tend to have a heftier payroll, you need to learn about the Next-Day Deposit Rule.
Read More Do You Have to Follow the IRS Next-Day Deposit Rule?
Running a business means meeting a lot of government requirements and following a number of laws. One of the first things to do when starting your business is apply for an FEIN. But, what is an FEIN? And, do you have to have one? Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and more.
Read More What Is an FEIN? What to Know When Starting a New Business
Collecting, reporting, and remitting payroll taxes are some of your key responsibilities when you have employees. And if you forget or downright neglect your responsibility, your small business could receive a penalty for not paying payroll taxes.
Read More What Happens If Payroll Taxes Are Filed or Paid Late?
You must withhold the right amount of taxes on employee wages when paying employees. But what if you need to pay an independent contractor? To keep tax information straight between independent contractors and employees, you need to know the difference between Form W-9 vs. W-4. Read on for the scoop.
Read More Form W-9 vs. W-4: What Are the Right Forms for Employees and Contractors?
Hired your first employee? Check. Set a start date? Check. Ready to process payroll? Not quite yet. Before you can start paying your employees, there are a few steps you need to know and some terms to learn. This handy payroll 101 guide explains how to set up payroll the right way so you can […]
Read More How to Set up Payroll for a Small Business
Key Takeaways − Tax laws change constantly, and payroll is usually the first place you feel it. You do not need to track every new rule yourself; your payroll system should do the heavy lifting. Future-proofing payroll means automating tax calculations, staying updated through your software, tightening your data, and standardizing processes. Patriot’s payroll software […]
Read More How to Future-proof Your Small Business Payroll Before Tax Laws Change (Again)
Key Takeaways − Desktop payroll looks cheap upfront, but maintenance, upgrades, and IT support add up fast. Hidden costs include hardware, backups, security, patches, and time spent installing updates. Cloud-based payroll shifts work off your plate: updates, backups, and security are handled for you. If you’re spending too much time “babysitting” payroll software, it may […]
Read More Hidden Costs of Desktop Payroll Software: Maintenance and Upgrades
Key Takeaways − Cloud payroll stores your data on secure, remote servers you access via the internet. Desktop payroll stores data on your own computer(s). Cloud vendors typically provide encryption, backups, and automatic updates. Desktop gives you physical control, but you’re also responsible for backups, updates, and security. Most small businesses today opt for cloud […]
Read More Security Showdown: Cloud Payroll vs. Desktop Software