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Payroll

How should we calculate withholding on executive bonuses?

06/13/2013
Question: What are the tax guidelines for executive bonuses payments? I need to calculate the withholding on them manually.

IRS issues more guidance, FAQs on VCSP

06/11/2013
Under the IRS’ Voluntary Classification Settlement Program, you can voluntarily reclassify independent contractors as employees for future tax periods on favorable tax terms: you’ll be liable for just over 10% of the wages paid to those reclassified workers for the past year and no penalties or interest will be due. Recently updated FAQs shed more light on this program.

Payroll takes a star turn in the Lone Star State

06/09/2013
Anita Bartels, senior program analyst for employment tax policy at the IRS, spoke about the IRS’ latest initiatives to attendees at the American Payroll Association’s 31st Annual Congress, held this year in Grapevine, Texas.

After tech ‘buyout’ what are our FICA/FUTA obligations?

06/08/2013
Q: We purchased some technology from another company and the deal included the transfer of some employees. Since we didn’t buy the entire company, can Payroll carry over their FICA and FUTA wages?

New pay on the way: Update on New York wage-and-hour law

06/07/2013
Get ready, New York ­employers. New developments will affect how and how much you pay your employees. The state minimum wage will soon increase and the NYSDOL has proposed new regulations on wage deductions.

­­­­­­­­L.I. diner owners face prison after serving up a side of fraud

06/07/2013
The owners of a Nassau County ­diner face up to four years in prison after a joint federal/state investigation found massive payroll and tax fraud at the restaurant. They pleaded guilty to several felony and misdemeanor counts alleging wage-and-hour violations and shady bookkeeping.

Math class is in: How to figure exempts’ first/last week of pay

06/07/2013
Employees who are exempt from the FLSA need only be paid a proportionate amount of their full, weekly salary for their first and last weeks of work if they begin or terminate employment work midweek. A federal trial court has ruled that employers have a great deal of discretion when figuring this proportionate amount.

Exempt employees and time clocks: How closely can we monitor their hours?

06/06/2013
Q. Can we use a time clock for exempt employees? If not, how can we have a record of their hours worked? 

Third-party authorizations on Form 941: Do they apply to one or all?

06/03/2013
Q: Does the authorization that appears in Part 4 of Form 941 apply only to the specific form being filed, or to all returns filed during the tax year? We want to determine if this section must be completed on each return, even if none of the information changes.

Third-party authorizations: What to know before you sign

06/03/2013

You can’t hire a third party, like a payroll service bureau, to handle your payroll unless you sign Form 8655, Reporting Agent Authorization. Along with that form, the reporting agent may also ask you to sign Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization. Caution: Don’t sign forms blindly.