Payroll Tax Insights & Tips

Insights

Insights to optimize your payroll product.

Guide

Multi-state Payroll

Read this guide

Payroll

Symmetry's 10 Tips For Building a Global Payroll Product

Symmetry presents the top 10 things you need to know about building an international payroll product.

Payroll

Understanding the SECURE 2.0 Act: What Does it Mean for Payroll Service Providers?

The SECURE 2.0 Act aims to improve retirement security for American workers by increasing access to retirement plans, adjusting the RMD rules, and encouraging companies to offer retirement plans to their employees.

FUTA’s Tentative Credit and Credit Reduction

Payroll

FUTA’s Tentative Credit and Credit Reduction

One of the federal taxes employers are obligated to pay is FUTA. When setting up the FUTA tax in the Symmetry Tax Engine, you can set the specific rate to be used by adding different parameters.

Payroll

Back to Basics: Paycheck Taxes

Manually calculating employee and employer paycheck taxes can be time-consuming and daunting. Symmetry Software provides the tools and expertise needed to avoid payroll mistakes.

Payroll

The Importance of Location Accuracy in Payroll

Location accuracy in payroll is crucial for many different reasons. If an employee is not set up correctly upon onboarding, employers can be fined, subject to audits, and have a stressful tax season with W-2s

Payroll

4 Common Payroll Problems the Symmetry Tax Engine Solves

Common payroll problems can be easily solved with the cutting-edge technology found in the Symmetry Tax Engine, the leader in payroll tech.

Louisiana Establishes Threshold for Nonresident Income Tax Withholding

Payroll

Louisiana Establishes Threshold for Nonresident Income Tax Withholding

Taking effect on January 1st, 2022, employers in the state of Louisiana will not be required to withhold Louisiana income tax from the wages earned by nonresident employees for services performed within Louisiana unless the nonresident employee spends more than 25 days performing employment duties for the employer in the state.

Unexpected Tax Consequences from Telecommuting

Payroll

Unexpected Tax Consequences from Telecommuting

During the pandemic, some states adopted special rules for telecommuters to ease the tax rules. As telecommuting may become more popular, it is essential to know that it can cause unexpected tax consequences for both the employee and the employer.

Payroll

Extended Due Date for Deferred Taxes

Employers who elected to defer their employees’ taxes were instructed to withhold and pay the deferred taxes during the beginning of the year. However, this period has recently been extended.

Payroll

Where Is My Second Stimulus Payment?

The IRS is diligently working on sending out the second stimulus payments of 2020 to eligible recipients. Find out where your stimulus payment is with these tools and resources.

A Retirement Savings Program for Oregon Residents

Payroll

A Retirement Savings Program for Oregon Residents

Whether it is through an employer offering or as an individual, any Oregon resident has access to a state provided retirement savings plan, OreganSaves. Of course, contributing to an OregonSaves Roth IRA has many benefits, as well as some consequences.

Improving the City with the JumpStart Seattle Plan

Payroll

Improving the City with the JumpStart Seattle Plan

Seattle's Payroll Expense Tax will begin on January 1, 2021, and continuing to December 31, 2040, applying rates ranging from 0.7% of payroll expenses up to 2.4% for companies with the highest payroll expenses. First reporting for employers will begin on December 31, 2023.

Payroll

The Memorandum on Deferring Payroll Tax Obligations

On August 8, 2020, President Trump signed the Memorandum on Deferring Payroll Tax Obligations to provide the American workforce with additional relief during COVID-19.

Withholding Taxes For Medical Professionals Crossing Borders

Payroll

Withholding Taxes For Medical Professionals Crossing Borders

As many medical professionals cross state lines to enter and help critical areas hit by COVID-19, payroll professionals can’t help but ask, “are they going to be hit with unexpected state income taxes?” On June 18, 2020, U.S. Senators John Thune and Sherrod Brown introduced S. 3995, the Remote and Mobile Worker Relief Act of 2020.

Payroll

The IRS is Not Immune to COVID-19

As IRS employees return to work, they are returning to piles of mail. As they send out notices that were printed before stay-at-home orders were set in place, taxpayers should be prepared.

A Sign of the Times: New York Income Taxes

Payroll

A Sign of the Times: New York Income Taxes

Non-resident income taxes are not the majority of income taxes in many states, however, others rely heavily on them.

Payroll

The IRS' New Tax Withholding Estimator

On August 6, 2019, the IRS launched a new Tax Withholding Estimator to help taxpayers determine the correct amount of tax that should be withheld from their paycheck this year. We must say this Estimator is a significant improvement compared to the previous one!

The Fed Board Delays the ACH Network’s New Proposal

Payroll

The Fed Board Delays the ACH Network’s New Proposal

Same-day ACH processing has been delayed to March 19, 2021.

Payroll

Oregon Releases New Payroll System

The State of Oregon Employment Department will be releasing the Oregon Payroll Reporting System later this year.

Payroll

Six Mistakes Small Businesses Make When It Comes to Payroll

Here are some of the most common payroll mistakes and techniques to avoid them.

Payroll

Unique Cases for Paycards

A paycard is a prepaid payroll card that acts like a debit card in lieu of traditional pay methods. Consider highlighting these ideas when presenting the option of paycards.

Payroll

Make Payroll Day Easier with These Nine Tips

The day you process payroll is stressful - but it doesn't have to be with these nine tips to make it easier.

Payroll

Capped Wages vs. Maximum Wage

Capped wages are a limit on a employee's salary enforced by the government, while maximum wage is a wage ceiling imposed on how much an employee can earn in a given pay cycle.

What Happens When You Pay an Employee Incorrectly

Payroll

What Happens When You Pay an Employee Incorrectly

Underpaying an employee can result in legal action by the employee, while an employer is entitled to regain wages after overpaying an employee.

What States Tax Social Security Benefits and More

Payroll

What States Tax Social Security Benefits and More

Social Security benefits are subject to taxes in certain states, and not subject to taxes in others.

How to Calculate Your Employee's Paychecks by Hand

Payroll

How to Calculate Your Employee's Paychecks by Hand

Manually calculating payroll is an option for some employers - especially small businesses - and involves easy math.

Why Location Accuracy is Important in Your Offering

Payroll

Why Location Accuracy is Important in Your Offering

Location accuracy improves compliance, preventing audits and saving you thousands of dollars every year and is achieved through geocoding processes.

Wage Bracket Method v Percentage Method for Withholding

Payroll

Wage Bracket Method v Percentage Method for Withholding

The most common methods to determine an employee's withholding from a paycheck are the wage bracket method and the percentage method - all based on what your employees enter on their W-4s.

Payroll

Busting Four Paycard Myths

Paycards are shrouded with rumors and myths, but they're not all true.

Payroll

Three Common Types Of Payroll Fraud

Payroll fraud is real and can happen in various forms, like employee misclassification, ghost employees, and timesheet fraud.

Payroll

What Is A Highly Compensated Employee?

A highly compensated employee is an employee who owns at least 5% of shares in a company and earns more than $100,000 per year.

Payroll

Year End Tips For Payroll Professionals

The end of the year for payroll professionals can be a crazy time, which is why it's best to be prepared.

How Minimum Wage Increases Affect Consumer

Payroll

How Minimum Wage Increases Affect Consumers

Minimum wage increases affect workers, but they also affect the costs of goods, which can harm some consumers.

Payroll

Taxable Wages vs Subject Wages

Taxable wages are all payments made to workers that are subject to local, state, and federal taxes while subject wages are deductions with special tax treatments.

Payroll

Inclement Weather and Its Impact on Payroll

When the weather is truly bad - major disaster level - payroll can be affected as offices and workers are turned away from work at weeks' time.

What Are Your State's Pay Day Frequency Requirements

Payroll

What Are Your State's Pay Day Frequency Requirements?

Forty-seven of the 50 states in America have a policy on pay day frequencies.

Payroll

Famous Payroll Blunders

Payroll mistakes happen and sometimes they're large - like payroll managers embezzling money or studios not paying their interns.

What Happens When You Enter Incorrect W-4 Information

Payroll

What Happens When You Enter Incorrect W-4 Information

Errors on a W-4 can lead to under or overwithholding, which can be problematic for the payroll department.

Payroll

The History of Payroll Tax [Infographic]

The history of the payroll tax dates back to the Revenue Act of 1861. Payroll taxes continue to evolve today.

Payroll

Gross Income Defined

For workers, gross income is all their wages before taxes are taken out. For businesses, gross income the amount of revenues that exceed the costs of goods sold.

Payroll

Eight Common Payroll Errors Companies Make

Payroll mistakes, such as not issuing 1099s to vendors, misclassifying employees, and not running payroll on time happen to everyone.

Payroll

Eleven Steps to Setting Up Your Payroll

Starting a new business means setting up payroll - here are the steps you need to take in order to have a successful operation.

The Breakdown of Local and State Ohio Taxes

Payroll

The Breakdown of Local and State Ohio Taxes

Ohio has some of the most complicated local taxes in the country - including JEDD, JEDz, and more.

Payroll

How to Pay Interim Employees

Paying interim employees, either exempt or nonexempt can be complicated.

Payroll

A Deeper Look At Reciprocity Agreements

A deeper look at reciprocity agreements will illustrate just how complicated payroll taxes can be for tax professionals.

Payroll

The Growing Popularity of Prepaid Payroll Cards

Prepaid payroll cards, the new substitute to direct deposit and paper checks, are not only reaching a larger range of employees, but also saving businesses and banks large sums of money.

Payroll

Top Earning (And Top Taxed) Athletes

For athletes across the world, the more salary and endorsements, the bigger the tax liabilities.

Payroll

What The Biggest Payroll Means For The Cleveland Cavaliers and The City

After payroll and other expenses, the team collected a total revenue of $233 million in the 2016 season. With the largest payroll in the league, comes some of the most impressive salaries, as well.

Payroll

What are the FPC and CPP?

There are two credentials a professional can earn to advance their careers through the American Payroll Association (APA) - the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) and the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification.

Payroll

Invalid and Questionable W-4s

Invalid and questionable W-4s can cause costly problems for employers.