With the shopping holiday known as Amazon Prime Day happening earlier this week, we dedicated this week’s reading list to the retail giant. From tech, to books, groceries and more, Amazon has no signs of slowing down. Because of it’s size and the way it has changed consumer habits, businesses all over are scared. When it comes to small businesses especially, people are afraid Amazon will destroy them. However, this is not the case, and in many ways Amazon is able to help small businesses grow. Check out the articles we gathered this week with some tips about what you can learn from Amazon and incorporate into your small business.

Stress is something we all deal with at some point. Everybody has different stress triggers and their own coping mechanisms for handling it. While stress can sometimes be positive as it gets you motivated, most of the time it’s damaging, and too much stress in your life can cause problems you wouldn’t even think about. This week we are talking about some ways stress can affect you, how to take a mental break from everything, and how changing your workspace can improve your health.

Choosing to bring a household employee into your home is an exciting process. From helping with your kids or ailing parents, to cleaning your house and mowing your yard, household employees can make your life simpler. However, not so simple? Paying your household employees. Often times, people believe that household employees can be paid under the table and consider it a win-win for all parties involved. Doing this is not only illegal, but can cost you big time if you are caught.

While there are a lot of great tips for running a small business, there unfortunately isn’t an overall manual to help you navigate the small business world. Because of this, you are bound to make mistakes, and that’s ok! Sometimes our best learning moments come from a mistake or a fail. However, with a little help, there are a few mistakes you can avoid. This week we have rounded up a variety you may encounter while running your business.

Growing your business can be extremely exciting, but also a bit scary. Some small business owners are content staying with their business as is, but others are looking to expand, whether that’s making a leap from a side hustle to a permanent gig, moving from a home office to a physical location, or introducing more product offerings. This week we are sharing some tips about business growth, such as knowing when you’re ready to embrace your job as a full time venture, how the gig economy can play a role in growth, and general tips.

As a small business owner, processing payroll is just one item on your to-do list, but ever-changing regulations and tax code updates can make it the most time-consuming task in a given week. These tax updates occur at the federal, state, and local levels, and depending on where your business is based and where your employees live, some small businesses have it tougher than others. We’re starting this monthly series to focus on state-specific tax considerations, to help you keep up with what’s changing around you.

Last month, we covered New York, and this month, the spotlight turns to Pennsylvania (PA). While this is by no means a comprehensive list of Pennsylvania tax and payroll regulations, we are highlighting a few key things to know.

As humans, our brains are hardwired to need social interaction. It’s a basic need like food and shelter. We know that being a small business owner can be challenging and overwhelming, which is why you need to make sure you have a support system in place. This week, we are focusing on the relationships that will help you thrive as a small business owner. Additionally, check out what other entrepreneurs have to say about how their friendships and work relationships help them succeed.

Hiring a household employee sounds easy enough: you advertise the position, interview candidates, and make a final selection based on your findings.

Here at SurePayroll, small business is our business. We are always working to create and share content that can help small business owners like you. Check back every Friday to get some light reading in before the weekend hits.

There is no law stating that you can only have one household employee. While most people have a nanny or a housekeeper, maybe a landscaper, some households have a combination of household employees to support their needs.

As a small business owner, processing payroll is just one item on your to-do list, but ever-changing regulations and tax code updates can make it the most time-consuming task in a given week. These tax updates occur at the federal, state, and local levels, and depending on where your business is based and where your employees live, some small businesses have it tougher than others. We’re starting this monthly series to focus on state-specific tax considerations, to help you keep up with what’s changing around you.

With temperatures rising (finally!), staying focused at your desk is likely proving a challenge. It’s the time of year to spend as much time outside as possible, whether that involves grilling out or picnicking, taking your runs from the treadmill to the greenway, or engaging in a seasonal sports league.

With tax season over, you probably don’t want to be thinking about anything to do with taxes for the rest of the year. Hopefully you were prepared and filing your taxes was a breeze. But many people procrastinate, don’t have a filing system for their business records, or realize they need professional help at the last minute. If you’ve been in any of these situations, you can get a jump start on next year and ensure a smoother filing process by taking the following steps.  

Most of you probably read this blog and think “I could really use more payroll tax content.” We kid.

Payroll mistakes can happen faster than you think, and are often expensive and time-consuming to fix. Using a payroll service is the first step toward minimizing financial risk and taking back control of your schedule—but not all payroll services are created equal.

Spring is the season that for many represents growth and new beginnings. People get excited to leave the snow and bitter cold from winter behind, and gear up for warmer days, fresh flowers, and the delightful sounds of birds chirping. Because of the energy of the spring season, it’s the perfect time to not only dig into some spring cleaning at home, but tackle your small business as well. We have some tips for the different ways you can spring clean your small business.

All business owners must withhold payroll taxes. It’s just a fact. You’re legally obligated to do it, so payroll taxes are something you really can’t afford to hide under the filing cabinet, risking fines and penalties.

As a small business owner, you probably already know that flexibility is key: you’re wearing many hats, juggling several competing priorities, and never know exactly what turn your day might take. But when you think of payroll, the last thing you probably think of is “flexibility.” And that’s true—to an extent: payroll laws are what they are and your employees need to get paid (and in many states, there are specific regulations around frequency and timing of pay).

You probably don’t expect to see the word “flexible” used to describe payroll options, because there’s nothing flexible about pay dates or tax filing requirements – those deadlines are firm.  And if you have ever had the experience of forgetting to run your payroll on time or dealing with a bungled tax payment, well, at that point, payroll can feel as flexible as granite.

2018 Taxes. Your favorite subject right?