From the moment a company starts hiring employees, it must decide what payroll schedule to follow. While this may sound like an easy decision, there are many options to consider.

As you attempt to settle on a particular payroll schedule, you will find that there are multiple options – some of which are going to be better for your business than others.

Small business owners often spend a lot of time developing and utilizing the payroll schedule. While most owners aren’t payroll experts, a flawless schedule is critical. When payroll mistakes happen, employees may get shortchanged or paid late. This can really hurt morale and cause employees to question your competence. If you’ve never created a payroll schedule before, here’s how to start and get it right from the first paycheck.

Employees who travel a lot for business – executives and owners – are juicy targets for an auditor. The IRS is cracking down on expense reports and determining that some reimbursements you receive may be taxable.

With the fall season closing in, it won’t be long before the end of the year is here. Rather than save all tax related questions, concerns, and responsibilities for December and January, now is the time to review your situation.

What event made payroll more recognizable to us in 2010 than anything in 20th century history? Go ahead and take a guess.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued their Final Overtime Rule that will become effective on December 1, 2016. ​

For many employees, payday is up there with Christmas and birthdays — but even better since it comes around more than once a year. For employers, on the other hand, payday can be a never-ending and sometimes pretty stressful responsibility. While payroll services and software are readily available, employers may still have to devote a good chunk of time and grit to comply with both employment and tax laws to make sure payroll flows smoothly each pay period. Thankfully, there are some general guidelines to follow when it comes to basic payroll calculations.

In the Wild West, Jose Estrada, paymaster for a mining copy in California, wasn’t just cutting checks in the frontier. In 1821, he received what many scholars believe to be the first polio vaccination in the America. All in a day’s work for an exploratory paymaster.

A pope opposed slavery. A kite, a key, and a forefather proved lightning is electricity. A revolution in France sparked the best of times and the worst of times. A new nation was born in Independence Hall and forged in a battle that pitted democracy against monarchy.

Tax season may be many months away, but before you know it the calendar will turn and April 15th will be staring you in the face.

Many taxpayers lump together penalties and interest, thinking that they are the same thing. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

As a small employer, your company may be eligible for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. With this tax credit, saving money is a real possibility. Here is an example shared by the IRS:

When setting up your payroll, another decision you have to make is paying employees as often as weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly or monthly. Your choice has ramifications for your accounting department — and for your employees.

In the business world, employee compensation has never been as simple as paying a standard salary or hourly wage. There always have been extra compensation, commonly known as fringe benefits, in addition to your regular payroll.

As a business owner, questions related to payroll are sure to move to the forefront from time to time. While some owners opt to handle this task in-house, others understand the benefits of hiring a professional.

As the saying goes: There are two sides to every coin. This statement is particularly meaningful in the discussion of payroll software. On one side of the coin, payroll software provides a number of benefits to businesses, such as greater efficiency and a reduction in the likelihood of errors – this is a good thing, since a handful of particular errors can lead to hefty fines from Uncle Sam.

Payroll processing may not be the most glamorous aspect of a business, but it’s a complex and extremely necessary element of a successful operation. Because payroll has a specific level of importance within a company – large or small – a certain amount of respect is in order regarding the intricacies involved.

With the growth of online payroll services, it is easier than ever for small businesses to avoid mistakes. Even though you may have the best technology in place, it doesn’t mean you are completely out of the woods. Regardless of your company size or industry, there are steps you must take to avoid mistakes and ensure that your payroll is 100 percent accurate.

Payroll is a task every small business owner has to deal with, one way or the other. It’s often a tedious burden and the complexity of it sometimes leads to mistakes. In talking to our customers, we’ve learned a lot about the challenges people face both doing payroll themselves and working with other payroll providers.