Payroll
is an area that is often confusing for many business owners. Often, this
confusion leads to problems with the IRS, resulting in various penalties and
interest charges.
That's
why all business owners need to consider a number of important issues regarding
payroll such as:
1-Who
is considered an employee and who is considered an independent contractor?
2-Should
I do my own payroll or outsource it to a third party?
3-As
the owner of the business, what is my employment status and how do I pay
myself?
4-What
are the consequences of hiring a spouse or children?
5-What
fringe benefits can I offer my employees?
6-What
federal and state payroll tax returns need to be filed and when are their due
dates.
7-What
are the rules to make federal payroll tax deposits with the IRS.
8-What
safeguards and procedures should I follow if I outsource payroll to a third
party?
9-What
flexibility do I have regarding payroll in general?
10-What
paperwork do I need to obtain when hiring employees.
11-What
payroll records do I need to keep and for how long.
IRS
Publications 15, 15-A, and 15-B cover federal payroll issues and are free by
calling the IRS at
1-800-829-3676.
When
it comes to payroll, you want to be sure everything is property done, on time,
every time.
Remember, payroll not only
impacts your business and taxes, it also impacts your employee’s taxes as well.
This article was written by Donald M. Scherzi, CPA, CFP, LLC
Mike Lupo,
SCORE Counselor