As Ben Franklin said, “Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Compliance with various federal and local labor laws is critical when processing payroll.
Payroll processing involves calculating employee wages, withholding and managing tax deductions and contributions, and issuing payments (cash, check, direct deposit) accurately on time. Read on to learn how to streamline this essential business function.
Gathering Employee Information
Payroll processing encompasses various activities, ensuring employees get paid on time and that organizations comply with labor laws. It includes tracking hours, calculating paychecks, filing taxes, distributing payments, and maintaining records. The process is complex and time-consuming, so many managers rely on a payroll company to handle the numbers. However, every manager needs to understand payroll processing to find the right solution for their needs.
The first step in the process is gathering employee information. This may include primary data like name, birth date, social security number, and contractual compensation details, such as pay rate and work hours. It’s best to use a standardized employee information form that asks all required questions to ensure you’re collecting all the necessary info.
Depending on your business type, you may also need to gather other relevant data. For example, if you offer health insurance benefits, payroll can involve deductions for medical and dental premiums and employer contributions to flexible spending or health savings accounts. Whether you manage these benefits yourself or outsource them to a third-party provider, keeping this information organized is vital for the success of your business.
Calculating Gross Salary
If you have hourly or salaried employees, determining their pay is a critical first step in payroll processing. For hourly employees, this involves calculating their number of hours worked during a pay period using their rate per hour plus any overtime wages (if applicable). If you have salaried employees, you multiply their annual salary by the number of pay periods in your company’s pay calendar.
You then add any additional earnings, such as bonus payments or reimbursements, to determine your employee’s gross pay. This is also the amount from which you will later subtract employee tax withholding and other deductions. The remaining amount is your employee’s net pay, the money they receive.
Once you’ve determined an employee’s gross pay, it’s time to calculate payroll taxes and deductions. This is where having the right payroll software or a good understanding of the process helps. To begin, you’ll need to know how many hours your employee worked during the pay period in question, which you can get from either a paper timecard or by implementing high-quality time and attendance software. Remember to include paid breaks, vacation, and sick days in the total hours worked. You’ll also need to understand the ins and outs of federal, state, and local employment-related taxes.
Deducting Taxes
As a small business owner, it’s essential to understand payroll taxes and deductions. These are the percentages employers withhold from employees’ paychecks to pay for federal and state income tax, Social Security and Medicare contributions, workers’ compensation insurance, health insurance premiums, 401(k) contributions, and other employer-sponsored benefits.
When you calculate your employee’s gross salary, it’s essential to subtract all of these deductions from their total. The remaining amount is their net pay or take-home pay. It’s also the amount you will use when submitting your business’s employment tax returns.
The tax amounts withheld will depend on each employee’s circumstances and wage and salary rates. Generally, you must withhold federal income tax, the matching half of FICA taxes from your employee’s wages, and state and local income tax, if applicable. You may also need to withhold employee matching health and life insurance contributions, wage garnishments, Roth IRA retirement contributions, and other post-tax obligations.
It’s essential to keep track of these deductions throughout the year so that you can submit them correctly and on time. Using cloud-based payroll software is one way to streamline this process, as it will automatically do the calculations for you. However, many small businesses process payroll manually to save money on third-party costs and better understand how payroll processing works.
Issuing Payments
Payroll processing is the process that ensures employees are compensated accurately and promptly for their work. It requires attention to detail and a thorough understanding of tax laws and employee deductions. In addition, it must be completed consistently and on time each payroll period. Failure to do so can result in fines and legal issues for the business.
Collecting Time and Attendance Data: Calculating Gross Wages, Deducting Taxes and Other Withholdings, Generating Pay Statements, Issuing Payments.
Once the final calculations are made, each employee’s net paycheck amounts (take-home pay) are determined. This information is then used to create employee pay stubs and paychecks, which can be distributed via direct deposit or physical checks. This step also includes ensuring proper taxes are withheld from each employee’s wages and making federal and state deposits and filings.
It is critical for businesses with employees working in multiple states to stay aware of the differences in state labor and tax regulations. Additionally, determining your schedule is essential to consider federal non-banking holidays’ impact on payroll processing timelines. A quality payroll service provider will be aware of these and other potential challenges to help you manage your time and budget effectively. They may also offer best practices to help you avoid costly mistakes and penalties.