The Employer's Payroll Question and Answer Book (2012)

Once upon a time payroll was pretty simple. Figure each employee's gross pay, subtract federal, state, local taxes and a couple of other deductions and write a check for the difference. Nothing stays simple for long though -- pretty soon along came direct deposit, 401(k) plans, cafeteria plans, vehicle allowances, the Earned Income Tax Credit, garnishments, third party sick pay, paycards, and a raft of other complications. For many small companies payroll went from taking an hour or so each pay period to a process that can consume a whole day or more. And that's just to produce the paychecks -- there are usually various files to be written and reports to be filled out as well. In short, payroll can be a very confusing, time-consuming task. For a new employer it can be frustrating just figuring out how to get started; and even employers who've been at it for a while can run into problems when new situations arise or payroll laws change.The purpose of this book is to give a quick overview of what every employer needs to know about payroll. It provides simple, easy to understand answers to a good many of the most frequently asked payroll questions, along with references to other sources if you need more detailed information.