144 tagged with "Payroll"
Payroll management, processing, and compliance for businesses of all sizes
Section 45S Paid Leave Credit: A 2026 Guide for Small Employers After OBBBA
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the Section 45S paid family and medical leave credit permanent, lowered the eligibility threshold to six months, and added a premium-based method that lets small employers claim 12.5%–25% of PFML insurance premiums even when no leave is taken.
QSEHRA vs. ICHRA in 2026: How Small Employers Without a Group Plan Can Reimburse Workers for Individual Health Insurance—Tax-Free
For 2026, QSEHRA caps tax-free reimbursements at $6,450 self-only and $13,100 family for employers under 50 FTEs, while ICHRA has no IRS cap and lets any-size employer vary contributions across 11 federal employee classes—provided the 9.96% affordability test, MEC requirement, and 90-day notice are all met.
Schedule H and the Nanny Tax: A Practical Guide for Household Employers in 2026
How household employers handle the 2026 nanny tax — $3,000 FICA and $1,000 quarterly FUTA thresholds, EIN setup, W-2 reporting, Schedule H filing, state SUI, and the 1099 misclassification trap that triggers back taxes with no statute of limitations.
Section 45B FICA Tip Credit: How Restaurants and Salons Recover Employer Payroll Tax with Form 8846
The Section 45B FICA Tip Credit returns 7.65% of employer payroll tax on reported tips above a frozen $5.15/hour floor for restaurants — and after OBBBA's 2025 expansion, salons, spas, and other personal-care employers can claim it on Form 8846 too.
State-by-State Pay Transparency Laws in 2026: A Compliance Guide for Multi-State Employers
Seventeen states plus D.C. now require salary ranges in job postings, with thresholds and penalties that vary enough for one nationwide ad to violate three statutes. A field guide to the 2026 patchwork, the remote-posting traps, and how multi-state employers turn compliance into routine operating discipline.
ICHRA Explained: How Small Businesses Reimburse Employees Tax-Free for Health Insurance in 2026
An Individual Coverage HRA lets small employers reimburse workers tax-free for individual ACA plans with no contribution cap, 11 employee classes, and a 9.96% affordability threshold for 2026. Here is how the mechanics, tax treatment, bookkeeping, and 90-day rollout actually work.
Section 530 Safe Harbor: How Small Businesses Can Defend Worker Classifications
Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 eliminates back federal employment taxes on misclassified contractors when small businesses pass three tests — reporting consistency, substantive consistency, and reasonable basis. Revenue Procedure 2025-10 updated the rules in January 2025, the first major change in 40 years.
Small Business Taxes 2026: A Complete Obligations Guide for New Business Owners
A 2026 walkthrough of every small business tax obligation—federal income, self-employment, payroll, sales, and excise—with the full filing calendar, quarterly estimated tax safe harbors, OBBBA-era changes (permanent QBI, $1.21M Section 179, restored 100% bonus depreciation), and the recordkeeping habits that prevent penalties.
Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (IRC 6672): Personal Liability for Unpaid Payroll Taxes
How the IRS uses Internal Revenue Code Section 6672 to hold business owners, officers, bookkeepers, and even spouses personally liable for 100% of unpaid payroll withholdings — covering who qualifies as a responsible person, how willfulness is established, and how to defend a Letter 1153 within the 60-day appeal window.
Independent Contractor Misclassification: The 2024 DOL Six-Factor Test and How to Stay Compliant
Total exposure per misclassified worker now commonly lands between $15,000 and $100,000 once federal back taxes, FLSA back wages with liquidated damages, and state penalties stack. Here is what the 2024 DOL final rule changed, how the IRS and state ABC tests differ, and how Section 530 and the VCSP can cap retroactive liability.
The Remote Worker's Multi-State Tax Survival Guide: Convenience Rules, Reciprocity, and How to Avoid Paying Twice
How state income tax really works for remote employees who cross state lines: the convenience-of-the-employer rule used by seven states (including New York), which reciprocity agreements eliminate double taxation, day-counting evidence auditors accept, and the bookkeeping habits that keep multi-state returns predictable.
Reasonable Compensation for S-Corp Owners: How to Set Your Salary, Survive an Audit, and Avoid Six-Figure Penalties
A CPA paid himself $24,000 while taking $200,000 in S-Corp distributions, lost in the Eighth Circuit, and owed six figures in back payroll taxes and penalties. Here is how the IRS evaluates reasonable compensation, the audit red flags, and a defensible methodology for setting an S-Corp owner salary.