Archive
September 2026 Articles
Protecting Payroll Data: Practical Access and Review Controls
September 30, 2026
A technical guide for CPAs and business owners on implementing internal payroll controls, segregating duties, and securing sensitive employee data.
Read article →Year-End Payroll Preparation: A Month-by-Month Records Checklist
September 29, 2026
A technical guide for CPAs and business owners on year-end payroll records. Follow this month-by-month checklist to ensure W-2 accuracy and tax compliance.
Read article →Payroll Exception Reports: What to Review Before Funds Are Released
September 28, 2026
Learn the granular steps to audit payroll exception reports. Prevent overpayments, tax errors, and compliance risks before releasing funds.
Read article →Employee Termination in Payroll: Final Records and Access Controls
September 27, 2026
A technical guide for CPAs and HR managers on managing final pay, record retention, and digital access revocation during employee termination.
Read article →Payroll Cutoff Procedures: Keeping Every Pay Run on Schedule
September 26, 2026
Master payroll cutoff procedures to ensure timely pay runs. Learn how to manage timecard approvals, expense reimbursements, and tax filing deadlines.
Read article →Budgeting the True Cost of an Employee Beyond Gross Wages
September 25, 2026
Calculate the total labor burden including FICA, FUTA, SUTA, workers' comp, and benefits. A CPA-led guide to budgeting for employees beyond gross wages.
Read article →Paying Yourself as an LLC Owner: Draws, Guaranteed Payments, and Payroll
September 24, 2026
A technical guide for LLC owners on navigating owner draws, guaranteed payments, and W-2 payroll compliance to optimize tax liability and legal standing.
Read article →Local and City Payroll Taxes: The Ones Employers Miss Most
September 23, 2026
Read article →Understanding Your SUI Rate Notice and Strategies to Lower It
September 22, 2026
A technical guide for employers on interpreting SUI rate notices, calculating experience rates, and operational strategies to lower state unemployment tax liabilities.
Read article →State New Hire Reporting: Deadlines and Data Requirements
September 21, 2026
A technical guide for employers on state new hire reporting compliance, including mandatory data points, federal deadlines, and filing procedures.
Read article →Switching Payroll Providers Mid-Year: A Technical Migration Guide
September 20, 2026
Step-by-step technical guide for mid-year payroll migration. Learn how to import YTD wage totals, reconcile tax liabilities, and avoid double taxation.
Read article →Managing Payroll Deductions: Authorization, Limits, and Documentation
September 19, 2026
A technical guide for employers on managing payroll deductions, including FLSA limits, mandatory vs. voluntary withholdings, and documentation requirements.
Read article →Payroll Audit Trails: Strengthening Internal Controls and Compliance
September 18, 2026
Learn how to implement a robust payroll audit trail to track changes, prevent fraud, and maintain compliance with IRS and DOL standards.
Read article →Hardening Payroll Internal Controls: A Small Business Compliance Guide
September 17, 2026
Learn technical strategies for payroll fraud prevention, including segregation of duties and audit trails, designed for small teams and compliance officers.
Read article →Timecards to Payroll: Building a Clean Approval Workflow
September 16, 2026
Learn how to build a compliant timecard approval workflow that eliminates manual data entry and ensures accurate hours import for payroll processing.
Read article →Taxable Fringe Benefits: A Compliance Guide for Small Business Payroll
September 15, 2026
Learn which employee perks are taxable, how to calculate imputed income, and IRS reporting requirements for fringe benefits to ensure payroll compliance.
Read article →Reimbursements and Accountable Plans: Keeping Expenses Out of Taxable Wages
September 14, 2026
Learn how to structure an IRS-compliant accountable plan to ensure employee expense reimbursements are not treated as taxable fringe benefits or wages.
Read article →Mastering Tip Credits, Pooling, and Reporting for B2B Payroll Compliance
September 13, 2026
A technical guide for employers on tip credit calculations, legal tip pooling structures, and IRS reporting requirements for tipped wages.
Read article →Paying Seasonal and Part-Time Staff Without Compliance Surprises
September 12, 2026
A technical guide for employers on managing seasonal employees payroll, variable hour staff, and FLSA compliance to avoid wage and hour penalties.
Read article →S-Corp Reasonable Compensation: A Compliance Guide for Shareholder-Employees
September 11, 2026
Learn how to calculate a defensible S corp reasonable salary. Avoid IRS audits by balancing shareholder payroll and distributions correctly.
Read article →Surviving a Payroll Tax Notice: How to Read, Respond, and Resolve It
September 10, 2026
A technical guide for businesses on interpreting IRS payroll notices, drafting response letters, and filing for penalty abatement to resolve tax compliance issues.
Read article →Payroll Recordkeeping: A Technical Guide to Retention Compliance
September 9, 2026
A technical guide for small businesses on payroll recordkeeping requirements, including IRS, FLSA, and FUTA retention timelines.
Read article →Correcting Payroll Errors: A Technical Guide to Voids, Reversals, and Amended Returns
September 8, 2026
A technical guide for CPAs and business owners on correcting payroll mistakes using voids, reversals, and IRS Form 941-X amended returns.
Read article →Technical Guide to Printing Payroll Checks: MICR, Stock, and Layout Requirements
September 7, 2026
A technical guide for businesses on printing payroll checks. Learn MICR requirements, magnetic toner standards, and voucher layout compliance.
Read article →Correcting a Paycheck: A Controlled Payroll Adjustment Workflow
September 6, 2026
A technical guide for CPAs and business owners on correcting payroll errors, handling tax adjustments, and maintaining compliance through a controlled workflow.
Read article →Direct Deposit Operations: Prenotes, ACH Windows, and Error Resolution
September 5, 2026
A technical guide for payroll administrators on managing ACH prenotes, processing windows, and resolving failed direct deposits to ensure compliance.
Read article →New Employee Payroll Readiness: A Pre-First-Paycheck Checklist
September 4, 2026
Ensure payroll compliance for new hires. A technical guide for CPAs and HR managers on tax forms, banking, and FLSA classification before the first paycheck.
Read article →Final Paycheck Timing Rules: A State-by-State Compliance Guide
September 3, 2026
A technical guide for employers on final paycheck timing rules. Learn state-specific deadlines for involuntary and voluntary terminations to avoid penalties.
Read article →E-Verify Enrollment: A Technical Guide for Employer Compliance
September 2, 2026
A technical guide for businesses on E-Verify enrollment, federal contractor requirements, and the step-by-step process for employment eligibility verification.
Read article →Operational Guide to New Hire Paperwork: I-9, W-4, and State Compliance
September 1, 2026
A technical guide for small businesses on executing Form I-9, Federal W-4, and state withholding certificates to ensure payroll and HR compliance.
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