Payroll taxes are a fundamental responsibility for employers, yet they are often viewed as complex and overwhelming. For small and medium-sized businesses, misunderstanding payroll tax obligations can lead to costly penalties and administrative strain. A clear understanding of the basics helps reduce risk and ensures payroll runs smoothly. What are payroll taxes? Payroll taxes are [...]
How Often Should You Run Payroll? Weekly vs Biweekly vs Monthly Determining how often to run payroll is an important operational decision for any small or medium-sized business. Payroll frequency affects cash flow, administrative workload, employee satisfaction, and compliance obligations. While there is no universal schedule that fits every organization, understanding the implications of each [...]
Hiring the right people is essential to business growth, but classifying them correctly is just as important. One of the most common and costly compliance mistakes small and medium-sized businesses make is misclassifying workers as independent contractors when they should be treated as employees. Understanding the distinction is critical to avoiding penalties, back taxes, and [...]
Payroll is one of the most important operational functions in any small or medium-sized business. When it runs smoothly, it supports employee trust, regulatory compliance, and financial stability. When it goes wrong, the consequences can be expensive and time-consuming. Even well-intentioned business owners can make payroll mistakes that result in penalties, back payments, and reputational [...]
The IRS has increased the health savings account (HSA) contribution limit for 2026 to $4,400 for self-only coverage, and $8,750 for family plans. To make HSA contributions in 2026, you must have an eligible high-deductible health insurance plan. For 2026, the IRS defines a high deductible as at least $1,700 for self-only coverage or $3,400 [...]
Starting January 1, 2026, benefits administered by PFML are taxable under IRS guidelines. Certain portions of medical leave benefits will be treated like third-party sick pay(wages) starting on January 1, 2026. Employers with employees who receive medical leave benefits that are consideredthird-party sick pay will be responsible for remitting employer portions of FICA(Medicare and Social [...]
The amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2026 has increased to $24,500, up from $23,500 for 2025. Details regarding cost‑of‑living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2026 can be found in IRS Notice 2025-67 PDF. Highlights of changes for 2026 The annual contribution limit [...]
Starting October 29, 2025, Massachusetts employers with 25 or more employees are required to disclose wage ranges in job postings, to applicants, and current employees upon request. How Can Employers Ensure Compliance with the Wage Transparency Act? There are two key components of the Wage Transparency Act that Covered Employers must comply with: the requirements to [...]
What employers need to know: https://www.employer.gov/ What workers need to know about their rights: ttps://www.worker.gov/
Finding a job can be a challenge and for certain groups, it can be even harder. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a federal tax credit available to employers for hiring individual from certain groups who consistently face significant barriers to employment. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is available until Dec 31,2025, for employers that [...]
