Monday, June 29, 2009

Virginia Employers to Utilize Paycards

Virginia has authorized employers to make payment of wages and salaries by credit to a prepaid debit card or card account. This is effective for employees hired after January 1, 2010 and does not require affirmative written consent from the employee,if the employee fails to designate a financial institution to which payroll could be made by direct deposit and the employer arranges for the card or card account to be issued through a network system through which the employee will have the ability to make at least one free withdrawal or transfer per pay period.


Utilizing this Virginia payroll software with the capability to direct deposit payroll can save employers time and resources.

To download a free demo version of the software:Virginia payroll software download

Monday, June 22, 2009

New Jersey Mandates Electronic Filing

New Jersey is requiring all employers to electronically file their quarterly wage reporting information Form- WR30. This requirement is effective the first quarter of 2009.

Currently there are two options to file electronically. You choose the one that is best for your business.

Online SFTP Filing:

Using your PC and the PIN number indicated in your quarterly packet, update the employee information that is online.

You may complete the job in one or multiple sessions by saving the information.

When you are through updating the data, submit it. You will be provided confirmation in this secured site. File online now.

Amended returns may also be filed online.

SFTP Filing:

The Request for Authorization to Report WR-30 Electronically can be downloaded and faxed to the Division for processing. This document is usually processed within 24 hours.

A test file must be submitted and approved. Record specifications are available by clicking layout format.

For more information visit http://www.state.nj.us/njbgs/revtemplate.htm

For your payroll needs including software and federal forms visit Real Business Solutions.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Revised New York State and Yonkers Withholding Tax Computation Rules

Effective May 1, 2009 the New York State personal income tax rates and the Yonkers resident personal income surcharge tax rates have changed for certain taxpayers.

The following rules apply for computing the amount of New York State personal income tax and Yonkers resident income tax surcharge to be withheld:

• If you use Method I, Wage bracket tables (look-up tables), to compute withholding tax for your employees, you
can continue to use the New York State and Yonkers tables contained in Publication NYS-50-T (dated 1/06).

• If you use the dollar-to-dollar withholding tables instead of the exact calculation method, you can continue to
use the dollar-to-dollar withholding tables contained in Publication NYS-50-T (dated 1/06).

• If you elect or are required to use Method II, Exact Calculation Method, you must use the revised exact
calculation method(s) in this publication. Effective May 1, 2009, the New York State personal income tax and
Yonkers resident personal income tax surcharge Method II exact calculation methods on pages T-13, T-14,
T-14-A, T-57, T-58, and T-58-A in Publication NYS-50-T (dated 1/06) are no longer valid.

Supplemental withholding rates Effective May 1, 2009, if you pay supplemental wages (bonuses, commissions, overtime pay, sales awards, etc.), the following withholding rates apply (the New York City and Yonkers Nonresident rates are unchanged):

New York State 11.03% (.1103)
New York City 4.00% (.04)
Yonkers Resident 1.103% (.01103)
Yonkers Nonresident 0.50% (.0050)

Visit www.nystax.gov for more information on the changes.

A New York payroll software can make this transition very simple. Payroll Mate conveniently updates the tax tables for their customers. All mid year tax changes are sent to the users, free of charge, via the internet.


Payroll Mate is a comprehensive payroll software that fits the needs of accountants and small to medium size businesses.Payroll Mate automatically calculates net pay, federal withholding tax, Social Security tax, Medicare, state and local payroll taxes. Payroll Mate also supports different types of payroll pay periods, prints checks, prepares payroll forms 941, 944, 940, W2 and W3. This payroll software also supports user-defined Income, Tax, and Deduction categories making it very flexible and powerful.

Download a free demo version of the software and try it for yourself:Payroll Mate.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Changes to Arizona Income Tax Withholding

Effective May 1, 2009 Arizona withholding options have changed. The amounts, on or after May 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, required to be withheld for Arizona withholding purposes will continue to be a percentage of the federal withholding.The new percentage options are available at http://www.revenue.state.az.us/Newsroom/Releases/SB-1185-Withholding-Q-A.pdf or by contacting the Arizona State Revenue Department . Amounts withheld on or after July 1, 2010, must be based on a table prescribed by the department. The department plans to have the new withholding tables available sometime in the late spring of 2010.

All current employees withholding options should be changed to the new applicable rate. Employers must notify their employees of the change and make available the revised Arizona form A-4 or A-4v if employees elect to chose a different rate.

A new employee must complete the revised 2009 Arizona Form A-4 within the first five days of employment to elect an Arizona withholding percentage. If the new employee does not complete the revised Arizona Form A-4, the employer must withhold Arizona income tax from the employee’s wages at the greater of the applicable minimum percentage (11.5% or 21.9%). A new employee who is an Arizona resident working outside of Arizona may elect voluntary Arizona income tax withholding for 2009 by completing the revised Arizona Form A-4V. The employer must withhold Arizona income tax from the employee’s compensation at the greater of either the percentage elected by the employee or the applicable minimum percentage (11.5% or 21.9%).

An Arizona payroll software can make this transition very simple. Payroll Mate conveniently updates the tax tables for their customers. Users will not need to manually input any percentage rates.


Payroll Mate
is a comprehensive payroll software that fits the needs of accountants and small to medium size businesses.Payroll Mate automatically calculates net pay, federal withholding tax, Social Security tax, Medicare, state and local payroll taxes. Payroll Mate also supports different types of payroll pay periods, prints checks, prepares payroll forms 941, 944, 940, W2 and W3. This payroll software also supports user-defined Income, Tax, and Deduction categories making it very flexible and powerful.

Download a free demo version of the software and try it for yourself:Payroll Mate.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Direct Deposit Green Facts


Payroll software direct deposit
is not only a convenience for the employee and employer but it also benefits the environment. This is one way businesses and their employees can help the environment in one easy step. Each pay day you can make a small contribution to the environment without thinking about it. These small contribution really add up over time.

One individual employee, paid with a paper, can save pounds of paper per year, avoid the release of multiple gallons of wastewater into the environment and avoid pounds of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere by switching to direct deposit. This is just one individual employee, the numbers for a business, that employs many people, rise exponentially they can save hundreds of pounds of paper, avoid the release of thousands of gallons of wastewater into the environment and hundreds of pounds of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere per year.

If those U.S. employees who have access to Direct Deposit but choose not use it, would opt to be paid by direct deposit, they would be:

Saving 11,082,971 pounds of paper
Avoiding the release of 105,709,380 gallons of waste water into the environment
Saving 4,105,889 gallons of gas
Avoiding the release of 31,581,675 pounds of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

This amount of greenhouse gas is equivalent to:
1,345,379 trees planted (and grown for 10 years)
13,756,978 square feet of forest preserved


Payroll Mate
has added a direct deposit option to its simple to use comprehensive payroll software.

Download a free demo version of the software at
Payroll Mate download.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Hawaii Increases Income Tax

On May 8, 2009 a law passed to raise Hawaii's income tax. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008, Act 60 increases the income tax for the highest income bracket. Increases to the income brackets, by Act 60, will be repealed on December 31, 2015 and the rates, in effect prior to January 1, 2009, will automatically be reenacted.


For the majority of taxpayers, this means:

Taxpayers who file a joint return will pay:
9.00% on taxable income over $300,000, but not over $350,000;
10.00% on taxable income over $350,000, but not over $400,000; and
11.00% on taxable income over $400,000.

Heads of a household will pay:
9.00% on taxable income over $225,000, but not over $262,500;
10.00% on taxable income over $262,500, but not over $300,000; and
11.00% on taxable income over $300,000.


Unmarried individuals and married individuals who file separately will pay:
9.00% on taxable income over $150,000, but not over $175,000;
10.00% on taxable income over $175,000, but not over $200,000; and
11.00% on taxable income over $200,000.

For more specific information on the income tax change and/or the personal exemption, and standard deduction changes see http://www.state.hi.us/tax/announce/ann09-04.pdf

A payroll software makes state income tax changes simple. Payroll Mate automatically updates federal and state income tax withholding tables for their customers.



Download a free demo of Payroll Mate: http://www.realtaxtools.com/Downloads/PayrollMateSetup.exe

New York Enacts a New Payroll Tax

As of March 1, 2009 The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax (MCTMT) has imposed a new tax on certain employers and self-employed individuals engaging in business within the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD). The MCTD includes New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Richmond (Staten Island) , Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester counties.

This tax applies to employers required to withhold New York State income tax from employee's wages and whose payroll expense exceeds $2,500 in any calendar quarter and individuals with net earnings from self-employment allocated to the MCTD that exceed $10,000 for the tax year.

The rate of the tax is 0.34% on subject wages. Payment is due November 2, 2009 for the initial payment period: March 1, 2009 - September 30, 2009.

Specifics on the new tax can be found at http://www.tax.state.ny.us/sbc/mta.htm and/or http://www.tax.state.ny.us/pdf/memos/mta_mobility/m09_1mctmt.pdf

Customizable payroll software like Payroll Mate can be easily updated to implement the new Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax.

Download a free demo of Payroll Mate: http://www.realtaxtools.com/Downloads/PayrollMateSetup.exe