7 Tips for Year-End Payroll Processing

7 Tips for Year-End Payroll Processing

Fall is a few weeks away, which means aside from Labor Day and Halloween, year-end payroll processing is right around the corner. During this busy season, many errors can occur when common payroll processing mistakes are overlooked.

We have compiled seven tips to help you eliminate those potential errors during year-end payroll processing. After reading this article, you’ll have a proactive and efficient approach to tackle year-end payroll. You’ll also streamline the process for your employees.

What Is Year-End Payroll Processing?

Year-end payroll processing is a complex method of accurately calculating taxes, compensation, and deductions to be withheld from employee paychecks. It usually takes place during the fourth quarter of the calendar year, through the first quarter of the following year.

What Is End-to-End Payroll Processing?

End-to-End payroll processing marries payroll and workforce data together for streamlined solutions. A unified payroll and HR solution provides this end-to-end software, which can help you eliminate manual year-end payroll tasks.

Tips for Procssing Year-End Payroll

Audit employee data to ensure you are not missing critical Form W-2 information like complete Social Security numbers (SSN), employee names, and addresses. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may impose a penalty for each Form W-2 with a missing or incorrect Social Security number or employee name. If there are errors, you will be subject to the following penalties:

• $50 per Form W-2 if you correctly file within 30 days of the due date, with a maximum penalty of $556,500 ($194,000 for small businesses).
• $110 per Form W-2 if you correctly file more than 30 days after the due date but by August 1, 2020; a maximum penalty of $1,669,500 per year ($556,500 for small businesses).
• $270 per Form W-2 if you correctly file after August 1, 2020, or you do not file the required Forms W-2; a maximum penalty of $3,339,000 per year ($1,113,000 for small businesses).

Also, employee Forms W-2 and 1095-C must match what is printed on social security cards. For example, if an employee’s name is hyphenated on their social security card, but not on their Form W-2 or Form 1095-C, the IRS will return this as an error. Failure to verify this information as correct may result in penalties.

If you are not careful, these types of errors can add up to a large penalty. For some employees, updated addresses can be garnered from a new W-4 if their withholding allowances have changed or will change next year. Remind employees to fill out a new W-4 if their situation has changed and:

• Ensure employee names are entered correctly
• Confirm accuracy of employee addresses
• Confirm accuracy of employee Social Security numbers

Employers need to make sure all employee data is accurate to avoid W-2 reprint fees. If you use a payroll provider, check to see if they offer an online service where employees can review and correct data. If so, encourage your employees to use the service as a means to review and edit critical data.

Determine if you had 50 or more full-time and full-time equivalent (FTE) employees in the previous calendar year. Also, check to see what type of insurance (self-insured or fully insured) you offered your employees. If your provider offers an FTE Calculator, you can use it to determine how many full-time and FTE employees you had in the previous calendar year. With this number and the type of coverage you offer, determine what forms you must use to report:

• 50 or More Employees: Complete and file Forms 1095-C and 1094-C.
• Less Than 50 Employees (Self-Insured): Complete and file Forms 1095-B and 1094-B.
• Less Than 50 Employees (Fully Insured): The insurer is responsible for filing on behalf of the employer.
• Less Than 50 Employees (No Insurance): Reporting is not required.

If you are required to report, gather the information you need to complete the applicable forms and determine which reporting method you will be using. Depending on the method you use, you will need to compile information like:

• Employee’s name, SSN or date of birth (if SSN is unavailable), and address.
• Employer’s name, Employee Identification Number (EIN), telephone number, and address.
• The months in which the employer-offered coverage.
• The employee’s share of the monthly premium for self-only coverage (in certain cases).
• The months in which a safe harbor (or other situation) applied (e.g., the employee was not a full-time employee).

Before you process your last payroll of 2020, verify that all non-cash and cash income has been recorded and taxed properly. This will ensure it is reported on Form W-2 and the quarterly 941 tax return. Common W-2 adjustments include:

• Group-term life insurance in excess of $50,000
• Personal use of a company vehicle
• Third-party sick pay
• Company-provided transportation or parking
• Non-qualified moving expense reimbursements
• Non-accountable business expense reimbursements or allowances
• Bonuses and other annual incentive pay
• Employer-paid education not related to the employee’s job
• Non-cash payments

S Corporations

Another common year-end adjustment is employer-paid health insurance for subchapter S shareholders who own at least two percent of the company. It is fairly easy to adjust a W-2 record to reflect this amount.

However, it is always best to include it with a payroll run, so it is reported on the applicable quarterly and yearly payroll tax returns. View the IRS requirements for subchapter S filing to make sure your company is reporting correctly.

*These are projected limits and are subject to change.

Some payroll checks cut throughout the year may not have been cashed. These checks should not be voided in the payroll system, but should instead be considered unclaimed property and reported to the appropriate state agency. The unclaimed property office may be a division of your state’s department of revenue or treasurer’s office.

To recap:

• Account for manual checks written during 2020.
• Confirm that all voided checks have been recorded.
• Report uncashed checks to the appropriate state agency as unclaimed property.

Check with your payroll provider to find out the last day you can submit final 2020 payrolls to avoid penalties and interest charges. Make sure to review your W-2s to verify the following information prior to processing your last payroll of the year:

• The spelling of employees’ names
• Social security numbers
• Addresses
• Wages

Many companies issue bonuses for company performance. If you are issuing bonuses and withholding retirement deductions, make sure the deduction does not exceed the annual limit. It is also important that bonuses are processed before the end of 2020 so tax payments are made on time to avoid penalties.

If you have to run another payroll before the end of the year, you will have to review your company, employee, and contractor totals again.

File Form 940, Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return by January 31, 2021. However, you have an additional 10 calendar days to file if you deposited all the FUTA tax when due.

Employers can be subject to penalties if they:

• Fail to make the tax deposit on time or in the correct amounts
• Made one or more of the deposits to an unauthorized financial institution
• Paid your tax directly to the IRS
• Paid the tax with your return
• Didn’t make the deposits electronically
• Record of Federal Tax Liability was incomplete or illegible
• Liability amounts you reports didn’t equal the next taxes for the tax period

Wrap up calendar year 2020 and prepare to process payroll in 2021. Print and mail W-2s and 1099s to employees and contractors.

Report employee income and withholding amounts to employees, ex-employees who worked in calendar year 2020, and government agencies using Form W-2. Use 1099s to report the income paid to independent contractors and other payees.

How APS Can Help

APS is a unified payroll and HR platform. We have been recognized as a 2020 Top Vendor in HRIS Systems, and Payroll Services. Each year, thousands of payroll and HR managers trust APS as their source for year-end payroll, HR, tax, and ACA processing. Check out our Year-End Payroll and HR guides to help you streamline winter tasks and enter 2021 with confidence.

For more information, please visit www.apspayroll.com or call 855-945-7921.

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