Small Business Payroll Guide

From Healthcare reform and technology developments to HR issues facing small businesses just like yours , let us keep you up-to-date on all things payroll.

Look through our FAQs to find straight forward answers to commonly asked tax and payroll questions. Use our tools and calculators to make simple tax and pay calculations.

Still can’t find the answer? No problem. Ask Abacus gives you the opportunity to pose those vexing questions to our payroll and tax experts.

New Year Payroll Checklist for 2022

January 21, 2022 | posted by Abacus Payroll

As we kick off the new year, it is time to reevaluate your payroll process and responsibilities. Not sure where to start? Take a look at our new year payroll checklist to make sure all areas are covered. Double-Check Your Employee Data Though payroll might be less fun than crafting up new years resolutions, the […]

Ideas to Help Onboard New Employees

January 17, 2022 | posted by Abacus Payroll

With today’s competitive labor market, it’s important that your company has an onboarding system ready to go when you get a prospective employee to say “Yes!” to joining your company. Here are some ideas: Engage before day one. Once a contract is signed or a verbal acceptance is given, candidates may still be hearing from […]

Vaccine Mandate Halted Again: The Ups and Downs of the COVID-19 Vaccine-or-Test Rule for Large Employers

January 14, 2022 | posted by Abacus Payroll

As of January 13, the U.S. Supreme Court has halted the Biden Administration’s proposed vaccine-or-test Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that would have gone into effect in early 2022. Due to this development, most employers with more than 100 employees are no longer required to comply with the ETS mandate. While the Occupational Safety and Health […]

How to Make Payroll Taxes Easy in 2022

January 6, 2022 | posted by Abacus Payroll

Handling employment taxes can be complicated, especially when you’re required to file important tax documents throughout the year. Here’s a quick recap of the most vital payroll tax forms and what you can do to make your payroll life easier heading into 2022. Important Payroll Tax Forms Form 941 — Employer’s quarterly federal tax return. […]

Return and Earn: New Incentive for NJ Employers and New Hires

September 29, 2021 | posted by Abacus Payroll

New Incentive for New Jersey Employers and Unemployed Residents Earlier this week, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced a new incentive with the NJEDA to help encourage more unemployed workers to transition back into the workforce. Eligible employees hired through the state Return and Earn program will receive a $500 bonus in their first paycheck. […]

Why You Need To Review Your Pay Stubs

September 8, 2021 | posted by Abacus Payroll

Ending a job? Starting a new one? Working remotely? Perhaps you’ve moved, or your number of dependents has changed. On the flip side, your employer might have changed payroll companies. These are just a few reasons it’s important to check every time you get paid. Pay stubs not only detail what you have earned, they […]

Manage Your Business’s Unemployment Taxes

August 24, 2021 | posted by Abacus Payroll

As a business owner, you’re required to pay three different types of payroll taxes. FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) is the tax used to fund Social Security and Medicare programs. FUTA (Federal Unemployment Tax Act). Employers pay this federal tax to provide unemployment benefits to laid-off workers. SUTA (State Unemployment Tax Act). State governments also […]

Unique Employee Benefits to Differentiate Your Business

August 10, 2021 | posted by Abacus Payroll

A recent survey by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) found that many companies are struggling to attract and retain qualified workers. While some businesses have countered this shortage of workers by raising hourly rates to record levels according to the NFIB, other businesses don’t have the financial flexibility to do this. If you’re […]

Security Alert: New Direct Deposit Fraud On The Rise

July 27, 2021 | posted by Abacus Payroll

Email phishing attempts are not new. Fraudsters are only getting more creative and convincing. Abacus Payroll, Inc. urges clients and small businesses to be extra diligent in reviewing employee bank change requests because identity spoofing and direct deposit diversion attempts are becoming all too common. What is direct deposit diversion? Fraudsters impersonate an employee by […]

Employee Records: What, When, and Where to Keep

July 20, 2021 | posted by Abacus Payroll

Keeping employee payroll files organized is important should you need to easily pull up their information. There are certain laws governing what records to keep, how long to hold on to them, and who should see them. We provide a few tips to help business owners with this tedious task. Create a Separate File for […]