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I work with sole proprietors and small business owners with 1 – 5 employees. But, a lot of small businesses have more than five employees. You must find a larger payroll service professional for larger small business companies. Read on to learn about how to pick the right payroll service.
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Ask for recommendations from other associates.
Many people use payroll services, so asking around will give you some direction on who to talk to.
Check to see if they have reviews on Yelp or Google My Business. You can even review to see if there is any news about the company by googling them.
Ask for referrals from the payroll company so you can speak with them directly. Speak directly with the payroll company’s owner. If they are reluctant, you may want to go elsewhere.
Ask your bookkeeper for recommendations. Many bookkeepers may have affiliates with payroll companies. They may be able to give you a good deal.
Ask the payroll company the right questions.
Verify that the service providers will submit the quarterly, monthly, and yearly reports for you electronically or by mail. Gathering this information from the tax offices is vital. But, what’s even more vital is that they submit the reports promptly because you would be at fault, not them.
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Ask for their credit rating and how they keep their business files secure.
Check their credit ratings. If they can check your credit, you can check theirs as well. Companies also have credit ratings. If they are doing their books correctly, you know they will do yours. Visit this link for more details.
Be sure to find out how they keep their files secure. Nowadays, with many hackers targeting payroll companies, it’s best to know what they do to ensure they are up to date with their technology and processes.
Make sure they connect with all your tax agencies. Log in periodically to ensure they submit your returns and payments correctly. Keep your passwords and usernames safe. If you must change payroll services, you must at least have the vital login information.
They usually don’t use your usernames and passwords. They use their own and report to the tax agency that they are managing your business.
You can ask them for their filing ID Number. Usually, the tax agency will send you a letter verifying that the payroll company will file for you. If there is an error, you can contact the tax agency immediately.
Confirm how often they review their payroll process and ensure all the reports are completed. Ask them about their user website and how easily accessible it is to see the reports. This will allow you to digitally log in and download the monthly, quarterly, and yearly reports and save them on your business computer.
Visit our interview with Christian from PayUSA ( A Payroll Company in the SE PA USA region).
Ask any questions you have about the contract.
Review the contract thoroughly. If you are uncertain, have your lawyer look at it, too. Make sure you review your rates and what they will charge you each month. Also, check when they will remove funds from your account. They usually pull funds one or two days before they issue payroll.
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Make sure all these steps are covered before you sign any official documents. I hope this helps you set up your payroll and is ready to use. If you need help determining which company you need, we offer Virtual Admin Consultations where you can ask us any questions regarding this process, and we can review their contract with you. Feel free to contact us and schedule an appointment.
Below are some other resources I found for you to read.
How to Choose a Payroll Service
