Make Payroll Taxes Easy in 2022

December 22nd, 2021

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 payroll easier heading into 2022.

Important Payroll Tax Forms

  • Form 941 — Employer’s quarterly federal tax return. This form is used to report income tax withheld from employees’ pay and both the employer’s and employees’ share of Social Security and Medicare taxes. Employers generally must deposit Form 941 payroll taxes on either a monthly or semiweekly deposit schedule.
  • Form 940 — Employer’s annual federal unemployment tax return (FUTA). This return is due annually at the end of January. If the accumulated tax exceeds $500, FUTA taxes must generally be deposited once a quarter.
  • Form W-2 — Wage and tax statement. Employers are required to send this document to each employee and the IRS at the end of the year. It reports employee annual wages and taxes withheld from paychecks.

Make payroll easier

  • Remind employees to review withholdings. January is a great time to remind your employees to check their paycheck’s tax withholding amounts. Various life events in the preceding 12 months can potentially lead to one of your employees owing a different amount of taxes in 2022 than they owed in 2021. And no matter how hard you try; employees will ask for your help. Get ahead of the curve with this simple review reminder for your employees.
  • Create a payroll forecast. Be prepared for how much you’ll spend on salaries and wages in 2022 by creating a payroll expense and benefit forecast. To get a holistic picture in your forecast, look at expenses beyond base salaries and wages. Include the following in total salary and wage expenses: Your share of an employee’s Social Security and Medicare taxes; health insurance premiums paid on behalf of employees; and any other benefits you provide to employees.
  • Ask for help. Payroll compliance involves many moving parts at the local, state, and federal levels. Give us a call if you have any questions about your business’s payroll tax compliance, and how to account for payroll expenses on your financial statements. We’re here to help!