QuickBooks Tip: Get a Handle on Payroll with Intuit’s Services

Payroll can be a messy task between calculating withholding for your newest employee and making electronic tax payments throughout the month.  The good news is QuickBooks provides plenty of payroll packages to help you get a handle on your payroll run and get back to your ever-growing to-do list.

You first need to decide how involved you want to be in the process.  QuickBooks offers multiple tiers of service to help everyone from a novice to a seasoned Form 941 expert.

QuickBooks Payroll for Intermediate and Advanced Users

Here are the best options for those at the intermediate or advanced level of payroll preparation:

Basic – This is the bare bones package and runs only with desktop versions of QuickBooks.  The Basic service provides consistently updated tax tables to help you calculate an employee’s check, plus it provides payroll reports that facilitate your completion of the quarterly and year-end returns.  But that’s pretty much all this service will do.  Be prepared to fill out your own payroll tax returns, and execute payment to the IRS and Florida Department of Revenue.

Enhanced – This tier of service is also designed for desktop users, but it comes with the added benefit of drafting Quarterly and Annual payroll filings on your behalf and allowing you to electronically file tax payments directly through QuickBooks.  The downside is you still have the ultimate responsibility of running the timely filed payroll returns and signing them.

Online Payroll – This online service doesn’t require a desktop version of QuickBooks.  And while QuickBooks Online users frequently subscribe to the Online Payroll package, you actually don’t have to be a QuickBooks accounting user at all to enroll.  With Online Payroll, you’ll use a web-based dashboard to calculate your employee’s paychecks online, and draft the quarterly and annual returns.  It’s important to mention that as with the Enhanced package, you’re still taking ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of your payroll filings.

QuickBooks Payroll for Beginners

For those new to payroll or simply preferring a hands-off approach, you may prefer one of the following levels of service, which will have QuickBooks handling all of your payroll tasks for you AND guaranteeing that no tax penalties will come to haunt you in the future!

Assisted – This service is for QuickBooks desktop users who want Intuit (the company behind QuickBooks) to levy all tax payments from their account and file all forms on their behalf.  Intuit will be listed as the paid preparer on your returns, and you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing you never have to stare down a carbon copy W-2 again.

Full Service – Even if you’ve never touched QuickBooks before, you can still subscribe to the Full Service package.  Intuit will help you set up your payroll, calculate checks online, and as with Assisted payroll, Intuit will levy taxes and file all the necessary paperwork on your behalf.

Pricing for QuickBooks Payroll Packages

Prices for all of these packages range from $19 a month for Basic services, up to $79 a month plus added fees for the Full Service subscription.  Prices will scale based on your headcount and pay frequency.

With all the options and price points available plus direct integration into your pre-existing QuickBooks package, Intuit’s payroll options are worth consideration.  If you’d like to discuss the best fit for your company, reach out to a Kaufman, Rossin QuickBooks ProAdvisor!