employer - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

Employers: Be Aware (or Beware) of a Harsh Payroll Tax Penalty

If federal income tax and employment taxes (including Social Security) are withheld from employees’ paychecks and not handed over to the IRS, a harsh penalty can be imposed. To make matters worse, the penalty can be assessed personally against a “responsible individual.”

If a business makes payroll tax payments late, there are escalating penalties. And if an employer fails to make them, the IRS will crack down hard. With the “Trust Fund Recovery Penalty,” also known as the “100% Penalty,” the IRS can assess the entire unpaid amount against a responsible person who willfully fails to comply with the law.

Some business owners and executives facing a cash flow crunch may be tempted to dip into the payroll taxes withheld from employees. They may think, “I’ll send the money in later when it comes in from another source.” Bad idea!

No corporate protection

The corporate veil won’t shield corporate officers in these cases. Unlike some other liability protections that a corporation or limited liability company may have, business owners and executives can’t escape personal liability for payroll tax debts.

Once the IRS asserts the penalty, it can file a lien or take levy or seizure action […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:55+00:00June 6th, 2019|employer, social security, tax, tax planning|0 Comments

We’re Hiring- Staff Accountant and Controller!

Interested in joining a fun, vibrant work culture that puts people first? Want to make an impact on the community, work together as a team to solve client’s financial needs, drink copious amounts of really good, local, organic coffee? Looking to join a company that has won Best Place to Work for 10 years in a row?

We are always looking to add the right folks to our team. If you are interested in a career in accounting, have your CPA license, enjoy a team approach, we might be your match made in heaven.

It’s not all work here either. We serve the community together, build bonds on our annual team retreats and celebrate our successes with our families on annual, company wide vacations. Recent firm trips have included Spain, Croatia, Disneyland and Alaska. We don’t strive for work life balance, we live it and champion for it. We appreciate everyone’s contributions- big or small. Sound enticing? Interested in working at a not-so-typical CPA firm? Let us know if our creative accounting culture might be right for you.

For more info on the open positions we have, visit www.linkcpa.com/join-our-team/

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:57+00:00May 22nd, 2019|best place to work, cpa firm, employer, firm|0 Comments

Consider a Roth 401(k) Plan — And Make Sure Employees Use It

Roth 401(k) accounts have been around for 13 years now. Studies show that more employers are offering them each year. A recent study by the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) found that Roth 401(k)s are now available at 70% of employer plans, up from 55.6% of plans in 2016.

However, despite the prevalence of employers offering Roth 401(k)s, most employees aren’t choosing to contribute to them. The PSCA found that only 20% of participants who have access to a Roth 401(k) made contributions to one in 2017. Perhaps it’s because they don’t understand them.

If you offer a Roth 401(k) or you’re considering one, educate your employees about the accounts to boost participation.

A 401(k) with a twist

As the name implies, these plans are a hybrid — taking some characteristics from Roth IRAs and some from employer-sponsored 401(k)s.

An employer with a 401(k), 403(b) or governmental 457(b) plan can offer designated Roth 401(k) accounts.

As with traditional 401(k)s, eligible employees can elect to defer part of their salaries to Roth 401(k)s, subject to annual limits. The employer may choose to provide matching contributions. For 2019, a participating employee can contribute up to $19,000 ($25,000 if […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:57+00:00May 22nd, 2019|401k, deduction, employer, ira, roth ira|0 Comments

Employee vs. Independent Contractor: How Should You Handle Worker Classification?

Many employers prefer to classify workers as independent contractors to lower costs, even if it means having less control over a worker’s day-to-day activities. But the government is on the lookout for businesses that classify workers as independent contractors simply to reduce taxes or avoid their employee benefit obligations.

Why it matters

When your business classifies a worker as an employee, you generally must withhold federal income tax and the employee’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes from his or her wages. Your business must then pay the employer’s share of these taxes, pay federal unemployment tax, file federal payroll tax returns and follow other burdensome IRS and U.S. Department of Labor rules.

You may also have to pay state and local unemployment and workers’ compensation taxes and comply with more rules. Dealing with all this can cost a bundle each year.

On the other hand, with independent contractor status, you don’t […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:04+00:00May 2nd, 2019|employer, irs, tax|0 Comments

Are you a California Employer Who Must File State Copies of W2s and 1099s?

Are you a California employer who must file state copies of W2s and 1099s? Returns that are paper-filed with the IRS will be forwarded to the CA Franchise Tax Board (FTB), so there’s no need for you to also file with the FTB. Generally, the IRS and FTB have the same filing requirements. If you have 250 or more returns, electronic filing with the FTB is required. The e-filing due date is 3/31/19. If you use the IRS Combined Federal/State Filing Program, only one filing is necessary. The IRS will forward original or corrected data to the FTB. If you have questions about filing, please contact your Linkenheimer CPA.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:11+00:00March 20th, 2019|1099, business, CA tax, california, employer, ftb, w2|0 Comments