Key Payroll Practices for 2017

Why Should You Attend:

This webinar will discuss why 2017 will be a crucial year for payroll in four key areas:

• The IRS and Social Security Administration are cracking down on reconciliation errors when submitting the Forms W-2. They must match what has been submitted on the Forms 941 or fines will be issued. Key area number one will help ensure you are reconciled not just at year end but at each quarter end.
• The states will be auditing to find discrepancies in payroll practices. This is where key practice number 2—self audits will assist you in finding those discrepancies before they do.
• In 2017 there is pressure to increase efficiency and decrease costs, perhaps even more than in previous years. Our third key aspect discusses this trend by advocating that payroll tap into an already free source—technology. 2017 is the year to jump into this trend and follow it to increase efficiency and save money.
• The final key area is internal. To move forward you must know where you are. You can’t improve a system, practice, or procedure until you know where it stands right now. This is where benchmarking is key to being successful.
• Is your direct deposit program at its peak or do you just think it is?
• How much does it really cost you to process a manual or off-cycle check?
• How do you compare with other payroll departments?
• Are you ahead of the game or lagging behind?

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• Reconcile Forms 941 to Forms W-2 on a quarterly basis
• Conduct internal audits to find compliance issues before an external one finds you
• Go paperless to decrease costs and increase efficiency
• Benchmark your payroll: find out where you are and determine where you want to be

Who Will Benefit:

• Payroll Professionals
• Human Resources
• Accounting Personnel
• Business Owners
• Lawmakers
• Attorneys, or any individual or entity that must deal with the complexities and technicalities within the payroll process

Vicki M. Lambert
Payroll Authority and Instructor, The Payroll Advisor

Vicki M. Lambert, CPP, is president and academic director of The Payroll Advisor™, a firm specializing in payroll education and training. The company’s website www.thepayrolladvisor.com offers a payroll news service which keeps payroll professionals up-to-date on the latest rules and regulations.

With over 35 years of hands-on experience in all facets of payroll functions as well as over 20 years as a trainer and author, Ms. Lambert has become the most sought-after and respected voice in the practice and management of payroll issues. She has conducted open market training seminars on payroll issues across the United States that have been attended by executives and professionals from some of the most prestigious firms in business today.

A pioneer in electronic and online education, Ms. Lambert produces and presents payroll related audio seminars, webinars and webcasts for clients, APA chapters and business groups throughout the country. Ms. Lambert is an adjunct faculty member at Brandman University in Southern California and is the creator of and instructor for their Practical Payroll Online program, which is approved for recertification hours by the APA. She is also the Program Developer, Subject Matter Expert (SME), and Facilitator for the Certificate in Payroll Practice and Management Program offered by Cengage Learning / Ed2Go through hundreds of colleges and universities across the country.

Topic Background:

2017 will be a crucial year for payroll in four key areas. The IRS and Social Security Administration are cracking down on reconciliation errors when submitting the Forms W-2. They must match what has been submitted on the Forms 941 or fines will be issued. Key area number one will help ensure you are reconciled not just at year end but at each quarter end. But it isn’t just Forms W-2 that are being scrutinized by the IRS it is also fringe benefits and all tax practices.

The IRS isn’t the only game in town when it comes to audits—the Department of Labor and the states have a stake in this game as well. Complicating matters is the fact that we do not know what effect the change of the presidential administration will have on the DOL for their number and severity of audits. But no matter what happens on the federal level, the states will surely be auditing furiously to find discrepancies in payroll practices. This is where our key practice number 2—self audits will assist you in finding those discrepancies before they do.

Again in 2017 there is pressure to increase efficiency and decrease costs, perhaps even more than in previous years. Our third key aspect discusses this trend by advocating that payroll tap into an already free source—technology. Not just yours but everyone else’s. Almost all government entities that payroll must interact with are moving to paperless means. States are accepting and even mandating deposits and submissions electronically. Child support orders are now available in an electronic version and your own payroll system can even offer solutions that are affordable. 2017 is the year to jump into this trend and follow it to increase efficiency and save money.

Our final key area is internal. To move forward you must know where you are. You can’t improve a system, practice, or procedure until you know where it stands right now. This is where benchmarking is key to being successful. Is your direct deposit program at its peak or do you just think it is? How much does it really cost you to process a manual or off-cycle check? And how do you compare with other payroll departments? Are you ahead of the game or lagging behind? Benchmarking is the key to answering these and many more internal questions to improve your department in 2017.

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