Outsourcing payroll: A pros and cons guide

This post was written by Kenon Thompson on July 28, 2023

Similar to a PEO (but without the co-employer relationship) it may also offer benefits administration and HR services. Payroll responsibilities are much more than just cutting checks for employees. Most relevant to our discussion here, Rippling offers solutions for both domestic and global payroll, benefits management and PEO services.

Our in-house, on-the-ground experts are easily accessible from one place — and on hand to help whenever you need it. International payroll outsourcing usually involves working with multiple third-party providers across the globe, which can present additional difficulties around compliance, currency, and communication. Following these best practices will help make the search for a provider and the transition smoother. Form a team at your company to investigate payroll outsourcing, then take a moment to review these and the “Frequently Asked Questions” section below.

Federal tax deposits should be made via electronic funds transfer (EFT) to comply with IRS regulations on payroll. The IRS has a system called the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) to facilitate that. Businesses are assigned an employer identification number (EIN) that needs to be provided to the payroll company if you’re going to outsource. IRS correspondence is always sent to the primary business, not the third-party provider. You can change your address to the payroll company, but the IRS does not recommend that. If mail is mishandled or responsible parties are not in the office, your firm could be on the hook for their mismanagement.

1. Learn how to manage global payroll for your team and keep your company compliant with international labor laws.
2. Small businesses may benefit from working with a contractor as it’s less costly.
3. These mistakes can lead to audits and penalties — situations no business wants or needs.
4. Outsourcing payroll to a stable, experienced provider can offer a “safe haven” for your confidential payroll data.
5. One of the biggest issues for payroll clients is hidden fees and “sneaky” costs.

Transitioning to outsourced payroll

No matter how many employees a business has, processing payroll demands time and attention to detail. This often comes at the cost of valuable time that could otherwise be spent on more pressing business priorities, such as building revenue or serving customers. Small businesses may benefit from working with a contractor as it’s less costly. If you choose this option, ensure your contract with the accountant is clear to avoid potential employee misclassification issues. When selecting an outsourced payroll provider, consider your budget, expansion goals, and payroll team’s bandwidth.

How do I choose the best accounting software for my business?

By outsourcing tasks, you can ensure your payroll is getting the attention to detail it requires to run smoothly. Your in-house accounting free cash flow from ebitda team can instead focus on core tasks to support your team as you grow. When you hire an outside service to manage payroll, payroll is often their main or even sole activity. A payroll software or service can help you save time, reduce errors, boost security and stay compliant. Outsourcing payroll can help businesses save time and money, but it’s important to understand the benefits and drawbacks before making a decision. Paychex is yet another top name in payroll software, support and outsourcing.

Rippling: Best overall outsourced payroll service

Whether you’re looking to save some extra time or are interested in additional HR features, outsourcing your payroll could be the right choice for your small business. According to Technavio, the payroll outsourcing services market is estimated to grow nearly 6% by 2027. To help keep up with your growing business, you might consider outsourcing payroll to shift some responsibilities off your plate, allowing you to spend time on other crucial business tasks. Perhaps even more concerning is the increased risk of a breach of sensitive data that outsourcing inevitably brings. While many cloud-based programs for payroll data management use encrypted servers and firewalls for security, they are juicy targets for malicious activity.

Communicate with your team

Here are some questions to ask yourself if you’re wondering why you should use a payroll service or professional. It’s usually a good idea to start pricing payroll services when you get close to ten employees. Evaluate the cost and the time it takes to process payroll every week.

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This entry was posted on Friday, July 28th, 2023 at 10:51 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.