Today’s professional office can be anywhere from a high-rise to a home study, making the need for tax compliance more important than ever.
Payroll taxes are a strategic year-round priority. So, while tax laws are becoming more multifaceted, managing them doesn’t have to be.
“Reporting requirements for payroll taxes are more complex and constantly changing,” says Pete Feaman, CPA and IPS vice president. “IPS has clients hiring all over the country, and each state has its own payroll tax reporting requirements. We are here to help them navigate it all.”
The Right People. The Right Questions.
Manual errors in tax filing are surprisingly common. These often include filing incorrect forms –or missing them entirely – as well as providing inaccurate data or falling behind on payment deadlines.
“You never want to let a potential issue drag on any longer than necessary. This opens you to potential penalties, interest, audits, and future scrutiny,” says Debbie Polly, a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) and 25-year tax industry veteran. “IPS has the knowledge, the processes and procedures, and technology in place to take care of all of this. We monitor issues on a per-payroll basis, as well as a weekly, broader review. All of us maintain credentials that require continuing education. This ensures that we are current on every change happening.”
Mary Callahan, with Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC), brings 15 years of tax service to the IPS team. She says one of the most common questions for clients is determining where the employee should be taxed.
“An employee may live in one state but physically work in another, or the corporate office may be in a different state from where the employee lives and works,” Mary explains. “Does the work in state have reciprocity with the live-in state? Which state should wages be reported to for unemployment? Are there local taxes that may need to be considered? IPS knows which questions to ask to make sure employees are set up correctly for taxation purposes.”
The IPS Difference: People, Not Platforms
While many payroll companies treat the tax department as an afterthought, IPS builds its reputation on specialized expertise to mitigate potential damage before it scales.
“We took on a professional therapy services client last year that operates in New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan,” Debbie explains. “The person who handles their payroll was spending a significant amount of time trying to fix issues that were caused by their previous provider. IPS took over and solved them in short order. The result was abated penalties and lower unemployment tax rates.
“Coincidentally, this client initially called us by mistake, but after listening to our services, they decided to use us anyway, and they love us.”
Compliance is more than just avoiding a fine; it’s also about protecting the stability and reputation of your organization.
“Clients may be leery of doing business with you if you’ve been publicly penalized for tax issues,” Debbie maintains. “How do they know your business will be stable? In more severe cases, there can also be criminal liability.”
Focus on Your Mission
IPS’s dedicated support allows business leaders to return their focus to what they do best and achieve peace of mind.
“We work directly with the tax agencies on a client’s behalf to correct information or resolve notices and discrepancies,” Mary says. “By allowing IPS to handle the tax payments and filings, it is one less thing an employer needs to worry about doing themselves.”
“We are available, responsive, and relatable with our clients,” says Pete. “We understand that payroll taxes aren’t usually their strong suit. We don’t expect it to be. I can’t tell you how many horror stories I have heard about people getting put into a loop when it comes to answering their payroll tax questions, ‘Oh, let me transfer you here,’ or ‘Oh, that’s not my department. Let me send you here.’ That’s not us.”
As Pete puts it, the best feedback he hears from clients is a simple but powerful one: “It’s nice to finally take a vacation during payroll week.”
Ready to simplify your tax landscape? To learn more, reach out to your IPS representative.