Your Business Cell Phone Can Be 100% Tax-Free: What the IRS Actually Requires
Employer cell phones are tax-free with no call logs under IRS Notice 2011-72 if provided for business reasons; internet needs an accountable plan and receipts.
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Payroll
Payroll management, processing, and compliance for businesses of all sizes
Mandatory Vacations Catch Fraud: The Two-Week Control That Cuts Your Losses in Half
Organizations with mandatory vacation and job rotation report roughly 50% lower fraud losses — here is how small teams run the control.
Opening a Montessori Preschool: Startup Costs, Staffing, and the Bookkeeping That Keeps Tuition Honest
A leased three-classroom Montessori preschool needs $350,000-$600,000 to open, and spring tuition deposits are deferred revenue, not cash for summer construction. Startup ranges, staffing math, and the two entries founders get wrong.
What You Can Safely Say When Another Employer Calls for a Reference
Truthful, documented references are protected by truth, qualified privilege, and state immunity statutes. What to disclose, what to never say, and the two traps small businesses miss.
Form SS-8: Asking the IRS to Settle Employee vs. Contractor Status — When It Helps and What It Risks
Form SS-8 lets a business or a worker ask the IRS to rule on employee vs. contractor status under the common-law control test. The free determination takes at least six months, binds the IRS, and carries no appeal rights — here's when to file and what each side risks.
Hiring Holiday Seasonal Help: The Payroll Setup to Finish Before Your First Temp Clocks In
Seasonal hires carry the same payroll stack as full-timers — W-4, I-9, FICA from dollar one, 6% FUTA on the first $7,000, and a W-2 by January 31. Here is the setup, in order.
Iceland's 2026 Deemed-Salary Rules: The Minimum Paycheck Every Freelancer Must Report
Iceland requires every self-employed person to impute a minimum salary — 795,000 kr a month for a solo media freelancer, 1,199,000 kr for a solo specialist in 2026, up about 7.7% — plus 6.35% social security tax and 15.5% pension contributions on top.
PEO Brokers Offer Free Help: How They Get Paid and What to Ask
Most PEO brokers are paid by the PEO you pick, not by you — a commission that can vary by provider. Here are the compensation, network, and CPEO questions to ask before signing, and when going direct is faster.
Do You Have to Give Workers Time Off to Vote? A Small Employer's Guide
No federal law requires time off to vote, but 29 states plus D.C. do — most of them paid, several with misdemeanor penalties. What small employers owe before the November 3, 2026 midterms.
Comp Time Is Illegal in the Private Sector: What Small Employers Must Do Instead
Private employers cannot swap overtime pay for banked time off — Section 207(o) comp time is reserved for public agencies, and violations carry back wages plus equal liquidated damages over two years (three if willful). Here are the lawful alternatives.
Germany's €10 Billion Reform Package: A Small Employer's Payroll Playbook for 2027
Germany's 2026 coalition reform package raises the basic tax-free allowance to €12,564 in 2027 and €12,900 in 2028, starts the 42% band at €70,601, adds a 47% rate above €280,000, and requires a doctor's certificate from the first day of sick leave — here is what each change means for a small employer's payroll desk, plus a dated checklist for January 1, 2027.
Still Funding Your HSA After 65? How Medicare's Six-Month Lookback Turns Legal Contributions Into Excess Contributions
Enrolling in Medicare Part A after age 65 backdates coverage up to six months, turning HSA contributions made during that window into excess contributions subject to a 6% yearly excise tax. This guide covers the 2026 prorated limits, the Form 5329 penalty, how to withdraw the excess before the filing deadline, and the six-months-ahead shutdown plan.