IRS increases Social Security Tax to 6.2% for employees. EzPaycheck 2013 payroll software has been updated to implement this change and other tax rate changes.

2013 Income Tax Tables here: http://www.halfpricesoft.com/federal_income_tax_2013.asp

What is new for 2013 Income Taxes:  http://halfpricesoft.com/business-blog/post/2013/01/01/What-Is-New-of-2013-Payroll-Tax-Rate.aspx

1.       How to download ezPaycheck 2013

            If you are a new user, you can download ezPaycheck 2013 at

http://www.halfpricesoft.com/payroll_software_download.asp

If you are ezPaycheck 2012 users, we would like to suggest you to back up your database first then download ezPaycheck 2013 update package at

http://www.halfpricesoft.com/payroll_software_update_2013.asp

2.       I downloaded version 3.3.3 to generate the first check. Then I updated  ezPaycheck to the latest version to generate the second check. Why the net pay and taxes on the second check are different from the first check

IRS published new tax rate on Jan 3 2013 which overwrite the tax rate published on Dec 31, 2012.

Version 3.3.6 use the tax rate published on Jan 3, 2013

Version 3.3.5 and earlier use tax rate published on Dec 31, 2012

3.       Why I need to update ezPaycheck 2012 to ezPaycheck 2013?

EzPaycheck 2012 comes with 2012 tax tables. If you need to handle payroll in Year 2013, you should use Year 2013 income tax rate. You can find Year 2013 tax rate change there

Social Security Tax increases to 6.2% for employees. IRS asks employers to start using the new social security rate as soon as possible in Year 2013 but not later than Feb 15, 2013.

You can get more information about income tax change here

http://halfpricesoft.com/business-blog/post/2013/01/01/What-Is-New-of-2013-Payroll-Tax-Rate.aspx

4.       How will I know my current version?

You can click the ezPaycheck top menu “Help->About ezPaycheck”

5.       How can I know a new version is available?

We will inform you by email when a new version is available. You can also check the latest version yourself by clicking the ezPaycheck top menu “help->Check for updates”.

6.       I have not finished my 2012 payroll, should I download ezPaycheck 2013 update package now?

You should finish your 2012 paychecks first because you should use 2012 income tax rate for year 2012 paychecks.

 You can print W-2 forms later. EzPaycheck 2013 can print Year 2012 W-2 Forms.

7.       After I installed ezPaycheck 2013, I still see 2011 940 Form. Is it correct?

IRS has not published Year 2012 940 form yet. We will release a new version once this form is available. Current ezPaycheck 2013 users can get this update package for free.

8.       After I installed ezPaycheck 2013, I still see 2012 941 Form. Is it correct?

IRS has not published Year 2013 941 form yet. We will release a new version once this form is available. Current ezPaycheck 2013 users can get this update package for free.

9.       Is my payroll data safe when I run ezPaycheck 2013 update package? Will it transfer my 2012 data to ezPaycheck 2013?

Your data should be safe. However, we still like to suggest you always backup your data first. When ezPaycheck 2012 users run ezPaycheck 2013 update package, it should transfer all the data to ezPaycheck 2013 automatically. However if your machine has higher security settings, ezPaycheck may not be able to transfer the data automatically.

What Is Social Security Tax

The Social Security tax is a payroll tax that was started by the United States Government in the 1930s. This tax is imposed upon working people and their employers.

What Is New In Year 2013

For 2013, the employee tax rate for social security increases to 6.2%. The social security wage base limit increases to $113,700. The employer tax rate for social security is still 6.2%.

Employers should implement the 6.2% employee social security tax rate as soon as possible, but not later than February 15, 2013. After implementing the new 6.2% rate, employers should make an adjustment in a subsequent pay period to correct any underwithholding of social security tax as soon as possible, but not later than March 31, 2013.

We have updated ezPaycheck 2013 Payroll Software to implement this Social Security Tax Increase.  You are welcome to download and try ezPaycheck payroll software free for 30 days with no obligation and no credit card needed.

Related Links

·      What Is New of 2013 Payroll Tax Rate

http://www.halfpricesoft.com/business-blog/post/2013/01/01/What-Is-New-of-2013-Payroll-Tax-Rate.aspx

·         2013 Income Tax Table

http://www.halfpricesoft.com/federal_income_tax_2013.asp

·         Small Business Payroll Software Solution

http://www.halfpricesoft.com/index.asp

A fringe benefit is a form of pay (including property, services, cash or cash equivalent) in addition to stated pay for the performance of services. Some forms of additional compensation are specifically designated as “fringe benefits” in the Internal Revenue Code.

Fringe benefits commonly include health insurance, group term life coverage, education reimbursement, childcare and assistance reimbursement and cafeteria plans. Fringe benefits for employees are taxable wages unless specifically excluded by a section of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).

The IRC may provide that fringe benefits are nontaxable, partially taxable, or tax-deferred.

Taxable – Includible in gross income unless excluded under an IRC section. “Taxable” means the benefit is included in the employees' wages and reported on Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, and generally is subject to Federal income tax withholding, social security (unless the employee has already reached the current year social security wage base limit), and Medicare. If the recipient is an employee, this amount is includible as wages. For example, bonuses are always taxable because no IRC section excludes them from taxation

.

Nontaxable (excludable) – Excluded from wages by a specific IRC section; for example, qualified health plan benefits excludable under section 105.

Partially taxable - Part is excluded by IRC section and part is taxable. Benefits may be excludable up to dollar limits, such as the public transportation subsidy under IRC §132.

Tax-deferred – Benefit is not taxable when received, but subject to tax later. For example, employer contributions to an employee's pension plan may not be taxable when made, but may be taxed when distributed to the employee.

(Source: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/fringe_benefit_fslg.pdf)

ezPaycheck small business payroll software can handle fringe benefits. It comes with default settings for health Insurance and 401K. Users can also add customized deduction fields to handle taxable or non-taxable fringe benefits easily. Learn more at
http://www.halfpricesoft.com/business-blog/post/2011/05/05/How-to-add-a-new-payroll-deduction.aspx

More information about ezPaycheck payroll software can be found at product page.

2012 Michigan state tax rate changed on Oct 1, 2012. The new income tax withholding rate is 4.25% and the new personal exemption amount is $3,950. And the new pension and/or retirement benefit withholding rate will also change to 4.25%, however, there is no adjustment to the monthly pension deduction amount.

Halfpricesoft.com has released the new ezPaycheck payroll software with the updated income tax tables. Current paycheck software users can download the new update package from halfpricesoft.com and finished the tax update process in just a few clicks.

Michigan State Table

http://www.halfpricesoft.com/2012/taxrate-michigan-2012.asp

Hoping to keep its small-business payroll software affordable for every size company in the continuing recession, We launched 33% off promotion on ezPaycheck.

With this offer, business owners can purchase the full version paycheck software at just $59, which is 33% off the regular price $89. Users can also get the ezPaycheck 2012 update package on Form W2 and W3, which is scheduled to release in December, for free.

EzPaycheck developing team recently improved this in-house paycheck software with the new YTD feature which makes it simple and easy to change payroll software or begin using payroll software for the first time - even for companies in the middle of their fiscal year.

Download the free DEMO of ezPaycheck payroll software at

http://www.halfpricesoft.com/payroll_software_download.asp