Category: Payroll
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New Hire Payroll Checklist for Small Businesses (2026)
Ops checklist for onboarding your first W-2 employee—forms, tax accounts, pay schedule, software setup, and a first-payroll preview—plus a printable-style list. Educational only; verify IRS and state rules.
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Payroll Taxes for Your First Employee (2026): What Small Business Owners Should Know
Ops/Finance map of employee withholdings, employer payroll taxes, deposit schedules, and Forms 941/940/W-2 for a first US W-2 hire. Educational only; verify IRS Publication 15 and state rules.
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How to Pay Yourself From an LLC (2026): Payroll, Draws, and Common Mistakes
How LLC owner pay works by tax election: owner draws, multi-member partnership payments, and S-corp reasonable W-2 salary before distributions. Educational; consult a CPA.
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W-2 vs 1099 (2026): What Small Business Owners Need to Know
W-2 vs 1099 for small businesses (2026): IRS common-law factors, Form W-2 vs 1099-NEC, $2,000 reporting threshold, and a hire checklist.
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How to Run Payroll for Your First Employee (2026 Guide)
Ops runbook for US SMBs: classify, register, collect forms, set pay schedule, preview and approve the first payday, then keep deposits and filings on separate calendars. Educational only.
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How to Pay Contractors With Gusto (2026): Steps, Fees, and 1099s
How to pay contractors with Gusto in 2026: add and onboard the contractor, collect the W-9, run direct deposit, and file 1099-NEC. Costs, timing, and what Gusto won’t do.
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Best Payroll Software for 1 to 5 Employees (2026)
For US teams of 1–5 employees in 2026: Gusto Simple lists at $55–$79, QuickBooks Workforce Payroll at $57–$85, and Patriot Full Service at $42–$62. Prices checked November 13, 2026.
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Gusto vs QuickBooks Payroll (2026): Which Should a Small Business Use?
Quick 2026 comparison of Gusto and QuickBooks Payroll—when native QuickBooks Online sync wins, when Gusto’s payroll-plus-HR center wins, plus 1/5/15 employee cost scenarios and a 30-minute decision checklist.
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Do I Need Payroll for My LLC? (2026 Decision Guide)
Do you need payroll for your LLC in 2026? It depends on tax election and whether you have W-2 employees or S-corp owner wages. Contractors and draws differ. Educational only.