You can process your payroll and file your taxes directly through QuickBooks. QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll is an included service for QuickBooks Enterprise Gold and Platinum users. While users on these plans do not have to pay the base subscription fee or a per-person fee, additional fees for each contractor are paid by direct deposit.

How does QuickBooks Payroll work?

On top of that, setting up payroll in QuickBooks Online is easy, and it has fast direct deposit options (such as next- and same-day payments). It is for this reason that QuickBooks Online Payroll made it to our list of the best payroll services. It even runs special promotions for new clients, providing them with an option to enjoy a 30-day free trial or get 50% off its base software fees for the first three months. Additionally, QuickBooks Enterprise Diamond Assisted Payroll users are limited to four payroll runs per month.

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Review

Every QuickBooks Payroll plan has the option to automatically run payroll for salaried employees paid via direct deposit and hourly employees with default hours paid via direct deposit. Before payroll runs each pay period, you’ll get a preview email with the opportunity to make changes. Once your employees are paid, QuickBooks Payroll will send you a confirmation text.

Although it’s designed for businesses with up to 50 employees or contractors, it can accommodate up to 150 workers. The software integrates directly with QuickBooks Online, can run payroll automatically and offers same-day or next-day direct deposits. Three plan offerings mean businesses can upgrade as they grow and require more services. Health benefits and retirement plans can be incorporated with any subscription. The QuickBooks Payroll options for desktop can handle payments for contractors and employees. These options come with online paystubs, printable tax documents (including year-end tax forms), and automatic calculations of federal and state payroll taxes.

• Generally, QuickBooks Online doesn’t experience data breaches frequently.
• QuickBooks Payroll now includes team management tools so you can streamline your HR tasks and save precious time.
• When you move to QuickBooks Online, you’ll create a new account and sign in.
• QuickBooks’ time tracking offers businesses the ability to manage and track employee and contractor time through a QuickBooks Time integration.
• However, what sets Assisted Payroll apart from the Enhanced Payroll plan are the next-day direct deposits and payroll tax administration services that it offers.
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Prepare and file payroll tax forms and payments

If you’ve already paid employees this year, you’ll need to add those paychecks and any tax payments you’ve made. This info is included on your employees’ W-2s at the end of the year. If you use QuickBooks Desktop Payroll Enhanced, you can also set up to pay your payroll taxes electronically. If intuit quickbooks desktop payroll a user provides accurate information on time and something still goes wrong, QuickBooks will pay the payroll tax penalties. If you purchase a QuickBooks Desktop Payroll subscription but find yourself unhappy with the software and services, QuickBooks offers a money-back guarantee.

• Our QuickBooks Online Payroll review takes a deep dive into the software’s features, pricing, and benefits.
• You can migrate your business and payroll data to QuickBooks Online and keep a copy of the original file for your records.
• The ones we found on third-party sites like TrustRadius, G2, and Capterra are mostly about the QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise solution, with a few mentions of its payroll solution.
• The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication.
• For all three plan tiers, federal and state payroll taxes are calculated, filed and paid automatically.
• If you file taxes in more than one state, each additional state is currently $12/month.

QuickBooks Payroll benefits

This payroll system works well with QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, and Enterprise, but may be overkill if you’re not already a die-hard QuickBooks user. To find the most up-to-date penalty rate, you can refer to the IRS website or consult with a tax professional. If you don’t pay enough estimated tax throughout the year, you may be subject to penalties from the IRS. Use a free self-employment tax calculator to help estimate your tax liability. This can simplify the process and provide a more accurate estimate.

QuickBooks Online Payroll Customer Service

QuickBooks Desktop Payroll earned an average 4.1/5 star rating across multiple review sites. However, as QuickBooks Online Payroll is by far the more popular option, the number of reviews available is limited. While time tracking is not built into QuickBooks Desktop Payroll, it functions well as an add-on through QuickBooks Time. The QuickBooks Time add-on syncs with your QuickBooks Desktop Payroll. Topical articles and news from top pros and Intuit product experts. The current penalty rate is 8%, but this rate is subject to change quarterly.

To learn more about its features and pricing, read our QuickBooks Payroll review. QuickBooks Enterprise Gold, Platinum, and Diamond users are not required to pay the base subscription fee for QuickBooks Payroll, as Enterprise plans include payroll services. If you’re considering an Enterprise Silver, Gold, or Platinum plan, note that you’ll be locked in for a full year of service (unless you cancel services within 60 days of purchase). QuickBooks Online Payroll offers basic tax support features on all its plans, including support for 1099 contractors. Intuit will pay your taxes and file your quarterly payroll reports for you. For local taxes, you might be on your own to deduct and allocate; check with a QuickBooks or tax expert.