Payroll is one thing that all businesses have in common. Along with processing payroll comes many different payroll records required to process the payroll. Each type of record has different requirements of how long you must retain those records.
Payroll departments receive and submit hundreds of thousands of bits of data every year. Employee master file data such as name and social security number, employee forms such the Form W-4, report to the IRS such as Form 941, state unemployment insurance quarterly returns, termination dates for employees, and even child support withholding orders.
A critical question that every payroll professional must ask and more importantly answer is “What am I required to keep, in what format, and for how long”?
The time over which payroll records must be retained will depend upon government requirements. The Internal Revenue Service typically states a required retention period in each document it issues dealing with payroll issues. In general, wage calculations should be retained for two years, while collective bargaining agreements should be retained for three years.
Payroll Tax Professionals, Bookkeepers, Small Business Owners, CPA’s, Tax Preparers, Managers
Debbie Cash, CPP is a Manager of TLM Implementation at G&A Partners. She was formerly a Payroll Tax/Time and Attendance Specialist at Employer Advantage LLC. Debbie earned an Associate's Degree in Accounting from MSSU in 1985 and a Bachelor's Degree in General Business from MSSU in 2006. She obtained her Certified Payroll Professional Certification in October 2006. She has 30+ years of experience processing payroll and payroll taxes for various different companies and professions. Debbie worked as a Payroll Specialist at Missouri Southern State University from 1993 to March 2006. She attended the International Tax Conference in Wisconsin in 2005 and specialized in International Tax for Student Visa's. She also worked for Joplin R-8 School District from 1990 to 1993.
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