Please note that Presidents Day is Monday, February 16, and banks will be closed in observance of the holiday. This closure may affect payroll processing timelines and check dates for upcoming payrolls. We strongly recommend logging into your Secure HR payroll account to confirm your check date and applicable processing cut-off times to avoid any…
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By February, most employers have officially closed the prior payroll year — but questions, corrections, and follow-ups are often just beginning. Employees start reviewing their tax forms, accountants ask for clarification, and small discrepancies that went unnoticed in January can suddenly feel urgent. February payroll isn’t about starting fresh — it’s about confirming accuracy, responding…
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Understanding Tip Reporting in Payroll For employers with tipped employees, how tips are entered into payroll matters just as much as the amounts themselves. Different types of tips—cash vs. credit card, paid vs. owed, qualified vs. nonqualified—are treated differently for tax reporting, wage calculations, and compliance purposes. The payroll entry options below represent specific “buckets”…
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(And Why It Matters in the 2026 Filing Season) As payroll regulations continue to evolve, the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance related to tax year 2025 that employers and employees are now encountering during the 2026 filing and reporting season. This guidance focuses on cash tip reporting and qualified overtime compensation, along with transition relief…
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The start of a new year brings more than fresh calendars and updated goals — it also marks one of the most important moments in the payroll cycle. Decisions and oversights made in January can quietly ripple through the entire year, affecting compliance, employee trust, and financial accuracy. January is when smart employers slow down…
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???????? Captain Max Orbit wrapping up the mission. Every journey has an origin story. Secure HR’s began with a simple observation: too many payroll providers offered either cutting-edge technology with terrible service, or decent service backed by outdated systems. Businesses were forced to choose between the two. The Problem We Saw Tech-heavy providers left clients…
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???????? Captain Max Orbit here, with advice for small business captains. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, but payroll can be one of their biggest challenges. Unlike large corporations with whole HR departments, small businesses often have just one person — or even the owner themselves — managing payroll. The Hidden Complexity of…
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???????? Captain Max Orbit broadcasting from the ISS. Life aboard the International Space Station teaches astronauts lessons about discipline, precision, and teamwork. Interestingly, those same lessons apply directly to payroll. Lesson 1: Redundancy Matters On the ISS, critical systems always have backups. In payroll, that means having layers of checks to ensure every number is…
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???????? Captain Max Orbit reporting from Earth orbit. Payroll might seem like an internal business function, but its impact reaches far beyond company walls. Every paycheck ripples outward — into households, neighborhoods, and entire communities. When payroll is accurate and reliable, it builds trust not just with employees, but with society at large. The Ripple…
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???????? Captain Max Orbit reflecting on the journey. After decades in orbit, patterns emerge. In payroll, 30 years of experience has taught us lessons that newer providers simply haven’t learned yet. These lessons shape how we protect businesses today. Lesson 1: Details Matter Even the smallest miscalculation — a few cents off in withholding —…
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