Associated Payroll Services

Employees have to spend $61 a day on this one thing… A recent survey from Owl Labs revealed that the migration back to the office from remote work is costing employees $61 on average every day (from gas, parking, and food expenses). Amazon and Dell are pioneering this shift, but they’re being met with resistance because of the burden it’s placing on employees. What are some ways an employer could make the pivot from remote work to in-office work more palatable for employees?

Your next paycheck could shrink as badly as your favorite t-shirt did in the washer if you’ve got tax debt on your hands. But you have options. Let me share one with you… If you're facing tax debt, The IRS can legally take up to 25 percent of your paycheck to settle it (yikes). What can you do to minimize the damage? You can file a Collection Due Process Appeal. As a taxpayer, you have the right to appeal the IRS's decision and attempt to negotiate a payment schedule with them. Talk to us about how you can get this process rolling.

Do you really need to follow up with customers after a 🤑sale? Following up is 🔑 key to effective sales, and here’s why… A follow-up doesn’t often yield immediate results (or offer that sweet pleasure of instant gratification). But, it’s crucial because it shows customers that they ❤️ matter to you even beyond the sale. 🙌🏻 Thank them for their business, 🤝 make sure their needs are met, and ❓ask open-ended questions about their experience. A quick ☎️ phone call or thank you email can go a lot further than you might think. What customer follow-up strategies have worked for you?

"...When “success” is a sprint, givers will often finish last. But when success is a marathon, givers often finish first." – Organizational Psychologist Adam Grant’s take on real intelligence. Everyone thinks it’s the smart people that can afford to be generous. But science says we’ve got it backward – it’s the generous that are truly smart. Why? Because people want to follow those who are kind. Effective leadership is selfless. And all business is built on relationships. Agree or disagree? Let’s hear your take.

What financial tasks are top of mind for you as the year wraps up? Two months (and some change) is all that’s left of 2024 – it’s time to double down on those year-end priorities. Grab a cup of coffee, reassess your annual financial goals, and figure out what steps you need to take to reach them. We’d love to hear how you’re prioritizing for EOY in the comments.

If you want to forge strong connections with your employees, you need to develop this skill… You need to listen to them. And no, this is not the kind of listening where you’re nodding your head and simultaneously thinking about your next business meeting. We mean asking questions and paying attention, AKA – active listening, which looks like: 👁️ Eye contact. 👂🏽 Paraphrasing what you hear. "What I hear you saying is…" ❓ Asking clarifying questions. Remember the 5 W's? 😀 Be present. Phone away, minimize mental traffic. 👍🏾 Affirming their thought process. Find the good. 🙌🏻 A simple thank you. "I'm glad you shared this." This is just a starting checklist for becoming an active listener. When you’re in conversations, what makes you feel heard?

How can you prepare for disaster in your business? Here's a good place to start... 💰 Keep at least three months of operating cash or liquid assets on hand to help your business survive emergencies. 📑 Understand your insurance coverage, store important documents safely, and learn about government resources like grants and emergency loans available after disasters. 👱🏽♀️👨🏼🦰 Know your customers well and be prepared to adjust your business operations to meet their needs during a crisis, just like businesses did in 2020. ⬱ Don’t rely on a single supplier. Build relationships with multiple suppliers and ensure they have their own crisis plans in place to protect your business. 📝 Start planning for potential disasters by asking “What if?” Write down your plan, share it with others, and keep refining it to ensure your business can survive tough situations.

Neglect paying your tax debt so long that you got a "Final Notice" Letter 1058 (Notice of Intent to Levy) or LT11 (Notice of Your Right to a Hearing) in the mail? Here's what you need to do: 1. Read the notice carefully. This might seem obvious, but it’s important to be sure it's actually the Final Notice and note the collection date. 2. Understand the collection date. This is the deadline to take action before the IRS seizes your assets, and it’s important to put it on your calendar so that you know your timeline. 3. File an appeal. Doing this puts a hold on collection activities and gives you time to explore options. (We can help with this one.) Hopefully it won't come to any of this... but if it does, we're still in your corner.

Get a text "from the IRS" recently asking for your private information? 🚨 SCAM ALERT 🚨 Always keep an eye out for tax scammers who use texting, phone calls, and emails to do their dirty work. These messages often contain bogus links claiming to be an IRS website link or other online tax tools. And they're aimed at one thing: Getting your personal information in order to steal from you. If it looks bogus, sounds bogus, or smells bogus... it usually is -- Don't respond to it. Any requests for information or notices of payments owed will be done via mail, and they'll be minus threatening "or else" language. What's the most ridiculous scam message you've received?

Remember: A letter from the IRS is NOT the final word. You have the right and ability to dispute the amount they say you owe if you believe it to be incorrect. Have questions about a letter you received? DM us.