Payroll tips for small business owners

Hiring your first employee is a big accomplishment. And learning to run payroll is no small feat. So we designed a collection of articles, videos, and tools to help you hire employees and learn payroll fast.

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Hiring employees

New to hiring? Check out these resources to help you hire the right way, the first time.

  1. Learn everything you need to know about hiring your first employee.
  2. Learn how to create an employee handbook. This resource can help you decide what to include.
  3. Check out our ebook to learn how to manage your staff.
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Understanding payroll

Now that you know a thing or two about hiring, it’s time to learn payroll. Let’s start with the basics:

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State payroll resources

Many states have unique payroll laws. Here are some resources for learning the rules in your state:

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Federal payroll and hiring resources

A few federal laws and resources to keep in mind:

Find payroll resources that are right for you

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IRS resources

If you’re hiring contractors or employees, you’ll need to understand what makes them different and how employment taxes work.

Learn more

Free paycheck calculator

Calculate paychecks for hourly or salaried employees. You’ll get an accurate picture of their gross pay (including overtime, commissions, bonuses, and more).

Try it now

Accurate tax forms

Wondering which tax forms to use? Full-time employees need a Form W-2 and contractors and self-employed workers need a Form 1099.

Learn why

Payroll guidance

Find additional articles about paying your team, staying compliant, payroll processing, tax forms, expenses, hiring best practices, and more.

Explore payroll articles
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Learn the basics

Hiring a team is a big step. Set yourself up for success with our free ebook, which covers:

  • Labor laws
  • Payroll taxes and tax forms
  • Costs associated with hiring employees
  • Considerations for hiring contractors

Payroll training videos 

Learn payroll with one of our easy payroll training videos


See how it works

See how QuickBooks payroll makes it easy to pay your whole team.

Setting up payroll

Review the basics of adding employees and preparing for your first payroll.

How to run payroll online

Run payroll for your small business.

Frequently asked questions

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