Payroll

Payroll from Scratch: How to Set Up and Run Your First Payroll

You've hired your first employee, congratulations! Now comes the big question: how do you actually pay them? Setting up payroll from scratch can seem intimidating, with its mix of tax forms, calculations, and deadlines. This guide is designed for the absolute beginner, breaking down the entire process into simple, manageable steps.

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The Takeaways

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    Getting the necessary federal and state tax ID numbers for your business.
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    Collecting the right information from your new employee (like their W-4).
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    A simple breakdown of how to calculate a paycheck, including withholdings.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.
BEHIND THE GUIDE

Meet Justworks

We help entrepreneurs and businesses grow with confidence.

Benefits

Justworks offers small businesses access to health insurance, 401(k) and more—all at affordable rates typically only available to large companies.

Payroll

Payroll software that runs seamlessly so you can pay your team with ease.

HR Tools

Ditch the spreadsheets and manage your team with the tools we've built from the ground up.

Compliance

Don't sweat the small stuff. Lean on us for employment-related compliance support.

International

Access the tools and support you need for onboarding, paying, and managing an international workforce.