Category Archives: year end

ACA Correction Report Examples

Before reading this post, make sure you have read the previous post first:  Creating ACA Replacement and Correction Files.

The ACA Correction Report allows you to see what information will be included in a correction file.  Three separate sections are printed to show what information has changed on each part of the form.  In some cases, information may only change in one part of the form, while in others, information in all three parts might change.

Regardless of what information has changed, the entire form is reported in the correction file.  The program automatically references the original form that was reported by using the Receipt ID of the original file

The program looks for specific changes in each part of the 1095-C form.  For instance, in Part I, a change to an employee’s first, middle, or last name or the S.S. #, will result in a corrected 1095-C for that employee being included in the correction file if the IRS reported a TIN Validation Error for that form.  (Other changes to information on Part I of the form, such as your company information, will not trigger the form to be included in the correction file.)  Here is an except of some changes from the Part I section:

part1_corrections_001

In this example, the original reported information for each employee is printed on the first line.  The second line shows the current (corrected) information.  Information that changed is printed in bold letters.  In this example, the middle name and last name have changed for the first employee; the last name has changed for the second employee; the middle name has changed for the third employee; and the first name has changed for the last employee.

 The next except shows changes that have been made to the codes reported on Part II:

part2_corrections_001

For this section, the report lists the account number and the line # (14/15/16) for the information that has changed.    As with the part I section, codes for line 14/16 or amounts for line 15 that have changed since the original electronic file was generated will be printed in bold.  In this except, the first seven employee has one or more codes on line 16 that have changed.  The last employee has code that changed on both lines 14 and 16.

The final except is for corrections to Part III of the 1095-C:

part3_corrections_001

Since there may be multiple individuals that are enrolled in coverage for Part III, the report will print the original individuals reported, draw a line across the page, then list the current Part III enrollee information.

For the Part III information, there may be changes to the individuals that are enrolled as well as the months that they were enrolled in coverage.  For instance, the first employee (19) listed no longer has the month of April checked for being enrolled in coverage.  Employee 148 originally reported only one enrolled individual; now there is a second enrolled individual listed on the form.  Employee 168 originally had two enrolled individuals; now there is only the employee listed as being enrolled.

As with the other two sections, when there are differences between the original and current information, a bold font is used.  So for instance on employee 246, the first two individuals have different months checked and are printed in bold.  But the last two enrollees do not have any differences between the original and current information, so they are not printed in bold.

Creating ACA Electronic Replacement and Correction Files

Many customers have been waiting to generate correction files.  The latest update to the Human Resources Management program includes this feature.  You can use the Tools->Check For Updates option to install the latest version of HRM (7.72.0.436.)  For your reference, we will provide an overview of both the Replacement and the Correction processes here, and  step-by-step instructions will be posted later on the Datatech Support/Training page on our Website.

The online help file for the HRM program has also been updated with detailed information on creating replacement and correction files, as well as printing corrected forms in cases where this is needed.

Last year we added an option to generate a replacement file.  The correction file is a new option.  To start with, this post will explain the purpose for each type of file and in what situations they should be used.

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Time to File Your ACA Information Returns with the IRS

Now that the deadline for Paper Filing your ACA Information Returns (February 28, 2017) has come and gone, it is time to focus on making sure your Employee copies of the 1095-C forms have been furnished, either in person or postmarked, by Thursday, March 2, 2017.

And for those of you who must, or who have chosen to, file your returns electronically, you are in the final stretch of meeting your deadline to upload your files to IRS e-Services by March 31, 2017.

If you have missed the paper filing deadline, or if you haven’t already obtained your TCC from the IRS, you have the next 31 days to process your electronic submission. And since the IRS e-Services registration seems to still be an area of some confusion, we would like to remind you again that TWO responsible employees in your company must register for a user account on e-Services in order to properly process your ACA Application for TCC.

Also as a reminder, Datatech will NOT be filing any electronic information returns on behalf of our customers for 2016 reporting. We have been encouraging preparation for these deadlines in earnest since November 2016. We also have a much larger customer base using the HRM software this reporting year, and we do not have sufficient personnel to handle these kinds of requests. Additionally, the electronic file functions of your HRM Software are much better utilized if you process your own information returns.

For more information and step-by-step instructions to help you through the entire 1095-C and 1094-C process, please click on the Movie Clapboard icon in your Datatech programs to open our Support Videos training website. Once there, scroll down and click on the Annual Training link located underneath the Human Resource Management heading.

This opens the training page dedicated to the Webinar we held back in November 2016 regarding 1095-C and 1094-C Preparation. After the page opens, click on the large green button to Download a PDF of the Webinar pages. Note that there are seven sections to the training, including preparing TIN Validation Notices.

If you focus on sections two through six, and watch the associated videos for these sections, you should still be able to complete the process by the March 31, 2017 deadline. But the IRS e-Services Registration and subsequent ACA Application for TCC should be your first priorities, since these will take a few weeks to complete. After reviewing these training materials, please feel free to send specific questions to support@datatechag.com.

UPLOADING ACA ELECTRONIC FILES

Some of our customers have reported issues with being able to find the IRS upload pages for either Test files or Production files. Here is a new link to open the IRS site where you can select which channel you want to use and then log in to upload your files, obtain your Receipt ID, and then check the status of your submission and (in the case of Production files) Download your Acknowledgement file.

After clicking on the link below an IRS web page will open. Scroll down on the far right-hand side under the header UI Channel Link, and then choose either the AIR UI Channel Login – AATS (Testing) for uploading Test files, or AIR UI Channel Login – Production for uploading your actual production files.

https://www.irs.gov/for-tax-pros/software-developers/information-returns/affordable-care-act-information-return-air-program 

Minimum wage reminder

The minimum wage changed on January 1st to $10.50/hour in California.  Many other states schedule their rate changes for January 1st as well.

The DIR has a FAQ page for the minimum rate change in California that you may want to review.

To double check that you have the correct minimum wage rate for 2017, go to Payroll->Setup->State Tax Rates.  The state tax rates for 2017 should automatically be displayed (assuming you have closed 2016 already).  Click on the Minimum Wage tab page:

minwagesettings

The minimum wage settings should show the previous minimum wage rate and the new minimum wage.  The previous minimum wage will be used for minimum wage verification of piecework wages for any days worked in the prior year.

Also, as explained in the Year End Update help file, several states have different minimum wages that apply depending on what region/city you are located in.  In these cases, we are not able to determine which minimum wage rate may apply to your company.  In these cases you may need to override the minimum wage rate provided in the state tax rate updates to use the rate that applies to your operation.

The Year End Help file contains additional helpful information about minimum wage rate changes.  To view this information, go to the Help->Year End Help option in the program and click on the Minimum Wage topic under Year End Update 2016 in the table of contents.

 

 

 

2016 Year End Update

A preliminary Year End Update is available now for customers using The Farmer’s Office and The Labor Contractor’s Office.  Use the Tools->Check for Updates option to download the update and get it installed.

Update 12/27/16:  The Year End Update has been posted today for The Shipper’s Office and The Broker’s Office.    You can now use the Tools->Check for Updates option to download the update.  The new version number for these programs is 7.66.692.

This update includes new tax rates for 2017 as well as the forms and programming changes for year end tax forms (940, 943, W-2) for 2016.  The version number for this update is 7.82.1720.  Additional updates to documentation and some new features will be released over the coming weeks.  This update will provide everything needed to close your payroll for 2016 and start payroll for 2017.

Some changes are still in progress for the Human Resources program for print and electronic 1094-C and 1095-C reporting.  A separate announcement will be made for the release of the Human Resources update when it is ready to download.

This update will perform several database updates.  For customers running our software on a network, we recommend installing the update and starting the program on your network server after regular operating hours to minimize disruptions.  If you have multiple companies, start up the program in each company to perform these database updates.

This update also includes a new version of the DataFlex client, 18.2.  The new client version will be required to install updates that will be released next year.  For multiuser customers, we recommend you install the update on the server first to get the new DataFlex client installed on the server.  This installation will be started automatically by the program.  Once this is done, as users start up the program on their individual workstations, users will be asked to install the new DataFlex client version.

For more details on the new DataFlex client installation, see pages 4 and 5 in the 2016 Year End Update Release Notes.

 

 

After the AB 1513 Safe Harbor deadline

Now that the deadline for making AB 1513 Safe Harbor payments has passed, here are a few important thing to keep in mind:

Safe Harbor Report

Now that you have issued your payments, do not run the Safe Harbor Report again for all employees with the box checked to Create Safe Harbor Detail File.  This will overwrite the information that you have used to generate the safe harbor payments, including the links from the employee information to the safe harbor checks that were issued.  If you lose this information the only way to retrieve it may be by restoring a backup.

A future update will include a read-only setting to lock down the Safe Harbor Detail file and prevent and additions or changes to this information.  Keep in mind that the law requires you to retain your payroll records and other information used to calculate the payments until December 2020.

Handling Inquiries

If you have an employee that believe that they should have received a safe harbor payment but didn’t, you can run the Safe Harbor Report for that single employee (again, do not use the option to create the detail file).   If the report does not show any checks for the safe harbor time period, the employee may have worked but did not have any piecework wages.  If there were piecework wages, the employee may have been paid correctly for the break (if using the actual sums due method) or the amounts may have been more than 4% of the employee’s wages (when using the 4% method).  In either case, if the report shows a negative total due, the employee was not due a safe harbor payment.

It is up to you whether or not to provide the employee with a copy of the Safe Harbor Report, and how much detail you want to go into in explaining how Safe Harbor payment amounts were calculated.

If for some reason the report shows a positive amount and the employee is due a payment but one was not issued, you can issue a payment to the employee at that time.  After investigating whether or not the employee has an account in the Safe Harbor Employee file, run the Safe Harbor Report for that employee only with the Create Safe Harbor Detail File box checked and select the Add option when the program asks if you want to add or replace the information in the detail file. You can then create a safe harbor check and print a statement for that employee only.

W-2’s

Employees that receive a safe harbor payment will need to be issued a W-2.  If you have not already ordered additional W-2’s to account for this, go to the Payroll->Year End Tax Reporting->Count Employees With YTD Wages option to get a current count of the number of employees with wages in 2016.

Safe Harbor Payments to the DIR

As far as we know, the DIR will not accept payments for safe harbor payments that you are unable to deliver to employees after the December 15th deadline.  Therefore, checks that are returned after this date should be handled the same as other uncollected payroll checks.  You will need to report these wages on your quarterly report and year end reports and issue W-2’s to employees.  If employees do not return to collect the wages, and you are still unable to locate the employee you will need to forward the funds (after the appropriate dormancy period) to the California State Controller’s unclaimed property fund.

A future blog post will include instructions and recommendations for handling unclaimed payroll checks

How Employees Get Funds From the State

If you have forwarded Safe Harbor funds to the state and employees are asking how they can collect those funds, direct them to the nearest Labor Commissioner’s office.  A list of these offices can be found here.  The Labor Commissioner’s office will verify that they are owed money that has been deposited with the Unpaid Wage Fund and assist them with the required paperwork.

The Labor Commissioner will only be able to disperse the funds to the employee.  If the employee requests it, you may still need to provide the employee with a statement showing how the calculations were made to arrive at the gross wages paid (the Safe Harbor statement), as well as account for the payroll deductions (print a check voucher for the safe harbor check that you issued).

1095-C Reporting

An update to the HR program may be needed so that the 1095-C logic does not include Safe Harbor checks.  Safe Harbor checks are identified with the pay period from 7/1/2012 to 12/31/2015.  Employees that only have safe harbor checks issued in 2016 did not actually work in 2016 and should not have a 1095-C created.

After doing additional testing, we will post information on our blog if an update is necessary.

Using the Safe Harbor Report for 2016 Wages

Some customers that are concerned about whether they have correctly issued payments for breaks in 2016 have asked whether or not the Safe Harbor Report can be run for 2016 payroll.  The answers is  yes and no.  You can run the report for any time period, and using the Actual-AB 1513 Calculation option  for the Safe Harbor Method should identify any employees that were unpaid or underpaid for breaks based on the rules that went into effect January 1, 2016.

However, if you want to issue checks to employees for any shortfalls, do not use the Safe Harbor Report to create the detail file for your 2016 payroll (see first item above).  Contact Datatech customer support so that we can gather more information, determine if additional programming is needed and recommend what procedures to follow.  (If additional programming is needed, it will likely not be possible for this to be done until February.)

 

W-2 Ordering Information

Following are the guidelines and options for ordering and printing your W-2’s.

Be aware that office supply stores carry multiple three and four per page formats. Compatible forms will have the form number from this article printed on the W-2.  If you cannot determine whether a format is compatible, do not order it. We recommend ordering your forms from The Advance Group as they are familiar with compatible Datatech formats. Call them at (559) 227-1192 or (800) 522-5758.  Datatech does not supply W-2 forms or keep any extra forms on hand if you run out.

Order enough W-2’s! To help in deciding how many W-2’s to order, you can use an option on the Year End Tax Reporting menu for counting employees with year to date wages. This will tell you the current number of employees you will need W-2’s for. Be sure to add in additional W-2’s for new hires, paper jams and reprinting individual W-2’s.


Many customers have asked about printing W-2’s on blank paper directly from the software. There are two reasons that we have decided not pursue printing blank paper W-2’s for the employee:

1) The IRS requires that the employee copies have the printed filing instructions on the back of the W-2. This means that you would still have to purchase forms with the back side pre-printed. The cost of these forms are the same as having both sides pre-printed.

2) Even if you wanted to print one or both sides on blank paper, you will spend more money in toner that you would buying the pre-printed forms.


There is an option to print the Employer’s W-2 (Copy D) on blank paper. This will print the entire W-2 Copy D form on blank paper, but will not print any instructions on the reverse side. This form prints two employees per page. This form is not approved for Copy A (for SSA) or for any of the Employee Copies. It can only be used to print the Employer’s Copy.

Note: We no longer support printing W-2’s on dot-matrix printers. The option to print W-2’s on dot matrix printers will remain in the program, but no changes will be made to the format. Dot-Matrix W-2’s will not print employer paid health insurance premiums, as required by law.


Compatible Forms

Form #/Set #

Description

L3UP

Three W-2 copies per page (one employee per page)

L4UP

Four W-2 copies per page (one employee per page)

LW2A

Single Set for printing Copy A only (2 employees per page)

LW2DI

Single Set for printing Employer Copy D only (2 employees per page)

95211*

Four part set, 50 employees (2 employees per page)

95212*

Six part set, 50 employees (2 employees per page)

95214*

Four part set, 100 Employees (2 employees per page)

95216*

Six part set, 100 Employees (2 employees per page)

*These Set #’s are for The Advance Group. Other form suppliers may have different numbers. These sets also available with envelopes.


Printing Options for Electronic Filers

1) L4UP (Recommended). Select the 4 per Page format when printing and give the entire page to the employee. Then select the Employer Copy option and print the employer copy on blank paper.   You may also save the Employer Copy to a PDF file for archival purposes.

2) L4UP. Select the 4 per Page format when printing. Remove one copy for your Employer copy.

3) L3UP. Select the 3 per Page format when printing. Select the Employer Copy option and print the employer copy on blank paper.

Optional for methods 1 & 3: If you would prefer to have the Employer Copy on pre-printed paper, you may order the LW2DI form. Select the 2 per Page format when printing.


Printing Options for Paper Filers

1) L4UP & LW2A (Recommended). This option allows you to obtain all the needed copies without sorting employee sets. Print the L4UP using the 4 per Page setting. Give all 4 copies to the employee. Print the W-2 Copy A form using the 2 per Page setting. Print the employer copy on blank paper using the Employer Copy setting. You may also save the Employer Copy to a PDF file for archival purposes.

2) L3UP & LW2A. Print the L3UP using the 3 per Page setting for the employee. Print the W-2 Copy A with the 2 per Page format. Print the employer copy on blank paper using the Employer Copy setting.

Optional for methods 1 & 2: If you would prefer to have the Employer Copy on pre-printed paper, you may order the LW2DI form. Select the 2 per Page format when printing.

3) Two employees per page. Order the four or six part sets based on the number of copies/employees needed. Print W-2’s using the 2 per Page option once for each copy.   Then you will need to tear off and collate the copies for each employee.

Prepare NOW for January 2017 1095-C & 1094-C Reporting & Medical Insurance Open Enrollments

If you have just now succeeded in forgetting the debacle that was 1095-C and 1094-C reporting for 2015, it’s time to reawaken all that you hoped was in the past and start preparing for 2016 reporting during January , February, and/or March 2017. According to IRS Instructions, the following are the dates to put on your calendar NOW:


“Furnishing Forms 1095-C To Employees
 You will meet the requirement to furnish Form 1095-C to an employee if the form is properly addressed and mailed on or before the due date. If the regular due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, file by the next business day. A business day is any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. An ALE Member must furnish a Form 1095-C to each of its full-time employees by January 31 of the year following the year to which the Form 1095-C relates. Forms 1095-C for the 2016 calendar year must be furnished by January 31, 2017.”

“When To File
You will meet the requirement to file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C if the forms are properly addressed and mailed on or before the due date. If the regular due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, file by the next business day. A business day is any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. Generally, you must file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C by February 28 if filing on paper (or March 31 if filing electronically) of the year following the calendar year to which the return relates. For calendar year 2016, Forms 1094-C and 1095-C are required to be filed by February 28, 2017, or March 31, 2017, if filing electronically.”


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