How to Solve Your Payroll and Tax Problems on Your Own

If you’re an entrepreneur, no matter if you have an accountant working for you or not, you should know at least some of the payroll and tax basics. However, if you had nothing to do with this field before, it might be challenging to get your head around these topics and start somewhere. Luckily, thanks to the internet, you have numerous efficient and affordable options to choose from.

While this abundance certainly is a blessing, you first need to think it through carefully and decide what you need – basic knowledge or more advanced material? What fields do you want to cover?

Below, you will find some of the best ways to learn more about payroll and taxes. Each of these websites was checked and reviewed with the help of the pay stub generator experts.

Take Online Courses

Depending on the topic you want to learn about, there are quite a lot of courses available online. Sometimes they are free, while others may cost a small fee. However, the majority of them are inexpensive, which makes it easier for you to cover a few specific areas without breaking the bank.

In most cases, the educators behind these courses have been working in the accounting industry for years. They have vast experience and provide even deeper insights for the learners. In fact, some of them may have been writing books or conducting workshops on different topics before deciding to create their own courses. The best part is that you can learn at your own pace – there are no strict deadlines or time limits.

Some of the training resources include:

• QuickBooks ProAdvisor Training – In this course, you’ll learn about the accounting features of the QuickBooks software. It includes topics such as payroll, sales tax, and more.
• Payroll Training Center – This website provides a variety of courses, all covering different topics within the payroll and tax field.
• Udemy – This platform offers over 250,000 courses on probably every topic you can think about on the spot, including accounting-related topics for every level of knowledge and experience.

Sign Up for a Certification Program

APA (American Payroll Association) is one of the best places to go to if you look for the necessary knowledge, training, and study materials (such as webinars, written and video content,  tutorials, in-house sessions, and related events) and programs to prepare you for their certification exams. These are self-guided programs, which means you will get materials and have the possibility to study at your own pace and however you prefer to. The possible certificates include FPCs (Fundamental Payroll Certification) for beginners or CPPs (Certified Payroll Professional) for advanced accountants.

Apart from APA, there is also the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), which offers a lot of free and reduced-cost programs and a possibility to take the CPA certification exam.

When it comes to non-American certificates, you can also check CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants), which is a United Kingdom-based organization offering online courses and programs, as well as practical and written material for those who want to study the accounting discipline, especially in relation to business.

You can also find a lot of materials on the websites of universities, which often have programs and courses that can help you improve your knowledge in this field.

Make Friends with Excel

In order to get a better understanding of the accounting world, you will need to master Excel. This is software that allows you to make even the most complex calculations easily and quickly. In addition, you can add formatting and create visual presentations, which will help you understand the data even better.

What’s more, Excel is a tool that many accountants use on a daily basis while working. Therefore, if you learn how to use this software properly, you will have a better chance to be a great accountant.

Explore Vloggers and Bloggers

There is also a great number of those who publish their own content on the internet. They provide their ideas, tips, and tricks, depending on the topic they want to discuss.

For instance, YouTube is a place where you can find numerous vloggers who have published thousands of videos about anything you might need to learn more about. Those who are just starting out can check out some of the most popular channels on YouTube, such as Accounting Stuff, Farhat’s Accounting Lectures, or Accounts Adda.

If you’re not one for watching videos, you can explore accounting bloggers and their written content. Some of the best blogs on this topic include Accounting Today, AccountingWEB, and Journal Of Accountancy.

Don’t Forget Good, Old-Fashioned Books

Reading books is another great way to learn more about payroll and taxes. There are quite a few good resources available out there, written by experts in the field.

Some of the most popular and frequently recommended books include:

• Accounting for Non-Accountants: The Fast and Easy Way to Learn the Basics by Wayne A. Label – for beginners;
• Accounting QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Real-World Financial & Managerial Accounting for Students, Business Owners, and Finance Professionals by Josh Bauerle – for small-business owners;
• Accounting All-in-One for Dummies by Kenneth Boyd – for an overview of terms and practices;
• The Big Four: The Curious Past and Perilous Future of the Global Accounting Monopoly by Ian D. Gow and Stuart Kells – for learning about the potential future of accounting.

Final Words

Accounting and taxes are complicated topics that might seem scary at first. However, thanks to the learning opportunities you have today, you can quickly become familiar with them and even become a professional. But you don’t need to be an accountant, but having a good understanding of this field can help you run your business better.

If you’re not sure what course to choose, it’s recommended to start with a few online courses, which will give you a good basic knowledge of the relevant topics. With a little bit of effort, you will quickly master this field and be able to manage even the most complex tasks.