How to File Payroll Taxes and Make Deposits
Payroll tax penalties come from missed deadlines, not bad math. Here’s how to know exactly what you owe, to whom, and when - and keep your books in sync.
Know what each run owes
Approving a pay run builds a remittance liability for every taxing authority: the IRS for federal income tax and both halves of FICA, each state for income tax and SUI/SUTA, and each locality for city taxes. Each carries an amount, due date, and agency portal link.
| Report | Use |
|---|---|
| Tax liability | What you owe per tax and agency |
| Cash requirements | Total cash to fund net pay + taxes + deductions |
| Tax payments | What you’ve already remitted |
| Form 940 | Annual FUTA (full credit assumed) |
Make the deposit
Reconcile
Keep books and deposits aligned
- Mark each liability paid after depositing (audit-logged)
- Cross-check the tax-payments report against agency confirmations
- Post the payroll journal so liabilities land in accounting
- Reconcile the liability account to zero as deposits clear
Stay on schedule
Deposit schedules (semi-weekly, monthly) are set by the IRS and states based on your tax history. Fintra sorts open liabilities by due date and surfaces the next one, but the schedule itself comes from your agency notices - confirm yours.
Frequently asked questions
Does Fintra deposit my payroll taxes for me?
No. Fintra computes each liability with a due date and portal link and lets you mark it paid. The deposit is made by you or a connected provider through the agency.
How do I know what I owe?
Every approved run builds per-agency liabilities, and the tax-liability and cash-requirements reports show what’s owed and the cash needed to fund the run.
Where do deposit schedules come from?
The IRS and states assign your schedule based on tax history. Fintra sorts liabilities by due date, but confirm your assigned schedule from agency notices.
How do I keep my books in sync?
Mark liabilities paid after depositing, post the payroll journal to accounting, and reconcile the liability account to zero as deposits clear.
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