Laura A. Barton

When running small business payroll, it’s important to understand payroll deductions. Knowing how they’re calculated, and at which point of the payroll process they need to be applied, is essential for remaining compliant, avoiding costly errors, and paying employees accurately. What are payroll deductions? Payroll deductions are the amounts withheld from an employee’s pay cheque […]

As an employer, there are many decisions that you’ll have to make when it comes to hiring and paying your employees. Minimum wage, AKA the lowest hourly pay rate that an employer can pay an employee? That’s not one of them. In Canada, minimum wage by province or territory falls under the domain of the […]

Does overtime get taxed more in Canada? No, it doesn’t. There are no special rules. No hidden rates — in fact, it’s taxed at the same rate as regular pay. So why might you have employees in your office with their pay stub demanding to know why you taxed them so much for putting in overtime? […]

Mistakes happen. However, there are some lessons that are much better taught than experienced. Payroll is one of those. Payroll errors add up, literally. They aren’t just annoying or embarrassing, a wrong keystroke can carry heavy consequences for your business. It could mean wasted hours and resources to fix the problem — or worse, legal […]

Payroll data holds significant power for your small business. Typically, when thinking about payroll, things like T4s, remittance filing, and paying employees come to mind. But payroll data can be used to make valuable decisions for your small business, too. While it might not be immediately obvious how this kind of data can make an […]

In this post, we’ll outline the types of payroll deductions you need to make, along with which kind of remittance schedule you’ll need to follow. As advocates of simple, fast, friendly payroll, we’ll do our best to try to make this as painless as possible.

Did you know that cloud-based accounting practices are nearly twice as likely to experience revenue growth? In fact, a staggering 74% of practices using cloud-based accounting solutions reported an increase in revenue. Technology is more than a convenience, it’s a catalyst for growth. In our recent webinar, “How Technology Fuels the Success of Bookkeeping and […]

Payroll is a tall order for businesses of all sizes, but especially small business owners. The payroll process is complex. It’s filled with time-consuming tasks, lots of legislation and rules, remittances to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) — all on top of running your business.  To help simplify the payroll process, there are a variety […]

Advances in technology have transformed every industry, and payroll is no exception. Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and automation have revolutionized payroll processing, but one thing remains unchanged — human expertise is irreplaceable.  Adopting payroll automation isn’t just about using new tools; it’s about evolving your role. By embracing technology, bookkeepers and accountants can move […]

Whether you’re bringing on your first hire or your fiftieth, it’s important to know the difference between an employee and a contractor. Why? Because misclassifying workers can lead to payroll headaches, tax troubles, legal issues and compliance issues. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) holds employers responsible for getting this right, so understanding the key differences […]

Sometimes, you just need a straight answer to a payroll question that doesn’t sound like an accounting textbook (no offence, accounting textbooks). So, to empower you with the knowledge and confidence you need to tackle tax season for your small business, we’ve done the digging and teamed up with Wagepoint’s friendly payroll tax experts — […]

Introducing tax form amendments You must send the CRA amended slips if you already filed the slips and you want to correct them because you know the information in any box or code is incorrect. Tax form amendments: Making changes with Wagepoint 2.0. So, you’ve submitted your T4 Statements of Remuneration Paid (we’ll call them […]

Payroll is often seen as an add-on service for bookkeepers and accountants, secondary to their core work. However, it can be a powerful service for growing your business, especially when serving small businesses. After all, small businesses make up 46.8% of private sector employment in Canada — that’s over 5.7 million people relying on payroll. […]

As a Canadian small business owner, staying compliant with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is a crucial part of your role, and your employees rely on you to get it right. In 2025, this now includes navigating updates to CPP2, the second phase of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Much like the endless follow-ups to […]

For many small businesses, payroll year-end is the ultimate test of endurance — a high-stakes challenge where mounting deadlines, complex regulations, and the risk of costly penalties converge. It’s no wonder so many business owners dread this time of year. The stress can feel overwhelming, like battling a relentless force of Kryptonite. But this is […]