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Frequently Asked Questions

How does using a payroll outsourcing firm affect my bottom line?  There are significant time and cost benefits associated with outsourcing payroll.  The hard cost involved in payroll generation include having a dedicated PC, software, software upgrades, bank service charges, check stock, W-2 stock and more.  Additional costs of payroll include the wages paid to staff or owners for the time of processing and opportunity costs of lost revenue due to spending time on non-productive administrative fees.

Why does it make sense to go paperless with a payroll provider?
  You have the option to send payroll information anytime, anywhere from any Internet-connected computer  freeing  management up for travel and vacation.  Alpine HR can process and distribute all net pays electronically.  There is no need to have management take the time to distribute  checks, avoids check cashing fees for employees and time wasted going to a bank to deposit checks.  What’s more is that there are no live checks to worry about getting lost or stolen .

Do I lose control of managing payroll by outsourcing it?
  No, you actually have more time to manage your payroll.  You can review it in privacy and have access to our professional staff to help answer questions and help you avoid pitfalls you didn’t even know existed. 

Does Alpine HR file payroll taxes on behalf of their clients? 
Yes, we will complete and file all forms to all necessary government agencies.   Payment can be made to Alpine HR for us to pay or paid directly to the government agency from your bank account. 

How does Alpine HR collect funds for your fee and my company taxes?
  We collect the taxes and our fee at the time of service via electronic transfer in one draft item.  As a service to our clients we will upon request  send notification of the payroll  liability amount  for our clients to be sure to have funding available.  By having the draft taken by Alpine HR it avoids having to reconcile all the tax accounts separately. 

How do live checks get delivered? 
Checks can be mailed to the client  for distribution or to the address of the employee. 

How do our clients receive reports? 
Your payroll reports will arrive via email  for you to view and print or by tracked mail to be received on pay day. 

Can Alpine HR help me avoid entering transactions into my General Ledger?  Yes, by the way we bill for the taxes and our service via one draft this helps to simplify accounting record keeping.  In addition in many cases we can map our reports with your chart of accounts for an import of General Ledger  pay records directly to our clients accounting software. 

Can a payroll be either too simple or too complex for Alpine HR to process?
  Each of our clients has unique aspects associated with their pay.  Our software along with knowledgeable staff can adapt to most cases.  We have the ability to job cost, generate government compliant forms for government contractors  and provide certified payrolls  on the more complex side For those small owner operated businesses, it makes sense to let a professional  do the job so you can concentrate on growing your business. 

Can I see my vacation accruals on my pay stub?
  We have the ability to reflect accurate vacation, sick and personal leave on employee’s pay stubs.  Our clients will need to provide us with opening balances and accrual rates.  On an on going basis, as time is reported in these income categories, we will track the balances in real time. 

What information will be asked of me to identify myself?
  Confidentiality is important to us.  In order to address questions employees may contact us to request data for their own pay records.  We will request your name, company, title, department, any employee ID,  date of birth and other demographic data. 

What are the hours of operation for Alpine HR?
  We are open from 9am to 5pm Eastern Time.  By selecting our urgent response voice mail prompts, our on call staff will do their best to address, respond and resolve issues as they arise.  We follow all Federal Banking Holidays. 

Who do I contact to make changes to my account for direct deposit , address or tax exemptions?
  First you will contact your direct manager on site and ask to complete a change form or a new direct deposit form.  Complete the form and have your manager forward it to Alpine HR.  Note all forms can be printed from our website www.AlpineHR.com

What information is needed for me to set up direct deposit?
  We will need your  Banks routing number and your account number, a copy of a voided check and your signature authorizing the transaction.  Please note that deposit slips do not contain the data we need to process accurately and cannot be used as a substitute for a voided check. 

Can I use direct deposit for more than one account?
  Yes, you may  choose to have funds directed to a savings account for example.  On the direct deposit authorization form be sure to complete the section that requests the amount of your pay to be directed to each account.  

How long does it take for a new direct deposit to be active and when will I see my direct deposit funds in my account? 
We ask that all new direct deposit data be submitted to be effective in the same pay period  with the time sheet submittal.  If the data is complete, the funds will be in your account by that pay date.  Banking institutions have until midnight on the pay date to deposit the funds into your account. 

When do my time sheets need to be submitted to Alpine HR? 
In order to guarantee the electronic  transmission be made timely, we ask that time sheets be submitted no later than (2) business days prior to the pay day by 10am.  Time can be submitted to Alpine HR via phone, email, internet or fax. 

When and how do you collect funds for taxes, your fees and the employee net checks? 
Funds for taxes and our fees are submitted to the bank for collection on the same day as processing. You will want to make sure the funds are available by midnight of the eve of pay date.  Direct deposit transactions occur at the same time and are available to employees on pay day and are reflected on your statement as one total.  Live checks are deducted from your account as employees present them  to the bank.  The employee net checks are taken from your bank account directly.  Alpine HR does not collect funds for the employee net checks. 

Does Alpine HR offer a time and attendance solution?
  Yes, we are able to provide clients with both the hardware and software for time and attendance tracking.  Please contact our office at 410-798-4201 for more information. 

Can you handle deductions from employees checks for garnishments, pension, health insurance, etc?
  Yes, Alpine HR can process the deduction whether it is pre or post tax and in some cases remit to the appropriate entity. 

What is pay-as-you-go workers compensation insurance?
  Pay-as-you-go workers compensation insurance is calculated on actual payroll dollars in real time. The carrier does not require a premium deposit typically on these types of accounts.  With this feature, audits are simplified and payments are made with each pay to the carrier. 

How do I see if my company qualifies for pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation?
  Contact Alpine HR at (410)798-4201 and request an application for submittal through one of our property and casualty brokers. 

What if I have a unique human resource or compliance question?
  Contact us at (410)798-4201 and we will provide you with the information on the specific issue.  In the event  the request needs the attention of an HR specialist and you want recommendations, we will direct you to one of our HR partners. 

Where can I access forms for new hires? 
Forms can be requested by phone and email.  Our website is an excellent resource to access the data directly.  www.AlpineHR.com 

What forms are needed for a new hire? 

The following current forms must be given to the new hire in order to be compliant with state and federal employment law:
  Federal W-4, Appropriate State Withholding Form, Federal I-9 Form 

The following forms need to be submitted to Alpine HR for payroll
  New Hire Form, Direct Deposit (if applicable), Note: Alpine HR needs the employee name, address, SSN, rate of pay and tax status  to process . Please be sure this data is complete on the New Hire Form. 

What should I do if I missed hours on my timesheet and you have processed already? 
In this case, you have a couple of options.  We can run a supplemental payroll where everything is processed like a regular pay with reports and checks or we can process a pay record and pend it on your next pay date for collection of taxes.  The employee in either case can have their funds via live check or direct deposit.  We charge a nominal fee for processing a supplemental  pay and we charge for shipping. In some cases where the employee needs the funds immediately, clients have asked us for the net amount and paid the employee from their account as an advance. 

Can Alpine HR help me with benefits for my employees?
  Yes, we are able to quote in MD, DC, VA and DE for health, life and disability insurance.  If you and your employees are out of this area, we will guide you through the process with one of our partnered agents that is licensed in the appropriate state(s). 

If I already use Alpine HR how does working with you  simplify my benefit administration?
  We can calculate and deduct the appropriate amount for employee premium deductions, we know your company better than another agent not familiar with your business and we can help by providing a full color  benefit  and company policy summary for you present to your employees.

 

 


 Insurance Agent
"As an owner of an insurance agency my responsiblity often seems overwhelming.  It gives me peace of mind knowing that my payroll taxes are filed on time"

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3742 Colliers Drive - Suite 300 - Edgewater, MD 21037
Phone: 410-798-4201 or 1-877-848-3808 Fax: 410-798-9324 or 1-888-531-2704
Email-
info@alpinehr.com