Chicago Chapter - APA				February, 2008 Volume 2, Issue 2
Newsletter of the Chicago Chapter of the American Payroll Association
2008 Calendar January No Meeting February 2– CPP Review Class 16– CPP Review Class 21—Chapter Meeting Compliance Auditing March 1– CPP & FPC Review Class 15--CPP & FPC Review Class 29– CPP & FPC Review Class April 12– CPP Review Class 25—25^th Anniversary Celebration May 13-17 – 26^th Annual Congress, Austin, TX June 5– Chapter Meeting Payroll Basics 20-21- Relay for Life July No Meeting August 8 – Chapter Meeting Tax Day All Day Meeting Officer Elections September 1-5 National Payroll Week Celebration 15^th Annual Illinois Statewide October 29—Chapter Meeting Preparing For Year End November Holiday Party Official newsletter of the Chicago Chapter
	Chicago Chapter News: FPC Review Class Get your entry-level certification. It’s not too late to join your peers for three Saturdays in March to prepare for the FPC exam. We meet at ADP in Elk Grove Village on March 1^st, 15^th & 29^th from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. Chicago Chapter members pay only $200.00; which includes breakfast and lunch for the three days. The Payroll Practice Fundamentals, 2007 book is required for the class and can be obtained from APA. For more details and the registration form, please go to our website (www.chicagopayroll.com) and click on Education. Please enroll by February 28^th. We look forward to seeing you there! Chapter Members’ News Welcome New Members: Christine Elizarraraz, ADP Karla Accurso, ADP Robin Covington, ADP Dean Owens, ADP Connie Pulido, ADP Nicole Birsa, ADP New Job Congratulations to Linda Lowe. She is now the Payroll Manager of Handi-Foil, in Wheeling.		Health Corner February is a fantastic month in the dental world.  It is Children's Dental Health Month. Please be sure to schedule your children’s dental visits as well as your visit this month. Being pro-active is always beneficial.  Early warning signs of gum disease are bad breath, bleeding gums when you brush, and shifting of your teeth. A happy and healthy smile is so important!   Also, Oral Cancer is on the rise.  A new screening called Vizilite Plus can detect any early signs of cancer that might be present in your mouth. Be sure to have your screening performed in 2008.  For additional information please feel free to log onto our website: www.medhatdentalexcellence.com and be sure to keep smiling. Ramin A. Medhat, D.D.S.,P.C. 6011 North Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60646 773-774-4611
2008 Chapter Officers President Chris O”Hara, CPP Vice President Mary Kazmierczak, CPP Recording Secretary Gabriel Vergara, CPP Treasurer Hank Mazik, CPP Gov. Liaison Katie Staffeldt, CPP Correspondence Secretary Mary Weiner, CPP Education Director Carolyn Kerkman CPP	The W2’s are out! The tax filings are almost done! Hopefully, no W2C’s are needed! What Payroll challenges will 2008 bring? Be prepared by attending The Chicago Chapter’s meeting on Auditing Your Payroll for Compliance! Join The Chicago Chapter APA Meeting On Thursday February 21, 2008 Hosted by Kronos 425 North Martingale Road (New Location) Suite 40 (Lower Level) Schaumburg, IL 60173 9:00 a.m. -12:00 noon Continental Breakfast 8:30 Plan on attending Auditing Your Payroll for Compliance Our expert presenter is: Michael P. O’Toole, Esq. Michael P. O'Toole is the Senior Director of Publications and Government Relations for the American Payroll Association, and has been with the APA for 14 years. He is the author of The Payroll Source, as well as the editor of The History of Payroll in the U.S. His staff at the APA is responsible for the newsletters Payroll Currently and PayState Update; APA text books; technology services; and APA lobbying efforts through the Washington office. Michael is also a part-time local court judge in Tuckahoe, NY. He received his B.A. from Syracuse University and his J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law. .	Raffle Prizes to Win!! We will be having a raffle drawing for some pretty important items. Tickets will be on sale at the meeting. All proceeds will be donated to ‘Relay for Life!’ Reserve your space today!  Call the Chapter Helpline at: (773) 631-8480 or Send your email correspondence to:chicago_chapter_apa@hotmail.com The cost to attend the meeting is $15.00 for members of the Chicago Chapter and $20.00 for non-members. APA News: Apply today for Payroll Education Grants Would you like to attend Congress or all of APA’s seminars for free? What about receiving a complete library of current APA publications? Each year six APA Payroll Education Grants are awarded to APA members to encourage professional growth and development. Established to honor APA’s founder and first president, the late Donald W. Sharper, CPP, these grants are an ideal opportunity for free education (including an all-expense paid trip to Congress) and special recognition at the national level. Two Kronos Payroll Education Grants will also be awarded, and entitle the recipients to free educational opportunities (including an all-expense paid trip to Congress) and a complete library of APA publications. Chapter members who are national members are strongly encouraged to apply. Take advantage of this opportunity – apply today! Submit your application by March 10, 2008 to www.americanpayroll.org/members Page 2
Upcoming Chapter Meetings February 21 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Compliance Auditing Kronos 425 N Martingale Rd Suite 40 Schaumburg, IL Continental Breakfast 8:30 am April 25 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm 25^th Anniversary Special Guest: Dan Maddux Exec Dir APA June 5 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Payroll Basics Continental Breakfast 8:30 am June 20-21 6:00 pm-6:00 am Relay for Life American Cancer Society Oak Brook August 8 9:00 am-4:00 pm Tax Day Officer Elections Continental Breakfast 8:30 am White Eagle Banquet October 29 9:00-12:00 pm Preparing For Year End ADP 100 Northwest Point Blvd Elk Grove, IL Continental Breakfast 8:30 am November Holiday Party	Temporary FUTA Surtax extended for 2008: As a payroll guru, you are well aware that the tax law imposes a federal unemployment tax (FUTA) of 6.2% on the first $7,000.00 paid annually to each employee. But unless you began your payroll career more than 20 years ago, you may not know the FUTA tax rate is actually only 6%. The .02% is a “temporary” surtax that originally took effect in 1988 and was scheduled to go off the books after 1990 but has been repeatedly extended by Congress. The instructions to 2007 Form 940, Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Returns, refer to a rate decrease for 2008 because the surtax was set to expire at the end of 2007. The instructions caution that pending legislation would eliminate the rate decrease. >> SURTAX CONTINUES>> Legislation has been enacted to extend the surtax for another year through December 31, 2008. [I.R.C. Sec. 3301, as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007]. Thus the FUTA rate remains at 6.2% through the end of 2008. Employers that pay their 2008 State Unemployment taxes by the due date for filing 2008 Form 940 may claim a 5.4% credit. So, the effective FUTA rate for those employers is 0.8% for 2008. IRS Notices going out to employers eligible to file Form 944 Generally, employers whose employment taxes will be $1,000 or less in calendar year 2008 are eligible to file Form 944,  Employer’s Annual Federal Tax Return. In February, you may get a notice from the IRS changing your filing requirements. If you receive the notice you should stop filing quarterly and file Form 944 for 2008. You should also give a copy of the notice to your tax preparer. If you do not receive a notice this month but believe you fit the criteria for filing Form 944, or if you want to remain a quarterly filer, call 1-800-829-4933 by April 1.		Committees: Please Volunteer We need volunteers for the following areas: Meeting Planning – (Carolyn Kerkman) We are looking for volunteers that can help with planning the meetings including choosing topics and finding speakers, as well as finding locations for next year’s meetings. National Payroll Week – (Mary Kazmierczak) We are looking for volunteers that can help with obtaining proclamations from the various cities and the State. We also have the privilege of talking with radio stations, newspapers and educational institutions to promote National Payroll Week. Nomination Committee – (To Be Assigned) This group of volunteers will verify the membership and credentials of those members wishing to run for election in August 2008. Vendor Sponsorship – (Gabriel Vergara) This group will help solicit donations from organizations to help provide quality programming to you, our members. Holiday Party – (Chris O’Hara) Volunteers will help plan this special event including entertainment, soliciting door prizes and location for this year. GOVERNMENT WEBSITE LINKS: INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE - www.irs.gov ELECTRONIC FEDERAL TAX PAYMENT SYSTEM - www.eftps.gov SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION - www.ssa.gov US DEPT. of LABOR - www.dol.gov Page 3

Mailing Address:

Chicago Chapter APA

PO Box 836

Chicago, IL 60690-0836

Phone:

(773) 631-8480

{24-hr. Recording)

NPW Corner :

Tell us what you are planning for NPW.

Take Action to Standardize State Withholding from Nonresidents

HR 3359, the Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Fairness and Simplification Act, would significantly ease your burden of withholding income taxes for the states and localities to which your employees may temporarily travel. However, we need your help to get on the agenda for a vote on the House floor.

Please write your representative in the House, asking him or her to co-sponsor the bill, HR 3359.

1. To find your representative, just enter your full ZIP code (ZIP + 4) at www.house.gov. You can find your full code at http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp.

2. See if your representative is already a sponsor or co-sponsor. If so, you don't need to go any further.

3. Click here for a sample letter, which you can put on your company letterhead.

4. Click here for a one-page description of the problem and the solution under HR 3359. This should be sent along with your letter, and you can also use it in discussion with anyone at your company from whom you need permission to send the letter.

5. After you send your letter, please fax a copy to Scott Mezistrano, CPP, APA's Senior Manager of Government Relations, at 210-630-4386.

April 25, 2008

Let’s Party!

Take Action, Cont.

Background

Under HR 3359, wages paid to an employee who performs duties in more than one state or locality would

be subject to the income tax

laws of the state or locality of the employee's residence and any state or locality in which the employee is physically present and performing duties for more than 60 days during the calendar year. Professional athletes, professional entertainers, and nationally prominent public figures would not be covered by this legislation. Click here to read the bill.

Currently, as payroll professionals know too well, multi-state nonresident income tax withholding is all over the map. Of the 41 states with income tax withholding, most tax all wages earned within their borders by residents of other states, and some have varying de minimis amounts, or thresholds, to be exceeded before withholding is required. The thresholds differ widely, including various numbers of days worked within the state and including various wage amounts. (The District of Columbia has an income tax but does not impose

it at all on nonresidents who earn wages within the District.)

Social Security Number Verification Open Enrollment

Social Security is pleased to announce the Consent Based Social Security Number (SSN) Verification (CBSV) service.  CBSV is a fee-based SSN verification service that will permit private businesses, Federal, State, and local governments to verify an individual’s SSN once a valid and signed consent form is obtained from the SSN holder.  The first CBSV open enrollment period is December 10, 2007-February 29, 2008.  Service will begin October 1, 2008.

If you are interested in more information about CBSV, click on, http://www.socialsecurity.gov/bso/cbsvMarketing.html

Sincerely,

Cheri Arnott

Associate Commissioner for External Affairs

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Chicago Chapter -APA PO Box 836 Chicago, IL 60690-0836