PROS: Intuit Full Service Payroll guarantees no errors in paychecks and payroll taxes.
CONS: Support is not available 24/7.
VERDICT: Even though you can’t get around-the-clock support, Intuit Full Service Payroll is an extremely simple and comprehensive payroll service that offers one of the best values in the market.
When it comes to online payroll services, Intuit offers three different packages: Basic, Enhanced and Full Service. Our review focuses on the Full Service Package; however, we also compare and contrast it to Intuit’s Basic and Enhanced Payroll packages, just in case either of them would be sufficient for your needs. This online payroll solution fully covers filing and paying your taxes for hourly and salary employees as well as for contracted employees. For its wide coverage of payroll features and with its accuracy guarantee, Intuit Full Service Payroll earns the Top Ten Reviews.
Payroll Features
Intuit Full Service Payroll lets you outsource payroll completely. Intuit sets it up, runs your payroll and calculates paychecks. This payroll solution guarantees error-free paychecks. The service supports profitability views with job costing. It also tracks PTO and other benefits accruals, and you can set up payroll deductions and wage garnishments as needed. You can run this payroll software from an iPad, iPhone or Android device. Employees also can access an online self-service portal to view payroll-related information. And of course, Full Service Payroll integrates with QuickBooks, which is Intuit’s accounting software.
If you are willing to handle a few features yourself and know how to do payroll, there is Intuit Enhanced Payroll, which doesn’t include job costing and doesn’t set up payroll for you. Intuit Basic Payroll integrates with QuickBooks and lets you pay checks just by entering hours. The Basic version lets you print checks or directly deposit them.
Tax Expenses
One of the reasons that Intuit is one of the best payroll services is the comprehensive tax support features included in its Full Service Payroll. Intuit files payroll taxes for you after conducting the calculations on your behalf. It takes care of W-2 and 1099 processing for free. Intuit makes sure you pay taxes when they are due and guarantees their accuracy.
If you are willing to take more responsibility for taxes, Intuit’s Enhanced Payroll does much of what the Full Service Payroll delivers except for filing and paying taxes. If you use Enhanced Payroll, Intuit does not guarantee you against tax penalties. Unlike Intuit Basic Payroll, however, Enhanced Payroll does include payroll tax forms and files W-2s electronically at the end of the year. Intuit Basic Payroll does not cover tax issues or 1099 contractors at all.
Payment Options
With Intuit Full Service Payroll, you can print checks yourself or use direct deposit, and there is no extra charge for direct deposits. However, this payroll system does not offer a check signing or check stuffing option at this time, so your business will have to manage the distribution of the checks. The service also offers the option of using pay cards. Intuit’s version is called the NetSpend prepaid debit card and functions like a normal Visa debit card with free direct-deposit capabilities. Your business can run as many payrolls per month as you need to pay your hourly salaried and contracted employees.
Help & Support
If you use Intuit Full Service Payroll, Intuit Enhanced Payroll or Intuit Basic Payroll, you have support via toll-free telephone from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, Pacific Standard Time, as well as from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST on Saturdays. Intuit’s payroll support pages contain many useful resources, however, which might mean that you can locate answers to questions without calling the support line. There are also training topics online as well as a user community where Intuit Payroll clients interact and help each other to solve problems. Intuit also provides online tax compliance information about the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration, organized by state. The Payroll support pages include payroll training tutorials, employee benefits explanations and a tax management glossary.
Summary
Intuit Full Service Payroll is an online payroll service that covers all the basic payroll features we looked for in the best online services. It also files and pays your payroll taxes for you and guarantees no tax penalties. The company completes your payroll setup for you, and you can choose to pay your employees by direct deposit, pay cards or checks you can print on site. Furthermore, this payroll solution provides you with year-end forms and gives you detailed profit views with job costing. For a fully featured online payroll service that can handle one of the most important parts of your business, Intuit Full Service Payroll is a top choice.