Bennett/Porter News
It’s hard to believe December is already here! The air is crisp, the holiday lights are beginning to glow, and the excitement of the season is all around us. Whether you’re sipping hot cocoa, checking off your gift list, or simply enjoying the coziness of the season, there’s no denying that the holidays are in full swing. It’s also a busy time for businesses, with year-end tasks piling up and planning for the new year on the horizon. But don’t worry—we’re here to help you navigate it all! From our informative year-end webinars to tools that simplify your processes, we’re ready to support you through this festive and productive season. So grab a warm drink and turn up the holiday tunes (it’s definitely not too early anymore)! Happy Holidays from all of us!
At Bennett/Porter, “People Inspiring Solutions” is more than just a tagline – it’s the driving force behind everything we do. Our personable approach and exceptional customer service make us the ideal partner for your business, providing tailored digital solutions for your enterprise, HR, and IT needs.
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NEWSLETTER QUICK LINKS
Acumatica News
Join Us for the Acumatica Webinar: “How to Process Your Year-End”
Don’t let the year-end catch you off guard! Join us on December 18th at 10 AM for an informative Acumatica webinar, “How to Process Your Year-End.” This session is designed to provide step-by-step guidance on navigating year-end tasks, including the 1099 process, ensuring you wrap up the year with ease and confidence.
Our experts will walk you through everything you need to know to streamline your year-end processes with Acumatica ERP. Whether you’re tackling 1099s or closing out financials, this webinar will give you the tools and insights to manage it all efficiently.
Click the image above or click the link below to register and secure your spot:
Sage 100 News
BE PREPARED: NEW PRINTING CHALLENGES FOR VENDORS WHO USE AN SSN.
This year, the federal government is requiring that 1099 forms have separate name fields (First, Middle, and Last) for vendors who use Social Security Numbers (SSN) to file those forms. When Sage released the latest update to separate the name field into First, Middle, and Last for vendors who use Social Security Numbers (instead of FEINs), we thought the product update would automatically parse existing vendor names into the separate fields. However, only vendors with the DBA Name field filled out had the data parsed into those separate fields. If the DBA Name field is filled out, then indeed it does fill out the new fields with First, Middle, and Last names. In reality, our experience with vendors who use an SSN is that very few clients fill in both the Vendor Name AND the DBA name, because most of the vendor names are the same as their DBAs! (And prior to this release, the 1099 would have printed both the Vendor Name and the DBA Name on the 1099 form. In other words, two lines with the same information.)
What does this all mean for you? In order for the product update to parse those names out, clients will have to fill out the DBA field (again – specifically for Vendors who file 1099s under a Social Security Number) BEFORE the product update is installed. Otherwise, you’ll have to either correct the names in the Aatrix Spreadsheet for this year, or manually add the First, Middle, and Last names in the software before you run your 1099s. If you choose to do the parsing directly in the Aatrix Spreadsheet, you’ll eventually still need to go into Vendor Maintenance in Sage, and fill out the 3 new fields (First, Middle, Last) so you won’t have to do the manual step next year.
Yet another option is to export the Vendors with SSN’s to Excel, separate the names into columns, and import those back into the new fields in Sage 100. We have a Visual Integrator Script written for that and can help you import the names back into the Vendor Masterfile. (You’ll be charged your regular hourly rate to do so – but it could save you a lot of time!)
Please also note that we have seen clients who have received rejections after printing 1099 forms, because the Vendor Name does not exactly match what the name is on their Social Security card. Before filing 1099 forms, it’s always a good idea to confirm the name on the vendor’s Social Security card (if you have that) or on the W-9 they have filled out.
We will be covering these topics – and more – in our free webinar on Tuesday, December 17th, which you can register for by clicking on the image:
In this webinar, we will also address processing Accounts Payable 1099 Printing and the changes in the 1099 Vendor information this year. We’ll also describe which 1099 form you should be using and do a demo of the process for printing those forms.
As always, we can process both your W-2s and 1099 Forms for you if you don’t want to process your own forms, and we simply bill you hourly to do so. The service includes sending “test prints” for you to confirm numbers before the filing is done, as well as delivering final forms to the government and a final copy to you. If you are interested in this service please contact Carina Sims in our office (carina@benpor.com) and she can send you authorization forms for us to help you with those pesky little year end forms.
People Savvy HCM News
What is your go-to resource for staying up-to-date – and being proactively alerted – about all the latest HR and payroll changes for both federal and state agencies? You don’t have a single resource? Why not? Too expensive? Too complicated to use? If you’re worried about cost and complexity, may we suggest looking at HR Sidekick. You might be surprised. Besides, consider what non-compliance could cost you.
HR Sidekick is the low-cost service that provides you with a comprehensive, easy to use HR Support Center and on-demand help from live HR professionals. You can customize notifications to only include specific states and/or federal notices that are relevant to your business. Take a look at the following snapshots from some of the latest updates, which can be delivered right to your inbox:
HR and Compliance in 2025 and Beyond
“In the coming months, there will be a lot of speculation about what the election means for HR and compliance. New administrations bring different regulatory and judicial philosophies to the table. As President Biden did before him, President-Elect Trump will nominate a new labor secretary to oversee the Department of Labor. He’ll also get to fill vacancies on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board.
These appointments will shape the agencies’ priorities, determining how they interpret the law and where they focus their enforcement efforts. While employers may see some changes that impact them in the first few months of 2025, many of the changes affecting the employer/employee relationship tend to come at a slower pace after a new administration.”
Timely updates of any changes will be provided in the Law Alerts section.
DOL’s 2024 Exempt Salary Rule Thrown Out
“On November 15, 2024, a federal court in Texas ruled that the Department of Labor had overstepped its authority with the most recent rule increasing the minimum salary for exempt employees. The July 1 increases are void, the additional increase that would have taken effect on January 1, 2025, won’t happen, and the automatic increases that were scheduled to occur every three years are no more.
In short, the whole rule was thrown out and the minimums have reverted to what they were prior to July 1, 2024. This means that most executive, administrative, and professional employees need to be paid at least $684 per week ($35,568 annually), and not the $844 required by the now-defunct 2024 rule. Employees classified under the highly compensated employee exemption need to be paid at least $107,432 per year, as opposed to $132,964.”
USCIS Extends Form I-9 Expiration Date
“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the expiration date of the current Form I-9 (Rev. 08/01/23) to May 31, 2027.
Employers that use the Form I-9 with the expiration date of July 31, 2026, can continue using it until that date. Effective July 31, 2026, only Form I-9 (Rev. 08/01/23) with the expiration date of May 31, 2027, will be accepted.
Form I-9 with the updated expiration date can be found on the USCIS website.
USCIS announced Form I-9’s new expiration date on August 2, 2024.”
DON’T HR ALONE! If you missed any of the headlines above, give yourself and your business an early Christmas present today, and start 2025 with HR Sidekick. You can start the simple, inexpensive sign-up process on our website. Or contact us with any questions you may have.
Managed IT Services News
WHY THIS WINDOWS 10 RETIREMENT is different than ever before
You’ve seen countless updates from us ringing the alarm about Windows 10’s end of support in October 2025—but what’s the big deal? How is this Windows retirement any different from the others? Why do we keep bringing it up?
The answer lies in one key factor: market share.
Consider this: there are TWICE as many Windows 10 machines in use today, just one year before its retirement, compared to any other popular version of Windows at the same point in its lifecycle.
- Beloved Windows XP? It had a 25% market share a year before retirement.
- Windows 7? A 35% market share—and replacing those machines felt like a monumental task at the time.
- Windows 10? It currently holds a staggering 61% market share, with many of our Managed IT Services clients actively using it.
That means more businesses—and likely yours—will be racing against the clock to replace or upgrade machines before the October 2025 deadline.
What’s more, you may not even realize if your team is using Windows 10 or Windows 11 since their interfaces look similar to most users. Statistically speaking, though, the odds are high that you’re still operating on Windows 10.
This Windows retirement is double the scale of any previous one, meaning the demand for hardware, updates, and IT support will skyrocket as the deadline looms. Planning and budgeting now isn’t just a suggestion—it’s essential. Don’t wait until the last minute to ensure your systems are secure, compliant, and ready for what’s next.
If you’re unsure where your company stands, now is the time to reach out to our Managed IT Services team for guidance. Let’s make sure you’re ready!
Reach out to us today to discover how Bennett/Porter’s Managed IT Services will give you the tools be prepared for whatever life has in store.
