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GoDaddy accidentally transferred someone's domain name to someone else then refused to fix the problem. The post GoDaddy Transferred A Domain By Mistake And Refused To Fix It appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Watch this video on YouTube Ginny Marvin didn’t get into PPC because she had a grand plan. She got into it because she was ready to start again. After years working in print publishing and ad sales marketing, Marvin found herself at a career pivot point. A startup magazine she had helped launch folded, and she decided it was time to move fully into digital. That meant going from marketing director to entry-level applicant. “I don’t know what I’m doing, so I’ll start from the beginning,” she recalled. That reset eventually led her into search marketing, Search Engine Land, and later Google, where she is now Google Ads Liaison. In this interview, Marvin looks back at how paid search has changed, what marketers still misunderstand, and why the next phase of search will reward curiosity more than control. PPC clicked faster than SEO Marvin started on the SEO side at a small agency. Then the paid search manager went on holiday. She took over the campaigns temporarily — and immediately saw the appeal. Coming from print, where measurement was slow or sometimes impossible, PPC felt almost instant. You could launch, spend, measure and see action quickly. That speed changed everything. For Marvin, PPC made the connection between marketing activity and business results much clearer than SEO did at the time. Google won by moving faster When Marvin entered the industry, Google wasn’t the only serious search player. Yahoo was still a major force, and Microsoft was part of the mix. But over time, Google pulled ahead. Marvin believes the difference was focus. Google kept improving the product, launching new features and iterating faster than competitors. It became increasingly clear that Google was building around advertiser needs and pushing the industry forward. Early PPC was painfully manual Today’s PPC marketers may complain about manual work, but the early days were on another level. Campaigns were built around huge keyword lists, endless permutations and highly granular structures. Advertisers spent hours creating keyword combinations and negative keyword lists. It gave marketers a sense of control, but it also forced them to build campaigns around how the platform worked — not necessarily how the business worked. That, Marvin said, is one of the biggest changes in paid search: campaigns now start more naturally with goals. Search Engine Land became the industry’s newsroom When Search Engine Land launched, Marvin was still early in her search career. But it quickly became the place people went for search news, updates and expert analysis. What made it valuable wasn’t just the reporting. It was the mix of fast news, contributed columns and practical insight from people doing the work. For Marvin, Search Engine Land played a major role in professional growth across the industry because it made knowledge easier to share. The search community has always been different One thing Marvin repeatedly came back to was the generosity of the search community. From the early days, practitioners shared what they were testing, what worked, what failed and what others should watch for. That culture of learning helped define the industry. It also shaped Marvin’s own career, both as a journalist at Search Engine Land and now in her role at Google. AI is not as new as people think Marvin believes one of the biggest misconceptions about AI in search is that it suddenly appeared. Machine learning has been part of Google Ads for years, powering changes such as close variants, Smart Bidding and automation. What changed recently was the speed of progress driven by large language models. AI did not arrive overnight. But LLMs accelerated the shift dramatically. Consumer behaviour is changing search For Marvin, the biggest change is not just what Google can do. It is how people search. Queries are getting longer and more complex. People are searching through images, voice and multimodal inputs. Search can now understand intent without relying only on typed keywords. That means advertisers need to think beyond the final conversion moment and understand the full customer journey. Success still means business outcomes Marvin does not think the definition of success in search has changed. It still comes down to business outcomes. What has changed is marketers’ ability to measure those outcomes and connect campaign activity to business goals. That makes data, measurement and first-party signals more important than ever. The next 20 years will reward curiosity When asked what kind of marketer will succeed in the next phase of search, Marvin pointed to curiosity. The best advertisers will be those who keep learning, watch how customers behave and adapt before they are forced to. She compared it to mobile, where consumers moved faster than advertisers did. The same thing is happening with AI. PPC marketers say they love change — until it happens Marvin’s reality check for the industry was simple. PPC marketers often say they love change, but many resist every major shift when it arrives. Her advice is to take a longer view. Many of the changes that feel sudden have actually been building for years. Automation, AI, broader intent matching and full-funnel campaigns have all been moving in this direction for a long time. Her advice: start experimenting Marvin’s message is not that every new feature will work immediately. It is that marketers should not write things off forever because they tested them once months or years ago. Platforms evolve quickly. Capabilities improve. What failed before may work differently now. For advertisers still holding tightly to old ways of working, the next phase of search will be harder. What she is proudest of Looking back, Marvin said she is proud of the search community itself. Its willingness to share, learn and support each other has made the industry stronger. She also sees her role, both at Search Engine Land and Google, as being a resource for marketers. As she put it, communicating “by marketers, for marketers” has always mattered. View the full article

UK hopes royals can help mend relationship strained by Iran war View the full article

Regarding small business taxes, comprehending the fundamentals can save you time and money. First, you need to maintain organized financial records to track income and expenses effectively. Next, knowing your tax obligations is vital, especially regarding estimated payments. Furthermore, there are various deductions available that you might not be aware of. Staying informed about regulatory changes and consulting tax professionals can likewise make a significant difference. Let’s explore these strategies further to guarantee your business remains compliant and efficient. Key Takeaways Maintain organized financial records, including all income and expenses, to simplify tax reporting and compliance. Consult with tax professionals for tailored advice and to stay informed on regulatory changes and new deductions. Plan for estimated tax payments based on projected income to avoid penalties and ensure cash flow stability. Regularly review and adjust tax strategies based on your business structure to maximize deductions and minimize liabilities. Use accounting software to streamline bookkeeping and track transactions effectively, reducing stress during tax season. Maintain Organized Financial Records Maintaining organized financial records is vital for every small business owner aiming for accurate tax reporting and financial success. You should keep thorough records of all income and expenses, as only ordinary and necessary expenses can be deducted during tax time. Using accounting software can streamline your bookkeeping processes, making it easier to track transactions and generate important tax reports. Make sure to maintain records like sales slips, bills, invoices, receipts, and canceled checks, as these documents provide evidence for deductions and support your claims during audits. It’s equally important to carefully track gross receipts, including cash register tapes and 1099-MISC forms, ensuring all income is reported accurately. Organizing your tax documents well before tax season can alleviate last-minute stress, making it easier for you to access required information for timely filing. If you need additional assistance, look into bookkeeping tax services or search for small business tax preparation near me for expert help. Understand Your Tax Obligations Comprehending your tax obligations is vital for the financial health of your small business, especially as tax laws can be complex and vary by entity type. All businesses, except partnerships, must file annual income tax returns, whereas partnerships submit annual information returns, as outlined in Publication 583. If you’re self-employed and your net income reaches $400 or more, you’ll need to file Schedule SE with Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, contributing to Social Security and Medicare taxes. Don’t forget about estimated tax payments if you expect to owe at least $1,000 after withholding, with due dates on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. If you have employees, you must comply with employment taxes, including Social Security, Medicare, and federal income tax withholding. Maintaining accurate records of income and expenses is vital for effective small business tax prep and ensuring compliance with these obligations. Explore New Business Expense Deductions As a small business owner, you can take advantage of several new expense deductions that could greatly lower your tax bill. Starting in 2025, you’ll be eligible for full expensing on equipment purchases, immediate deductions for R&D expenses, and improved limits under Section 179 for certain assets. These changes not just simplify your tax situation but additionally encourage investment in growth and innovation, making it essential to stay informed about these benefits. Full Equipment Expensing Benefits Comprehending the full equipment expensing benefits can considerably impact your small business’s financial health, especially with the upcoming changes in tax regulations. Starting January 19, 2025, you can fully expense equipment you acquire, granting immediate tax relief and improving cash flow. If you’re looking to build new factories or structures, you can claim full deductions for construction that begins between January 20, 2025, and the end of 2028. Furthermore, the increased limits on Section 179 expensing provide more opportunities for optimizing tax deductions. Always consult a tax advisor to navigate complex rules and guarantee compliance. Equipment Expensing Benefit Details Full Expensing Start Date January 19, 2025 Construction Deduction Period Jan 20, 2025 – End of 2028 Section 179 Limits Increased for more deductions Tax Advisor Consultation Crucial for compliance Immediate R&D Expense Deductions Comprehending the benefits of immediate R&D expense deductions can greatly improve your small business’s ability to innovate and grow. Starting January 2025, new businesses can fully deduct domestic R&D expenses, providing immediate tax relief on your investments. Furthermore, you can retroactively expense R&D costs dating back to 2022, enhancing your financial flexibility during those critical early phases. This 100% expensing encourages innovation, allowing you to stay competitive in the market. To fully capitalize on these deductions, accurate documentation of your R&D activities and expenses is crucial for IRS compliance. It’s wise to consult with tax professionals who can help you maximize your deductions and navigate the intricacies of these new tax provisions effectively. Enhanced Section 179 Limits Starting in 2025, small businesses can benefit from improved Section 179 limits, which greatly increase the tax deductions available for business property expenses. The deduction limit rises to $2,500,000, allowing you to fully deduct qualifying purchases in the year you use them. Moreover, equipment acquired or placed in service on or after January 19, 2025, will qualify for 100% expensing. Here’s a quick overview of key benefits: Benefit Details Start Date Enhanced Deduction Limit $2,500,000 for business property 2025 100% Expensing For equipment placed in service January 19, 2025 Manufacturing Structure Deductions Full deduction for new factories Begins January 20, 2025 Immediate R&D Expense Deductions Retroactive from 2022 2025 Liberalized Interest Deductions Greater savings opportunities 2025 These improvements provide significant tax advantages for your business. Plan for Estimated Tax Payments To effectively plan for estimated tax payments, you need to understand the payment schedule and your income projections for the year. Start by evaluating your expected earnings, deductions, and credits, as this will help you determine how much to set aside for each quarterly installment. Regularly monitoring your cash flow is essential, as it enables you to adjust these payments and avoid penalties for underpayment or overpayment. Understand Payment Schedule Grasping your payment schedule for estimated tax payments is vital for staying compliant and avoiding penalties. Estimated tax payments are due quarterly on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15, particularly if you expect to owe at least $1,000 after withholding for the year. If you’re a corporation, the threshold is $500. Remember, underpayment can lead to penalties, even though you later receive a refund when filing your annual return. If you’re self-employed and your net income hits $400 or more, you’ll likewise need to file Schedule SE with Form 1040. Keeping accurate records of your income and expenses throughout the year will help you determine your estimated payments and avoid costly underpayment penalties. Assess Income Projections Accurate income projections are vital for small businesses to effectively plan for estimated tax payments. To avoid penalties, you must determine if you’ll owe at least $1,000 in taxes after withholding, which requires making quarterly estimated payments. For individuals, these payments are due on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15, so it’s important to make sure you have sufficient cash flow during these periods. Corporations must make estimated payments if they expect to owe at least $500. Using prior year income as a benchmark can help you estimate your current year’s tax obligations. This proactive assessment aids in financial planning, guaranteeing you stay compliant and avoid unnecessary penalties, even if you eventually receive a refund. Set Aside Funds Setting aside funds for estimated tax payments is vital for small business owners to maintain financial stability and meet tax obligations. You should regularly set aside a portion of your income—around 25-30%—to cover these payments, which are due on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. If you expect to owe at least $1,000 after withholding, it’s important to make these payments; IRS must do so if they anticipate owing $500 or more. The IRS typically bases these payments on the previous year’s income, so if your business has a down year, you may adjust accordingly. Regular consultations with a tax advisor can help you effectively determine your tax liabilities and the appropriate amount to set aside. Consult With Tax Professionals When you consult with tax professionals, you’re taking a notable step toward simplifying the challenges of tax laws that can overwhelm small business owners. These experts can help you maximize tax savings and guarantee compliance. Here are some benefits of working with tax professionals: Tailored Advice: They provide guidance specific to your business structure, whether you’re a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation, helping you optimize tax outcomes. Accurate Record-Keeping: Professionals assist in maintaining accurate documentation, vital for substantiating deductions and avoiding penalties during audits. Time Savings: Engaging a tax advisor can considerably reduce stress during tax season, allowing you to focus on your core operations as you meet your tax obligations efficiently. Regulatory Awareness: They keep you informed of changes in tax laws and available credits, helping you adapt your strategies effectively. Investing in professional tax advice is fundamental for traversing the challenges of business taxation. Stay Informed on Regulatory Changes Staying informed on regulatory changes is essential for small business owners, as tax laws can shift annually, directly affecting the deductions and credits you can claim. The enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill in 2023 made several tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, influencing your tax planning strategies. Regularly reviewing updates from the IRS and trusted tax publications helps you stay aware of new deductions, such as those for equipment and R&D expenses, which will be effective starting in 2025. Moreover, changes in state and local tax (SALT) deductions could provide potential tax savings, especially since the cap on these deductions has increased. Engaging with tax professionals can likewise simplify maneuvering through these intricacies, ensuring you’re optimizing your tax strategies effectively. Evaluate Tax Strategies Based on Business Structure Comprehending how your business structure influences your tax strategies is crucial for optimizing your financial outcomes. Each structure offers distinct advantages and responsibilities that can affect your tax obligations. Here’s a brief overview: Sole Proprietorships: Report income on Schedule C, simplifying filing but risking personal asset exposure. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs): Choose your tax treatment for flexibility, potentially lowering tax burdens. C Corporations: Face double taxation on profits and dividends, but strategic planning can mitigate this through reinvestment. S Corporations: Benefit from single taxation as income passes to shareholders, provided you meet ownership requirements. Understanding these nuances will help you make informed decisions, allowing you to tailor your tax strategy effectively based on your business structure. Each option has its implications, and the right choice can lead to significant tax savings. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the $2500 Expense Rule? The $2,500 expense rule lets you deduct expenses of $2,500 or less per item or invoice in the year you purchase them, simplifying your record-keeping. This means you can treat minor purchases as expenses instead of capitalizing them as fixed assets. To qualify, you’ll need documented proof like receipts or invoices. If an item exceeds this limit, you must capitalize it and depreciate the cost over time, complicating your tax reporting. What Are the 5 D’s of Tax Planning? The five D’s of tax planning are Deductible Expenses, Deferral of Income, Depreciation, Distribution Strategies, and Documentation. You’ll want to identify deductible expenses to lower taxable income. Deferring income can be beneficial for future tax brackets. Utilize depreciation to spread asset costs over time. Plan distributions carefully for pass-through entities to optimize tax liabilities. Finally, maintain accurate documentation to support deductions and guarantee compliance with IRS regulations, protecting against potential audits. How to Reduce Income Tax in a Small Business? To reduce income tax in your small business, consider maximizing deductions through the Section 179 deduction for qualifying property and utilizing bonus depreciation for both new and used assets. You can likewise defer revenue recognition to the next tax year if you anticipate higher profits. Prepaying business expenses like rent or supplies before year-end can further increase deductible expenses. Finally, keep accurate records of all expenses to guarantee compliance and optimize your deductions. What Is the $75 Rule in the IRS? The $75 rule, or “de minimis” rule, allows you to deduct expenses for items costing $75 or less without needing a receipt, as long as you can prove the expense through other records. Each transaction must be under this limit, enabling multiple small purchases to be deducted. Nevertheless, it doesn’t apply to capitalized items or those requiring depreciation. Maintaining an accurate accounting system is crucial for substantiating these deductions during audits. Conclusion In conclusion, managing your small business taxes doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By maintaining organized records, comprehending your obligations, and exploring deductions, you can simplify the process. Planning for estimated payments and consulting with tax professionals further improves your strategy. Staying updated on regulations and evaluating your tax strategies based on your business structure guarantees you’re maximizing your savings. Implement these tips to navigate your tax responsibilities effectively and keep your business financially healthy. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Tips for Small Business Tax Help" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Starting today, you can use Spotify to knock out a 10-minute Pilates session, a weighted glutes circuit, or a bit of morning yoga. The music platform just announced its first foray into the fitness world (not counting the 150 million user-generated playlists on the app, of course). Under the new “Fitness” section, all users will be able to access a library of content, including follow-along videos, from popular fitness creators like Chloe Ting and Yoga with Kassandra. The new feature also includes a partnership with Peloton, which makes a catalog of more than 1,400 ad-free Peloton classes available to Spotify’s Premium subscribers. Whether you’re a runner, weight lifter, or Pilates princess, Spotify has a video for you. This push into the workout arena is a logical move for Spotify, considering the sheer volume of users who are already coming to the platform for content to power through their workouts. More broadly, it tracks with Spotify’s greater investment in verticals like video content, audiobooks, and podcasts: Spotify doesn’t just want to be where people get their music; it wants to be a one-stop-shop for all the content that plays in the background of users’ lives. How to use Spotify Fitness To use Spotify’s new fitness features, users can navigate to a dedicated “Fitness” section by clicking the search function and looking under “Browse All.” The platform itself is divided into multiple curated sub-categories. These include “Peloton Instructors,” where Premium members can access videos organized by their favorite teachers; “Daily Movement Mix,” which is a series of pre-made workout itineraries; and “Explore Creator Workouts,” which surfaces popular workout options from non-Peloton creators. Users can also sort content by focus, like weighted strength training, yoga, meditation, and cardio. It’s the same kind of fitness content that users might find on YouTube, just presented in one consolidated location and conveniently grouped by preferences. Now, instead of switching back and forth between their music and workout tutorials, users can access both in the same place. “Fitness on Spotify is designed to be flexible and seamless,” a press release on the new features reads. “Start a video workout on your TV, switch to audio on your phone for a run, and wind down with guided recovery on your smart speaker. It’s one experience across devices, with no friction or app-switching.” In the same release, Roman Wasenmüller, Spotify’s global head of podcasts, described the additions as an effort to turn Spotify into “a true daily wellness companion”: “By bringing Peloton directly into our video and audio ecosystem, we are investing in a future where Spotify isn’t just where you spend your time—it’s where you go to build momentum, improve your wellbeing, and get more out of every day.” View the full article

This year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner nearly ended in tragedy. About an hour into the event, a 31-year-old attacker ran past the main security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton ballroom, firing shots as he attempted to reach the area where the president and many cabinet officials were seated. While a Secret Service officer got hit in his bullet-proof vest, the agents were fortunately able to apprehend the attacker before anyone else was hurt or worse. A security breach of this magnitude, especially one coming after the previous attempts on The President’s life, naturally draws attention to several issues about the state of the nation. In the din of white noise surrounding the attack, however, one issue seems to have risen to the forefront, pushed by the president, pundits, and right-wing posters alike: The President’s ballroom must be built right now! The logic here seems to be that, were a cavernous ballroom available for hosting the WHCD, The President would have easily been able to disappear into the planned bunker beneath at the first sign of trouble, which would have somehow prevented what happened from happening as it did. This message is every bit as revealing about those pushing it as it is wrong for this moment. Message saturation and discipline The ballroom blitz began with the president himself as messenger. From behind the White House press room podium, still clad in his tuxedo from the WHCD, The President wasted no time in making the case to advance his ballroom project, which has been tied up in court since a lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation halted construction last December. In a Truth Social post the following morning, he crystallized the urgency of this message, writing: “What happened last night is exactly the reason our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE.” It’s unclear whether Team The President made direct appeals to right-wing influencers like Libs of Tik Tok and MAGA politicians like Rep. Chip Roy to echo the president, or if they arrived at that conclusion on their own. Either way, the message saturation that followed is striking in both its scope and uniformity. By Sunday morning, dozens of high-profile The President allies had posted ballroom demands on their high-follower social media accounts. The average X user bombarded with them could be forgiven for assuming The President’s ballroom came with a mandate from heaven. MAGA accounts tweet in unison about the need for a White House ballroom following WHCD incident — MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) 2026-04-26T10:27:43.346Z As of this writing, this message is still blasting loud and clear through Monday morning TV appearances from the likes of Rep. Mike Lawler and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Though the breadth of this public-facing push and its tight message discipline seems designed to create a debate framework that positions Democrats as anti-security and pro-assassination, the appearance of coordination may have backfired, fostering conspiratorial thinking and memes. Anyone donning the tinfoil hat of “false flag” claims, though, would be discounting the far more likely scenario: That this administration—no stranger to a brazen PR stunt—is merely capitalizing on a crisis. The ballroom project is not about security There’s no denying that The President has long been obsessed with building a ballroom. It’s something he’s brought up often during completely unrelated events like the recent Easter Lunch and a January meeting with oil executives about Venezuela and energy, which he notoriously interrupted just to admire the ballroom’s progress through a window. What those pushing to get the controversial project out of legal red tape are obscuring, however, is how relatively seldom The President touted security as a reason for his $400 million ballroom in the past. They’re trying to retcon the fiction that this ballroom has always been a protective measure, rather than a vanity project. Unfortunately for them, the truth was recorded for posterity. Not for nothing did The President tell those executives upon interrupting their meeting, “Wait a moment, I need to see my beautiful hall,” rather than anything about security. The “big, beautiful White House ballroom” seems like a natural extension of The President’s other renovation efforts, including gilding the Oval Office to within an inch of its life. The President has argued at length, for instance, that the White House needed a ballroom because the East Wing, which he demolished last fall without congressional approval, could only host 125 people for formal dinners, and that the south lawn was inadequate for larger events, since the soggy ground could leave foreign leaders with wet feet. Even as he recently announced plans to build a secure bunker beneath the ballroom, The President still fussed over the aesthetics of the ballroom itself. Perhaps more damning, a federal judge reviewing the lawsuit that halted the project had already portrayed the security offered by this ballroom in an unflattering light. Pointing to various safety features in the plans, the judge noted that the White House had “not provided any national security justification for why these features must be installed immediately.” With last weekend’s attack, the White House can now claim to have that justification—however convoluted it may be. They just can’t reasonably claim it’s been the primary purpose of the ballroom all along. A classic The President misdirect The WHCD attack didn’t just present Team The President with an opportunity to push the need for a ballroom—it also provided the means to avoid talking about what went wrong on Saturday. After all, the suspect traveled to DC from California with multiple guns in tow, checked into the Washington Hilton as a guest in order to bypass perimeter checks, and ran through a magnetometer to nearly reach The President and his cabinet officials. Obviously, there were several lapses in security. It should be imperative now to understand exactly how the suspect managed to come so close to accomplishing his goals. However, when pressed on Sunday’s Face the Nation about how the suspect was able to bring a shotgun on a train, acting attorney general Todd Blanche said: “I don’t think that’s something we should be focusing on.” BRENNAN: The shooter had multiple weapons. You said he traveled from CA across the country by train. How did he do that?BLANCHE: This isn't about making laws more restrictiveBRENNAN: I'm asking about crossing state lines w/firearmsBLANCHE: I don't think that's something we should be focused on — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-04-26T14:55:35.664Z Of course, it’s not. Why would anyone want to focus on legitimate gaps in security, when they could instead focus on hypothetical gaps such as the glaring lack of a big, beautiful ballroom? Something is clearly wrong in the United States. Ordinary citizens have recently started routinely turning to violence, whether it’s alleged healthcare avenger Luigi Mangione, the man who attempted to attack Sam Altman, or any of The President’s would-be assassins (technically four, at last count). Instead of making real efforts to examine the root of the problem, some of the loudest voices in the country are pretending The President’s long-desired “big, beautiful ballroom” is the solution. By doing so, they are only helping to ensure that whatever is truly motivating people to violent behavior never becomes “something we should be focusing on.” View the full article

In 2024, JPMorgan Chase applied to receive financial assistance from Rockland County, New York, in order to expand a data center in Orangeburg, a hamlet of under 4,300 people. The development agency approved the assistance, which totaled nearly $77 million in state and local tax breaks for the project. In return, documents show, the company said the expansion would create just one full-time job. Now, government accountability group Reinvent Albany has called out the deal as “the largest government subsidy ever recorded within the United States,” prompting questions about how much public money goes to projects that don’t create meaningful jobs for communities. Short term vs. full-time job creation JPMorganChase has owned the Orangeburg building since 2017, a former brownfield site that the company turned into a data center that currently employs 70 people, per the company. (New York Focus, which broke the story, wrote that the facility last reported 25 workers, and the original project proposal promised the creation of just five jobs.) The 2024 development project was for an expansion of the data center. It’s specifically that expansion that will add just one full-time job, a company spokesperson noted. The expansion will also create 150 local construction jobs. Data center projects often tout their creation of construction jobs, and growing data center demand has been a boon to that industry. Tech giants have been building Still, such projects have been criticized for delivering mostly short-term jobs while providing “little durable local economic upside,” according to Brookings research, including “relatively little . . . large-scale employment.” Other economic contributions That JPMorganChase received $77 million for its data center expansion still makes it the largest subsidy of its kind per job, watchdog groups say. “The county is giving away quite a lot of public money in exchange basically for nothing,” Kasia Tarczynska, senior research analyst at the national subsidy watchdog group Good Jobs First, told New York Focus. The Rockland County Infrastructure Development Agency (IDA), which approved the tax breaks for the project, stands by the deal, telling New York Focus that though few permanent jobs will be created, the data center will provide more than $100 million in local economic benefits—including via ongoing upgrades from electricians and other tradespeople. JPMorgan Chase noted that it’s currently one of New York State’s largest employers, and that the company contributes nearly $40 billion annually to the state’s economy. Growing data center opposition When the Rockland County IDA held a public hearing on the proposed subsidies for the expansion in 2024, no one showed up, and the deal was approved two weeks later. Many people may not have been very aware of data centers and their controversies in 2024, but across the country, community opposition has been growing. Last year, Change.org saw a surge of petitions against data center projects: at least 113 petitions totaling around 50,000 signatures in 2025, compared to just one such petition regarding a data center in 2024, Fast Company previously reported. In some instances, data centers projects were even canceled after local pushback; at least 20 projects, representing $98 billion in investments, were blocked or delayed over just four months of 2025. Still, state and local politicians have welcomed data centers, often giving them significant tax incentives, in part because of the promises of job creation. Governor Janet Mills of Maine just this week vetoed a statewide moratorium on data centers, citing the promised jobs. The freeze, which would have made Maine the first state to take such action, would have stopped a planned data center that is expected to create as many as 1,000 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs. The data center boom isn’t only happening in the United States. In Chile, one of the top Latin American countries in terms of data centers, companies including Microsoft and Google have promised to create thousands of jobs. A Rest of World report, however, says that those projects are creating far fewer full-time positions. Most are for security guards or cleaners—unlike the skilled IT jobs promised. In Rockland County, New York, the JPMorgan Chase data center isn’t the only such project that has gotten tax breaks, but now opposition there is growing too. A Rockland County planning board meeting in March for a second facility proposed by Databank was filled with residents “lined up to speak out” about the project, local outlet The Journal News reported, many citing concerns about how the rising electricity demand will affect their utility bills. “We are overly saturated with data centers,” one resident said at the hearing, according to The Journal News. “There is no talk of the cost to us, the local utility ratepayers.” View the full article

Offer from Saba Capital to buy shares of private credit fund at 65 cents on the dollar fails to attract sellersView the full article

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a number of changes coming to its Windows Insider program—in fact, one could call it an overhaul. Despite being a beta program for Windows users interested in testing cutting-edge features, Microsoft is actually simplifying and streamlining the experience. Now, as highlighted by Bleeping Computer, the company is rolling out that updated experience—whether you're new to the Insider program, or you've been test-driving Windows this way for years. Microsoft is making Insider channels easier to understandThe Windows Insider program is changing in three key ways. First, Microsoft is making the "channels" easier to understand. For the uninitiated, a channel in the Insider program lets you choose how early on you trial new versions of Windows, and what level of risk you assume in doing so. The Dev channel, for example, was the bleeding edge here, as Microsoft seeded the earliest versions of its upcoming updates to this channel. It was mainly designed for software developers to test their apps and services on upcoming versions of Windows (hence the name), though anyone could enroll and try new features that might not even make it to the finished product. But because this channel was the earliest, it was the riskiest: since the software had so little trialing at that time, the risk of bugs, glitches, and general instability was greater. For users who still wanted to try features on the early side but wanted to mitigate some risk, there was the Canary channel: Users had to wait a bit longer for the updates, but that meant that Dev channel users caught the biggest bugs, reducing the risk of anything that might seriously interrupt their use of their PC. Finally, there was the Beta channel, which was the recommended choice for most users looking to try out new software. You might not get some of Microsoft's most experimental features, but you did get to try the features that were planned to ship in the coming weeks, with the lowest risk of instability—at least in the Insider program. This, of course, is a bit confusing. To a newcomer, which channel do you pick? Dev? Canary? Beta? Other than the assumption that "Dev" stands for "developer," unless you're an experienced software tester, you might not know what you're signing up for. As such, here's the new lineup: Experimental: This channel combines Dev and Canary, and is intended for anyone who wants to try the latest features, even if they never make it to the official build. There may be less stability here than you're used to. There's even a "Future Platforms" for Experimental users that Microsoft says offers the "forefront of platform development," not tied to a retail release. Beta: A refresh of the old Beta channel. The core principle is still the same (trialing features planning to ship in a near update), but Microsoft says the big change here is that they are ending gradual feature rollouts in Beta. That means that once they announce a feature, and you take the Beta update, you have it. Release Preview: This is as risk-free as it gets. This preview allows you to try out a new update in the days leading up to its rollout. You now have more control over the features you trialThe other big change here deals with new features and their availability. That includes the Beta channel doing away with gradual rollouts: Now, all Beta users get the same features at the same time, so you no longer have to wonder why some users have new features in their Beta updates, but you do not. But Experimental users also have new controls. Microsoft says that anyone enrolled in the Experimental channel can enable or disable specific features in their current build. That way, if a particular feature is acting up, or you don't care for it, you can disable it without having to unenroll entirely. Microsoft added these controls to a new "Feature flags" page in the Windows Insider Program settings page. It's now easier to move between channelsPreviously, moving channels was a pain, as is the case with most beta programs. If you were in the Beta channel, and wanted to test out more new features, you'd have to wipe your PC to enroll in Dev or Canary. Likewise, you'd have to start from scratch if those latter channels were too much, or if you wanted to leave the program altogether. That's now changing. Microsoft says that it has made changes "behind the scenes" that make switching channels much more seamless. The company says, in most cases, you should be able to move between Experimental, Beta, and Release Preview channels without having to perform a clean install of Windows on your PC. That's huge, as it takes a lot of the risk out of running unfinished software on your computer. The only catch here is if you enroll in Experimental Future Platforms: Since this isn't tied to specific retail versions of Windows, you will need to wipe your PC to leave this channel. View the full article

May 1 marks May Day, also known as International Workers Day, a chance to celebrate and recognize the contributions of workers and the labor movement. Freelance is a vital part of the workforce, yet often goes underpaid and undervalued. Yet there’s power in numbers. And there are lots of us, all across the country. In advance of May Day — and Freelance Isn’t Free month — these are the top ten states where Freelancers Union members are living, working, and organizing. View the full article

May 1 marks May Day, also known as International Workers Day, a chance to celebrate and recognize the contributions of workers and the labor movement. Freelance is a vital part of the workforce, yet often goes underpaid and undervalued. Yet there’s power in numbers. And there are lots of us, all across the country. In advance of May Day — and Freelance Isn’t Free month — these are the top ten states where Freelancers Union members are living, working, and organizing. View the full article

Alongside a bill that gives homeowners a year of forbearance after state-declared emergencies, lawmakers will consider extending wildfire-related moratoriums. View the full article

While the court battle between Elon Musk and OpenAI may draw more eyes Monday, another case getting underway could carry far broader implications for personal freedom. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in a case that will determine the legality of geofencing, a technique law enforcement uses to mine location history data to identify who was near the scene of a crime and may have been involved. Geofencing, in essence, draws a virtual perimeter around a crime scene. The government then obtains a warrant requiring tech companies to search their location data for anyone within that area during the relevant time frame. In this case, Google’s location history data was used to identify the person ultimately convicted. Opponents argue the process violates the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable government searches and seizures. In an increasingly digital world, however, the amendment’s boundaries have become murkier. “Geofence warrants are an unprecedented increase in the government’s ability to locate individuals without substantial investigation or investment of resources,” writes the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in a statement. “[They] are general warrants — which are prohibited by the Fourth Amendment—because they are devoid of probable cause and particularity.” United States v. Chatrie The case at the center of Monday’s hearing is U.S. v. Chatrie. Okello Chatrie is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for robbing a credit union near Richmond, Va. Police used a geofence warrant to identify him, which his legal team argues was unconstitutional. The Fourth Circuit U.S. District Court disagreed. Around the same time, however, a similar case before the Fifth Circuit reached the opposite conclusion, finding that people have a reasonable expectation of privacy in location history data. Both cases centered on Google location history. Those conflicting rulings sent the case to the Supreme Court, which will now weigh the extent to which “the execution of [a] geofence warrant violate[s] the Fourth Amendment.” “The Fourth Circuit held that a geofence warrant yielding two hours’ worth of precise location data involves no Fourth Amendment search and thus need not be supported by probable cause,” writes the Harvard Law Review. “The Fifth Circuit held not only that the practice constitutes a Fourth Amendment search but also that, given the massive scale of the database at issue, the Fourth Amendment does not countenance geofence warrants at all, notwithstanding probable cause that evidence would be found in the searched records.” The government is expected to argue that because cell phone users voluntarily opted into location history tracking, they waived any reasonable expectation of privacy. Chatrie’s team, meanwhile, is expected to argue that not only was a warrant required, but that the geofence warrant itself was overly broad, amounting to an unreasonable search of large numbers of innocent people. Limits already underway Privacy advocates are siding with Chatrie. Google, for its part, has already moved to limit geofencing’s reach. Historically, the company stored users’ location history data on cloud servers. Last July, however, it shifted that data onto individual devices, reducing its own ability to identify users’ past locations. Not all tech companies have followed suit, however, which keeps the case highly relevant. The broader concern is that geofencing can sweep innocent people into criminal investigations while also enabling large-scale surveillance. At the same time, the practice has proved useful to investigators. Many arrests following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, for instance, relied on geofencing data. It remains unclear how extensively law enforcement relies on geofence warrants. The latest available data comes from 2020, when authorities served Google with 11,500 such warrants, writes Hofstra Law Review. Several states, meanwhile, have enacted laws restricting geofencing, particularly around healthcare facilities in abortion-related investigations. The ruling could also extend beyond geofence warrants themselves. Legal experts say it may shape the future legality of other digital investigative tools, including reverse-keyword warrants and chatbot data requests. A decision is expected sometime this summer. View the full article

Cole Allen appears in court as White House blames critics for demonising the presidentView the full article

A takeover, which would create a combined entity serving about 9.6mn customers, could be reached within weeksView the full article

For members of the always-online generations, reality is hanging by a very thin thread. Core youth values like authenticity and "keeping it real" are confusing concepts to people raised in an environment where almost nothing can be counted on and anything can be faked. Every viral video could be a stealth advertising campaign. Every breakout band, an industry plant. Whether it's meat mountains at Arby's, or vérité video of cheater's antics, this week we're looking into all-encompassing scams. But at least you can bank on Scientology speed-runs as legit, and take comfort in the realness of a ball of red hot metal. What is Rod Wave's Arby's Takeover?Arby's is a fast food chain known for its roast beef sandwiches. Rod Wave is a 27-year-old rapper known for pioneering "soul trap" music. Rod Wave's Arby's Takeover is a fictional event that combines these two things. Many feel Arby's food and Rod Wave's music are similar: They're both slop, but slop in a specific, maximalist way, so the joke is to create AI-generated flyers advertising the takeover that are as huge and gross as possible. Eventually, the "more, More, MORE" prompts result in AI-generating surrealist visions like the ones below. Is Rod Wave partnering with Arby's to sell some roast beef or is this grassroots internet comedy? Who can really say? The Rod Wave/Arby's thing resulted in renewed interest in "Arby's Meat Mountain." Online lore says there is a secret menu item at Arby's called the "meat mountain." Ordering this will result in a stack of every meat product available at the restaurant piled up between two slices of bread, a sandwich that pushes the epistemological limits of what a sandwich is. The meat mountain is real, probably. Back in 2014, in the height of the company's "we have the meats" advertising blitz, posters of a gigantic sandwich were hung in Arby's locations to illustrate the variety of meats one could order. It wasn't intended as an actual menu item, but guests pointed to the poster and said, "one of those, please" and Arby's said, "... ok, I guess." (or so the company claims; maybe they were manufacturing a "hidden menu" item because that was a thing then.) Fast-forward to 2026; a new generation has started ordering the meat mountain and is actually getting them. Is this the return of a manufactured meme that sells gross sandwiches? Perhaps. Or not. Cheating and chopping: What's up with TikTok's fake infidelity videos?While most TikTok creators chase algorithmic attention by walking obvious paths like dancing well or being attractive, there are other, hidden avenues into the graces of the great machine that decides which videos to share, including videos of a woman chopping vegetables while catching her husband cheating. There are hundreds of videos on the platform that follow this formula, like the one below (and this one and this one). As you can tell by the terrible acting, these videos are fake, but why are they so similar? They all take place in a kitchen. The woman wears a t-shirt, usually white. She is cutting food. The knife is inadequate. It's that last detail that gets me. What even is this yellow plastic knife-like thing? This knife is too small. And this one is too big. Sometimes the knife is focused on or mentioned, but usually it's just there, being wrong for the job. I can channel my inner film student here and infer that the knife, as a potential instrument of violence, is there to add intensity to a scene of domestic disharmony. As a student of the internet, I can see that the wrong knife is rage-bait, designed to get someone to comment "you're gonna cut your fingers off, you idiot," and my inner media studies major sees that these kinds of videos are essentially soap operas for people with 40-second attention spans, but the real question is: Who are these people and why do they all make the same video? This account, for instance, has posted fake cheating videos every day, for nearly a year. Why? I was initially haunted by the idea that behind every closed door, a young couple is trying to please a faceless, pitiless algorithm by enacting just the right scene of marital discord so people online would pay attention to them, but the truth is more mundane and more depressing. These are self-produced commercials, part of an affiliate marketing scheme for something called CheatCatcher that supposedly tracks your spouse's infidelities with AI. It's part of the OIIC, the Online Infidelity Industrial Complex, that includes products like Cheaty, Usersearch, Instant Checkmate, and others. But cheating checkers are only a small part of the larger affiliate program universe that includes every kind of product or service you can think of from $50,000 tennis bracelets to $2 plastic dopamine hits from Temu, being fed by every single media source you know and trust, every influencer online, and probably your own family. It's all a hall of mirrors, baby. What are Scientology speedruns?You know what isn't part of an affiliate program? Running into Scientology buildings and acting the fool. That's the concept behind the "Scientology speedrun." It's probably a crime, and it's definitely chaos, but it's organic chaos and crime at least. Messing with Scientologists has been an online tradition since the ancient days of Anonymous, but TikTokers started taking it to new levels recently, first by posting videos of street encounters with members of the religion, and then by posting videos of themselves running into Scientology buildings to see how far they can get inside the mysterious inner world of the group. The videos look like this: The trend seems to have caught on enough that on Friday, a group of over 50 people stormed Scientology in Hollywood. This is, as stated previously, is probably illegal, and TikTok tends to pull down videos of crimes committed as viral trends, so accounts are being deleted and videos are disappearing, although some still seem to be up for some reason. Luckily, X doesn't have these reservations. Obviously people shouldn't do this, but there's a kind of youthful energy and hilarity to these videos that's hard to deny. Viral video of the week: All hail Power Hot Ball Some kinds of viral videos are based on simple ideas that require no explanation. So it is with Power Hot Ball, a TikTok account that regularly gets millions of views for videos of a metal ball heated to 1,000c melting through things. Here is the Power Hot Ball taking on corn, various materials, and an iPhone. Weirdly, the nearly molten ball of metal is thwarted by a simple coconut, so it's not all-powerful. If you are like me, and plan to spend the rest of the week watching these videos, here's a link to many, many of them. View the full article

United Wholesale Mortgage is one of multiple home lending partners Dan Sogorka and Mike Fawaz's new company plans to bring on board. View the full article

Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig Trainor encouraged the real estate industry to reconsider advice received from DEI experts. View the full article

President Donald The President’s latest idea to rename a government agency could give one of his most disliked policies a much more pleasant-sounding name. That might not work out as planned, though. The President shared a social media post on Sunday highlighting a woman’s suggestion that he rename U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, as National Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or NICE, “so the media has to say NICE agents all day every day.” “GREAT IDEA!!! DO IT. President DJT” The President wrote. The proposed rename goes against trend for The President, who wants to formally rename the Department of Defense the Department of War. The President’s branding instincts in office are towards toughness, not softness. Public opinion about ICE is firmly hardening against it, which may be why the new proposed name seems so obvious and smart. Nearly six in ten Americans disapprove of how ICE handles its job, according to a UMass poll released earlier this month, and Fox News polling shows the agency’s disapproval rising from 41% in 2018 to 58% today. Giving the agency a friendly backronym likely wouldn’t be a quick fix. An alphabet soup of names The U.S. government is filled with acronyms, and officials increasingly turn to backronyms, or acronyms that are reverse-engineered because of what they’ll spell out. No one loves them more than Congress. About 10% of bill and resolution names introduced in Congress over a two-year period were backronyms, according to a 2022 review by The Atlantic, and the proportion of backronyms in bill names has risen every Congress since at least 2001. There’s the $2 trillion pandemic stimulus and relief legislation called the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (CARES Act) in 2020, or the “Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act” (CHIPS and Science Act) that funded semiconductors and other priorities in 2022. With a little creativity, a piece of legislation with a name as long as a Fall Out Boy song title becomes a short, handy piece of storytelling in cable news chyrons and tweets. Backronyms are a messaging tool that turns an otherwise bureaucratic-sounding collection of letters into a bumper-sticker-type slogan, but not all of them are honest. While some of these backronyms are corny or clever, others still are designed to misdirect or manipulate, wrapping unpopular legislation in the flag. The USA PATRIOT Act, for “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act,” passed weeks after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and expanded the surveillance state, while the SAVE Act, for “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act,” is a voter suppression bill that’s currently stalled in the Senate. Why a ‘NICE’ rebrand is a bad idea Renaming ICE to NICE might attract more negative attention to the group, says Brian Christopher Jones, a senior lecturer at the University of Liverpool who’s studied topics including acronyms and misleading PAC names. “I wonder whether this particular backronym, NICE, would open the agency up to potentially even more criticism than before,” he says, noting the USA Patriot Act has been criticized for its name. The turn in public opinion against ICE was spurred on by footage of its agents being the opposite of nice, and the proposed new name would only further draw attention to behavior that was dissonant with the backronym. The name of the U.K.’s own NICE, which stands for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, also hasn’t stopped people from disparaging it, Jones says. He also questions whether the proposed new name in the U.S. would turn off the people the agency is trying to attract to work there. “I’m not so sure if law enforcement personnel would think the same about working for an agency called NICE,” he says. The President could try renaming the agency, but actually making ICE nice will take more than just a new acronym. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Spotify noticed how many of us use its popular music app for fitness—workout mixes are one of the top uses of its playlist creation tools—and now it’s adding fitness content directly. Some workout videos are available to everyone, and premium users can take Peloton classes as well. Peloton App $12.99 Per Month at Peloton Learn More Learn More $12.99 Per Month at Peloton How to find workout videos on SpotifyTo find the fitness content, search or browse for “fitness,” and workout videos will pop up. They will be mixed in with workout-focused playlists, which feels like an odd choice, but the feature is brand new. Perhaps a better organization is coming in the future. If you have a Spotify Premium subscription, you’ll see that Peloton workouts make up the most visible offerings. Spotify describes these as “a continually growing catalog of more than 1,400” workout videos. Cycling classes aren’t included, but strength, cardio, and meditation classes are. There’s also a quiz to match you with the perfect workout. It will ask whether you want cardio, strength, or recovery; long or short workouts; and your experience level. I asked for a short beginner cardio workout, and a “HIIT Starter Pack” of 10-minute workouts was automatically saved to my library. How Peloton workouts on Spotify compare to the Peloton appSpotify’s Peloton class offerings seem to be similar to what you get on Peloton’s App One tier. This tier is $12.99/month, the same cost as a Spotify Premium subscription. These videos include pretty much anything you can do in your living room, like yoga and strength workouts with dumbbells. They don’t include classes you can do on an actual Peloton Bike (you need the $49/month All Access subscription for those) or on a non-Peloton bike at the gym (that requires Peloton App+ at $28.99/month). I did one of those 10-minute HIIT classes, and can report it was easy to follow, and the individual exercises were shown in the app as “chapters” that I could preview to see the class structure. Unfortunately there’s no connection to the Peloton app itself, so the class I took did not show up in my Peloton workout history, and there was no built-in way to track my metrics like heart rate or reps. One nice plus: there’s a button to switch to an audio-only player, which is nice if you’re following along by ear and don’t need to see the screen. The workouts appear as a video podcast, with “episodes” that are presented in a list. When I finished that one HIIT video, the next one automatically started playing. I don’t think this is a great interface for presenting workout videos, but it’s certainly not bad. And if you want both Spotify and Peloton content, getting it all for one $12.99 subscription is certainly a bargain compared to paying double. Non-Peloton classes are available to allScroll down past the Peloton classes, and you’ll see there are more creators that each have their own podcast-style series of video classes. I found them under “Browse Fitness Creators” and “Explore Creator Workouts.” I tried a five-minute run warmup from Nourish Move Love, and it was much the same experience as the Peloton workout. The chapters on this one were auto-generated, but it was clear to follow and I appreciated the progress bar overlaid over the video, which seemed to be part of the video content, this creator’s addition, and separate from the Spotify interface. I also really happened to like the warmup since it was one that I could do entirely on my feet—great for an actual pre-run scenario no matter the weather. View the full article

Real is acquiring Motto's parent Remax in a deal valued at $13.80 per share, as the new Real Remax Group will have "two distinct models, one platform." View the full article

Employer payroll is the systematic process of compensating employees, which includes calculating wages, salaries, and bonuses, along with managing payroll taxes. It’s fundamental for maintaining accurate financial records and ensuring compliance with tax regulations. Effective payroll management not merely supports business cash flow but additionally builds employee trust. Comprehending its components and implications is imperative, as failure to manage payroll correctly can lead to serious legal and financial consequences. So, what should you know about optimizing this critical function? Key Takeaways Employer payroll refers to the total compensation, including wages, salaries, bonuses, and benefits paid to employees. Accurate payroll ensures timely employee compensation and compliance with tax laws, preventing penalties and legal issues. Employers must withhold and match payroll taxes, which include federal, state, and local taxes, ensuring financial responsibility. Proper payroll management maintains clear financial documentation and aids in cash flow management for the organization. Regular reviews and updates of payroll processes help safeguard both the organization and employees from legal repercussions related to payroll tax compliance. Understanding Employer Payroll Grasping employer payroll is critical for both employers and employees alike, as it encompasses the total compensation owed to workers, including wages, salaries, bonuses, and various benefits. Recognizing employer payroll means acknowledging the payroll tax definition, which involves taxes paid by the employer on behalf of employees. These employer payroll taxes include federal, state, and local taxes that support essential programs like Social Security and Medicare. Accurate payroll processing requires tracking employee work hours and calculating tax withholdings to guarantee timely payments. Employers are responsible for not just withholding these taxes but also for their matching contributions, creating a thorough system of financial responsibility. Effective management of employer payroll is fundamental for complying with tax laws, maintaining employee satisfaction, and avoiding costly penalties or legal issues stemming from payroll errors. Therefore, grasping the intricacies of employer payroll is key for smooth workplace operations. The Importance of Employer Payroll Grasping employer payroll goes beyond just tracking employee earnings; it plays a crucial role in the overall health of a business. Accurate payroll management guarantees employees receive timely compensation, which affects their satisfaction and productivity. Moreover, it involves calculating and withholding various taxes, including Social Security and federal/state income taxes, which fund fundamental government programs. Here are key reasons why employer payroll is critical: Payroll Tax Compliance: Adhering to regulations prevents penalties and legal issues. Accurate Financial Records: Proper payroll helps maintain clear financial documentation. Predicting Tax Liabilities: Comprehending employer payroll tax rates aids in cash flow management. Streamlining Processes: Utilizing payroll software improves efficiency and reduces errors. Components of Employer Payroll Comprehending the components of employer payroll is essential for effective business management. Payroll typically includes wages, salaries, bonuses, and commissions owed to employees, making certain they receive timely compensation. Moreover, various deductions apply, such as federal and state income taxes, Social Security, and Medicare taxes (FICA). Here’s a breakdown of key components: Component Description Employer Responsibility Wages and Salaries Payments for work performed during the pay period Timely disbursement Payroll Tax Deductions Withholdings from employee earnings Accurate calculation Employer Portion of Payroll Taxes Employer matches FICA contributions 6.2% for Social Security, 1.45% for Medicare FUTA Tax 6% tax on first $7,000 of wages Can reduce to 0.6% with credits Accurate payroll processing makes certain compliance with labor laws and effective financial management within your organization. Payroll Taxes and Their Impact Payroll taxes play an important role in funding fundamental government programs, like Social Security and Medicare, which benefit both employees and society. As an employer, you’re responsible for accurately calculating and remitting these taxes to guarantee compliance, as failure to do so can lead to significant penalties and legal issues. Grasping these responsibilities is critical to maintain your business’s financial health and support the workforce effectively. Funding Government Programs Though many may not realize it, employer payroll taxes play a fundamental role in funding indispensable government programs such as Social Security and Medicare. These programs provide critical financial support to retirees and individuals with disabilities. Here’s how employer payroll taxes contribute: FICA Contributions: A combined rate of 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare is split between employers and employees. Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA): Employers contribute 6% on the first $7,000 of wages to fund state unemployment benefits. State Unemployment Taxes (SUTA): These vary by state and depend on an employer’s claims history. Compliance: Accurate withholding and timely remittance are essential for the sustainability of these programs, ensuring support for those in need. Employer Responsibilities and Compliance When managing a business, comprehension of your responsibilities regarding payroll taxes is crucial to guarantee compliance and avoid potential penalties. You’re tasked with calculating and withholding employer taxes for employees, including Social Security and Medicare contributions. You must as well comply with the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), which requires a 6% tax on the first $7,000 of each employee’s wages. Accurate payroll tax calculations are critical to preventing employment tax liability issues. You need to file quarterly returns using Form 941 and issue Forms W-2 annually, maintaining proper payroll records. Tax Type Rate Notes Social Security 6.2% Matched by employer Medicare 1.45% Matched by employer FUTA 6% (0.6% w/credit) First $7,000 of wages Payroll Withholding Varies Depends on employee earnings Filing Frequency Quarterly Form 941 Consequences of Non-Compliance Comprehending employer responsibilities regarding payroll taxes is only part of the equation; the consequences of non-compliance can substantially impact your business. When you neglect these responsibilities, you face various repercussions, including: Penalties from the IRS: Fines can accumulate quickly, sometimes reaching thousands of dollars. Trust Fund Recovery Penalty: You may be held personally liable for unpaid employer paid taxes, facing a penalty of up to 100% of the unpaid amount. Interest Charges: Late remittance of payroll taxes results in additional financial burdens. Audits and Legal Action: Inaccurate calculations can lead to audits, disrupting operations and damaging your reputation. Understanding these consequences is vital for maintaining compliance and protecting your business’s future. Role of Payroll in Employee Satisfaction Payroll plays a critical role in shaping employee satisfaction, as timely and accurate processing directly impacts workers’ financial stability. When you receive your wages on schedule, it cultivates trust between you and your employer, enhancing your overall workplace experience. Consistent payroll practices prevent disputes over wages, reducing frustration that can arise from errors, whether underpayments or overpayments. Furthermore, comprehending payroll deductions and how taxes from the employer affect your paycheck helps you appreciate your compensation better. Transparency about payroll policies and changes promotes a sense of respect, making you feel valued within the organization. In addition, by ensuring compliance with labor laws and timely payroll tax payments, your employer contributes to a healthy work environment, which can greatly boost morale and engagement. In the end, effective payroll management not just satisfies employees but likewise strengthens the employer-employee relationship, creating a more productive workplace. Compliance and Legal Obligations Guaranteeing compliance with payroll and legal obligations is vital for every employer, as it safeguards both the organization and its employees from potential legal repercussions. Comprehending your responsibilities helps you avoid serious issues related to payroll tax rates and non-compliance with payroll tax laws. Here are key points to remember: Accurately calculate and withhold taxes like Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment taxes. File Form 941 quarterly to report withheld payroll taxes and remit any owed amounts to the IRS. Provide employees with Forms W-2 annually to detail their earnings and withheld taxes. Stay updated on changing tax laws to maintain compliance and avoid penalties. How much do employers pay in payroll taxes? It varies, but non-compliance can lead to fines, legal action, and personal liability. Staying informed and organized is fundamental for successful payroll management. Best Practices for Managing Payroll When managing payroll, it’s essential to focus on accurate tax calculations and timely remittance practices. Regularly updating employee information guarantees compliance with tax regulations, whereas maintaining detailed records can help you avoid costly penalties. Accurate Tax Calculations Accurate tax calculations are essential for maintaining compliance and ensuring employees receive the correct pay. To achieve this, consider the following best practices for managing payroll: Reference employee W-4 forms and salary details to determine federal income tax and applicable state taxes. Calculate Social Security tax at 6.2% and Medicare tax at 1.45% based on employee wages, adding the 0.9% Medicare tax for earnings over $200,000. Utilize IRS Publication 15-T‘s wage bracket tables for precise federal payroll tax calculations. Regularly update your payroll system to reflect changes in tax laws and rates. Timely Remittance Practices Timely remittance practices are crucial for maintaining compliance with payroll tax obligations, as delays can lead to significant penalties and legal complications. To avoid fines and personal liability for unpaid trust fund taxes, you must adhere to specific deadlines for tax deposits. Consider using an automated payroll system to help streamline your processes. Practice Deadline Importance Federal Tax Deposits Monthly or semi-weekly Avoid penalties Form 941 Submission Last day of the month post-quarter Compliance with reporting Payroll Deductions Review Monthly Guarantee accuracy and compliance Employer Tax Payments Required based on payroll liability Prevent legal issues Regular Practice Review Quarterly Mitigate risks Implementing these practices will help you manage payroll effectively and reduce risks. Regular Compliance Updates To maintain compliance with ever-changing payroll regulations, you need to regularly review and update your payroll processes. This guarantees accurate payroll tax calculations and timely employer tax remittances. Here are some best practices for regular compliance updates: Utilize payroll software that adjusts tax rates automatically to minimize errors in payroll deductions. Conduct quarterly audits of payroll records and tax filings, such as Forms 941 and 940, to identify any discrepancies. Stay informed about deadlines for tax deposits and filings to avoid penalties. Invest in ongoing training for HR and payroll staff to guarantee they understand legal obligations related to payroll tax compliance. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Three Types of Employer Payroll Taxes? There are three main types of employer payroll taxes you need to be aware of. First, Social Security tax, set at 6.2%, funds retirement and disability benefits. Second, Medicare tax is 1.45% on all earnings, with an extra 0.9% for high earners. Finally, unemployment taxes, including Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) and State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), support unemployment benefits. It’s crucial to properly manage these taxes to avoid penalties. What Is the Most Important Thing About Payroll? The most important thing about payroll is its accuracy. You need to guarantee that employees receive the correct compensation on time, as this directly impacts their morale and engagement. Accurate payroll processing additionally helps you comply with tax regulations, avoiding penalties and legal issues. Moreover, maintaining precise payroll records supports your financial planning, allowing for better budgeting and comprehension of labor costs. Which of the Following Is an Employer’s Payroll Responsibility? As an employer, you’re responsible for accurately calculating and withholding payroll taxes from your employees’ wages. This includes federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare contributions. You must likewise remit these withheld taxes to the IRS and appropriate state agencies on time. Furthermore, you need to maintain detailed records of employee earnings and tax withholdings, guaranteeing compliance with federal and state regulations to avoid penalties and secure smooth payroll processing. What Are the Three Types of Payroll? The three main types of payroll include hourly, salary, and commission. In hourly payroll, you track hours worked and pay based on an agreed rate, often including overtime. Salary payroll provides a consistent paycheck regardless of hours, common for full-time roles. Commission payroll ties earnings to performance, rewarding employees with a percentage of sales or profits. Comprehending these types helps you guarantee compliance with labor laws and manage employee compensation effectively. Conclusion In conclusion, employer payroll is a crucial process that not just guarantees employees are compensated accurately and on time but additionally helps maintain compliance with tax regulations. By comprehending its components and adhering to best practices, you can manage payroll effectively, promoting employee satisfaction and trust. Managing payroll correctly minimizes legal risks and improves cash flow, in the end protecting your organization and workforce. Prioritizing payroll management is fundamental for any successful business operation. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is Employer Payroll and Why Is It Important?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Employer payroll is the systematic process of compensating employees, which includes calculating wages, salaries, and bonuses, along with managing payroll taxes. It’s fundamental for maintaining accurate financial records and ensuring compliance with tax regulations. Effective payroll management not merely supports business cash flow but additionally builds employee trust. Comprehending its components and implications is imperative, as failure to manage payroll correctly can lead to serious legal and financial consequences. So, what should you know about optimizing this critical function? Key Takeaways Employer payroll refers to the total compensation, including wages, salaries, bonuses, and benefits paid to employees. Accurate payroll ensures timely employee compensation and compliance with tax laws, preventing penalties and legal issues. Employers must withhold and match payroll taxes, which include federal, state, and local taxes, ensuring financial responsibility. Proper payroll management maintains clear financial documentation and aids in cash flow management for the organization. Regular reviews and updates of payroll processes help safeguard both the organization and employees from legal repercussions related to payroll tax compliance. Understanding Employer Payroll Grasping employer payroll is critical for both employers and employees alike, as it encompasses the total compensation owed to workers, including wages, salaries, bonuses, and various benefits. Recognizing employer payroll means acknowledging the payroll tax definition, which involves taxes paid by the employer on behalf of employees. These employer payroll taxes include federal, state, and local taxes that support essential programs like Social Security and Medicare. Accurate payroll processing requires tracking employee work hours and calculating tax withholdings to guarantee timely payments. Employers are responsible for not just withholding these taxes but also for their matching contributions, creating a thorough system of financial responsibility. Effective management of employer payroll is fundamental for complying with tax laws, maintaining employee satisfaction, and avoiding costly penalties or legal issues stemming from payroll errors. Therefore, grasping the intricacies of employer payroll is key for smooth workplace operations. The Importance of Employer Payroll Grasping employer payroll goes beyond just tracking employee earnings; it plays a crucial role in the overall health of a business. Accurate payroll management guarantees employees receive timely compensation, which affects their satisfaction and productivity. Moreover, it involves calculating and withholding various taxes, including Social Security and federal/state income taxes, which fund fundamental government programs. Here are key reasons why employer payroll is critical: Payroll Tax Compliance: Adhering to regulations prevents penalties and legal issues. Accurate Financial Records: Proper payroll helps maintain clear financial documentation. Predicting Tax Liabilities: Comprehending employer payroll tax rates aids in cash flow management. Streamlining Processes: Utilizing payroll software improves efficiency and reduces errors. Components of Employer Payroll Comprehending the components of employer payroll is essential for effective business management. Payroll typically includes wages, salaries, bonuses, and commissions owed to employees, making certain they receive timely compensation. Moreover, various deductions apply, such as federal and state income taxes, Social Security, and Medicare taxes (FICA). Here’s a breakdown of key components: Component Description Employer Responsibility Wages and Salaries Payments for work performed during the pay period Timely disbursement Payroll Tax Deductions Withholdings from employee earnings Accurate calculation Employer Portion of Payroll Taxes Employer matches FICA contributions 6.2% for Social Security, 1.45% for Medicare FUTA Tax 6% tax on first $7,000 of wages Can reduce to 0.6% with credits Accurate payroll processing makes certain compliance with labor laws and effective financial management within your organization. Payroll Taxes and Their Impact Payroll taxes play an important role in funding fundamental government programs, like Social Security and Medicare, which benefit both employees and society. As an employer, you’re responsible for accurately calculating and remitting these taxes to guarantee compliance, as failure to do so can lead to significant penalties and legal issues. Grasping these responsibilities is critical to maintain your business’s financial health and support the workforce effectively. Funding Government Programs Though many may not realize it, employer payroll taxes play a fundamental role in funding indispensable government programs such as Social Security and Medicare. These programs provide critical financial support to retirees and individuals with disabilities. Here’s how employer payroll taxes contribute: FICA Contributions: A combined rate of 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare is split between employers and employees. Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA): Employers contribute 6% on the first $7,000 of wages to fund state unemployment benefits. State Unemployment Taxes (SUTA): These vary by state and depend on an employer’s claims history. Compliance: Accurate withholding and timely remittance are essential for the sustainability of these programs, ensuring support for those in need. Employer Responsibilities and Compliance When managing a business, comprehension of your responsibilities regarding payroll taxes is crucial to guarantee compliance and avoid potential penalties. You’re tasked with calculating and withholding employer taxes for employees, including Social Security and Medicare contributions. You must as well comply with the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), which requires a 6% tax on the first $7,000 of each employee’s wages. Accurate payroll tax calculations are critical to preventing employment tax liability issues. You need to file quarterly returns using Form 941 and issue Forms W-2 annually, maintaining proper payroll records. Tax Type Rate Notes Social Security 6.2% Matched by employer Medicare 1.45% Matched by employer FUTA 6% (0.6% w/credit) First $7,000 of wages Payroll Withholding Varies Depends on employee earnings Filing Frequency Quarterly Form 941 Consequences of Non-Compliance Comprehending employer responsibilities regarding payroll taxes is only part of the equation; the consequences of non-compliance can substantially impact your business. When you neglect these responsibilities, you face various repercussions, including: Penalties from the IRS: Fines can accumulate quickly, sometimes reaching thousands of dollars. Trust Fund Recovery Penalty: You may be held personally liable for unpaid employer paid taxes, facing a penalty of up to 100% of the unpaid amount. Interest Charges: Late remittance of payroll taxes results in additional financial burdens. Audits and Legal Action: Inaccurate calculations can lead to audits, disrupting operations and damaging your reputation. Understanding these consequences is vital for maintaining compliance and protecting your business’s future. Role of Payroll in Employee Satisfaction Payroll plays a critical role in shaping employee satisfaction, as timely and accurate processing directly impacts workers’ financial stability. When you receive your wages on schedule, it cultivates trust between you and your employer, enhancing your overall workplace experience. Consistent payroll practices prevent disputes over wages, reducing frustration that can arise from errors, whether underpayments or overpayments. Furthermore, comprehending payroll deductions and how taxes from the employer affect your paycheck helps you appreciate your compensation better. Transparency about payroll policies and changes promotes a sense of respect, making you feel valued within the organization. In addition, by ensuring compliance with labor laws and timely payroll tax payments, your employer contributes to a healthy work environment, which can greatly boost morale and engagement. In the end, effective payroll management not just satisfies employees but likewise strengthens the employer-employee relationship, creating a more productive workplace. Compliance and Legal Obligations Guaranteeing compliance with payroll and legal obligations is vital for every employer, as it safeguards both the organization and its employees from potential legal repercussions. Comprehending your responsibilities helps you avoid serious issues related to payroll tax rates and non-compliance with payroll tax laws. Here are key points to remember: Accurately calculate and withhold taxes like Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment taxes. File Form 941 quarterly to report withheld payroll taxes and remit any owed amounts to the IRS. Provide employees with Forms W-2 annually to detail their earnings and withheld taxes. Stay updated on changing tax laws to maintain compliance and avoid penalties. How much do employers pay in payroll taxes? It varies, but non-compliance can lead to fines, legal action, and personal liability. Staying informed and organized is fundamental for successful payroll management. Best Practices for Managing Payroll When managing payroll, it’s essential to focus on accurate tax calculations and timely remittance practices. Regularly updating employee information guarantees compliance with tax regulations, whereas maintaining detailed records can help you avoid costly penalties. Accurate Tax Calculations Accurate tax calculations are essential for maintaining compliance and ensuring employees receive the correct pay. To achieve this, consider the following best practices for managing payroll: Reference employee W-4 forms and salary details to determine federal income tax and applicable state taxes. Calculate Social Security tax at 6.2% and Medicare tax at 1.45% based on employee wages, adding the 0.9% Medicare tax for earnings over $200,000. Utilize IRS Publication 15-T‘s wage bracket tables for precise federal payroll tax calculations. Regularly update your payroll system to reflect changes in tax laws and rates. Timely Remittance Practices Timely remittance practices are crucial for maintaining compliance with payroll tax obligations, as delays can lead to significant penalties and legal complications. To avoid fines and personal liability for unpaid trust fund taxes, you must adhere to specific deadlines for tax deposits. Consider using an automated payroll system to help streamline your processes. Practice Deadline Importance Federal Tax Deposits Monthly or semi-weekly Avoid penalties Form 941 Submission Last day of the month post-quarter Compliance with reporting Payroll Deductions Review Monthly Guarantee accuracy and compliance Employer Tax Payments Required based on payroll liability Prevent legal issues Regular Practice Review Quarterly Mitigate risks Implementing these practices will help you manage payroll effectively and reduce risks. Regular Compliance Updates To maintain compliance with ever-changing payroll regulations, you need to regularly review and update your payroll processes. This guarantees accurate payroll tax calculations and timely employer tax remittances. Here are some best practices for regular compliance updates: Utilize payroll software that adjusts tax rates automatically to minimize errors in payroll deductions. Conduct quarterly audits of payroll records and tax filings, such as Forms 941 and 940, to identify any discrepancies. Stay informed about deadlines for tax deposits and filings to avoid penalties. Invest in ongoing training for HR and payroll staff to guarantee they understand legal obligations related to payroll tax compliance. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Three Types of Employer Payroll Taxes? There are three main types of employer payroll taxes you need to be aware of. First, Social Security tax, set at 6.2%, funds retirement and disability benefits. Second, Medicare tax is 1.45% on all earnings, with an extra 0.9% for high earners. Finally, unemployment taxes, including Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) and State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), support unemployment benefits. It’s crucial to properly manage these taxes to avoid penalties. What Is the Most Important Thing About Payroll? The most important thing about payroll is its accuracy. You need to guarantee that employees receive the correct compensation on time, as this directly impacts their morale and engagement. Accurate payroll processing additionally helps you comply with tax regulations, avoiding penalties and legal issues. Moreover, maintaining precise payroll records supports your financial planning, allowing for better budgeting and comprehension of labor costs. Which of the Following Is an Employer’s Payroll Responsibility? As an employer, you’re responsible for accurately calculating and withholding payroll taxes from your employees’ wages. This includes federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare contributions. You must likewise remit these withheld taxes to the IRS and appropriate state agencies on time. Furthermore, you need to maintain detailed records of employee earnings and tax withholdings, guaranteeing compliance with federal and state regulations to avoid penalties and secure smooth payroll processing. What Are the Three Types of Payroll? The three main types of payroll include hourly, salary, and commission. In hourly payroll, you track hours worked and pay based on an agreed rate, often including overtime. Salary payroll provides a consistent paycheck regardless of hours, common for full-time roles. Commission payroll ties earnings to performance, rewarding employees with a percentage of sales or profits. Comprehending these types helps you guarantee compliance with labor laws and manage employee compensation effectively. Conclusion In conclusion, employer payroll is a crucial process that not just guarantees employees are compensated accurately and on time but additionally helps maintain compliance with tax regulations. By comprehending its components and adhering to best practices, you can manage payroll effectively, promoting employee satisfaction and trust. Managing payroll correctly minimizes legal risks and improves cash flow, in the end protecting your organization and workforce. Prioritizing payroll management is fundamental for any successful business operation. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is Employer Payroll and Why Is It Important?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Robot mowers have improved dramatically over the years and are becoming a staple for the tech-obsessed with sizable yards. Instead of having to drop boundary wires around your property to prevent your robot from cutting a neighbor's yard, newer machines have advancements that allow for boundary setting with cameras and sensors. One of these newer mowers is the Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15, and right now it's $949.99 (originally $2,299.99) after a 59% discount. This is the lowest price it has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15 Auto Mapping,Pure Vision Navigation, Wire Free RTK Free, Multi-Zone Management, AI 3D Obstacle Avoidance, GPS Anti-Theft, 0.2 Acres, 18° Slope, App Control $949.99 at Amazon $2,299.99 Save $1,350.00 Get Deal Get Deal $949.99 at Amazon $2,299.99 Save $1,350.00 Instead of using an RTK antenna for satellite navigation, the E15 maps your yard using its camera and sensors, so it's a very hands-off setup. The downside is that you can't manually set up or correct your map once it's done. This will mainly be an issue if your map is bigger than 0.2 acres, since you can't tell it which part to map. The E15 also lets you create zones so you can mow certain sections at specific times. You can also create no-go zones. Eufy has been making robot vacuums for many years, so the navigation tech isn't new, and it's works just as well with robot mowers. The E15 can detect objects and go around them, go over 18-degree slopes, and even has a GPS tracker meant to deter theft. You can read about these features in more detail in ZDNet's review of the E15. One of the biggest things you need to be aware of about the E15 is that it cannot mow at night. Because it uses its camera and sensors, it needs light to do so. If you need more acreage, the E18 supports a slightly larger range of 0.3 acres. View the full article

From layoffs and return-to-office mandates to challenges around AI and creativity, it’s not all fun and games for video game workers. And now, some are seeking to unionize. On April 27, a group of game developers behind the digital collectible card game Magic: The Gathering Arena announced the intent to form a union in affiliation with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The group is a part of the gaming studio Wizards of the Coast (WOTC), a division of Hasbro. The group, which is coming together as United Wizards of the Coast – CWA, said it reached a supermajority of eligible Arena workers in support for unionization a week before the announcement. The group has since notified leadership at Wizards of the Coast, calling on the company to recognize the union voluntarily. “At Wizards, we’re organizing for a say in layoffs, accountability that runs up and down the chain, and a living wage that actually lets people build a life. I’m hopeful about what we can build here and being clear-eyed about why it’s necessary,” UWOTC-CWA member Damien Wilson, a Senior Software Development Engineer for Magic: The Gathering Arena, said in a statement. The bargaining unit is set to represent more than 100 employees at the studio, including game designers, programmers, producers, and artists. In case the union is not recognized voluntarily by WOTC, the group has also filed an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The bargaining unit’s letter says the group will withdraw the petition if leadership recognizes the union before the end of the business day on May 1. “We would greatly prefer to allow the company to willingly engage with us as we proceed however we are filing for an election petition as well to ensure a timely resolution for certifying our union,” the letter says. “Should you agree to voluntary recognition in principle, we are happy to coordinate a third-party card check verification of our super majority support in order to finalize a voluntary recognition agreement.” The group cites generative AI protections, layoff protections, remote work protections among the key issues the bargaining unit seeks to address. The demands reflect some of the challenges employees have faced in the last few years. Just last year, the studio laid off about 30 employees, in addition to a 1,000 workers laid off from Hasbro in 2023. And as the company pushed for return-to-office mandates, many remote workers were being forced to relocate to Renton, Washington or fear dismissal. The bargaining unit would join broader efforts in the gaming industry to improve workers’ conditions. Last year, the United Videogame Workers-CWA launched as a direct-join, industry-wide video game union and represents over 600 members in the US and Canada. In the letter the group added, “we are building the game industry we want to see in the world.” View the full article