All Activity

Managing payroll can be intimidating for small businesses, but it’s fundamental for smooth operations. You need to understand payroll basics, compliance requirements, and the correct classification of employees versus contractors. Establishing a consistent payroll schedule and staying updated on tax regulations are vital steps. By automating processes and maintaining thorough records, you can minimize errors and save time. Ready to explore these important tips that can streamline your payroll process? Key Takeaways Ensure accurate classification of workers as employees or independent contractors to avoid costly penalties and misclassification issues. Automate payroll processing to reduce errors and save time, integrating with time-tracking systems for precise wage calculations. Maintain thorough payroll records, retaining employee hours and tax documents for compliance and future reference. Stay informed about federal, state, and local labor laws to ensure ongoing payroll compliance and avoid penalties. Establish a consistent payroll schedule that aligns with cash flow to foster employee trust and satisfaction. Understand Payroll Basics and Compliance Requirements Grasping payroll basics and compliance requirements is critical for any small business owner, especially since mistakes can lead to costly penalties. You’ll need to guarantee accurate record maintenance and timely payment of payroll taxes, which may involve using contractor payroll software to streamline processes. Properly classifying your workers as employees or independent contractors is imperative; misclassification can incur significant tax penalties. Employees require IRS Form W-4, whereas contractors need Form W-9. Establishing a payroll schedule that aligns with your cash flow—whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly—guarantees employees are compensated on time and helps maintain morale. Furthermore, staying informed about federal, state, and local labor laws, including tax regulations and employee rights, is critical for compliance in small business payroll processing. Consider partnering with Paychex for small business to simplify these responsibilities and reduce the risk of errors. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) To manage payroll effectively, you need to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. This unique nine-digit number is vital for tax reporting and helps you comply with various tax obligations. Fortunately, applying for an EIN is free and can be completed online in just a day, making it a key step for any business with employees. Importance of EIN Though it may seem like a minor detail, obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is crucial for any small business with employees. Here’s why: You need an EIN for reporting payroll taxes, including income tax withholding and Social Security contributions. It’s required for filing annual W-2 forms for your employees. An EIN helps you open a business bank account and apply for necessary licenses. Without it, you risk delays in hiring and payroll processes, plus potential tax penalties. Application Process Steps Obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a straightforward process that can be completed in a few simple steps. First, visit the IRS website to access the free application. You can apply online, by fax, mail, or telephone. Make sure you have all necessary information ready, such as your business structure and owner details. It’s important to get your EIN before hiring employees to comply with tax regulations and streamline payroll operations. This will make using the cheapest payroll service or the best payroll app much simpler for your payroll small businesses. Step Action 1 Visit the IRS website 2 Choose your application method 3 Fill in your business details 4 Submit your application 5 Receive your EIN Accurately Classify Employees and Contractors Grasping the differences between employees and independent contractors is crucial for your business’s compliance and financial health. Misclassifying a worker can lead to costly IRS penalties and potential loss of benefits for your team, which can impact morale and retention. Employee vs. Contractor Distinctions Accurately classifying workers as either employees or independent contractors is essential for avoiding potential IRS penalties and legal complications. Misclassification can lead to significant issues, so it’s important to grasp the distinctions. Here are key points to reflect on: Tax Forms: Employees use IRS Form W-4 for tax withholding, whereas independent contractors provide IRS Form W-9 for identification. Benefits: Employees are entitled to benefits like overtime pay and unemployment insurance, which contractors don’t receive. Control: The IRS utilizes a 20-factor test, focusing on behavioral and financial control. Review: Regularly reviewing classifications and using IRS Form SS-8 can clarify any uncertainties about worker status. Staying informed helps you navigate these important distinctions effectively. IRS Classification Guidelines Classifying workers correctly according to IRS guidelines is key for small businesses aiming to stay compliant and avoid penalties. The IRS distinguishes workers as either employees or independent contractors based on the employer’s level of control and the nature of their relationship. Misclassifying workers can result in penalties, back taxes, and interest. Employees fill out IRS Form W-4 for tax withholding, whereas independent contractors provide IRS Form W-9 for income reporting. To determine classification, you can use IRS Form SS-8, which evaluates the relationship through behavioral, financial, and relationship factors. Keeping proper documentation for each classification is vital, as it protects your business from audits and legal issues linked to misclassification. Accurate classification is fundamental for smooth operations. Determine Payment Structures: Hourly vs. Salaried When you’re choosing between hourly and salaried payment structures, it’s vital to evaluate how each option aligns with your business needs and the nature of the work. Here are some key factors to take into account: Overtime Pay: Hourly employees are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a week, whereas salaried employees may be exempt, depending on their role. Flexibility vs. Consistency: Hourly wages provide flexibility for fluctuating workloads, allowing adjustments based on hours worked. Salaried positions offer consistent payroll expenses, simplifying budgeting. Worker Classification: Accurately classifying your workers can prevent costly misclassification penalties, including fines and back pay. Employee Morale: Reflect on how each structure impacts morale; hourly workers may prefer overtime opportunities, whereas salaried employees often appreciate paycheck predictability. Clear communication regarding classification and compensation implications is vital for promoting a transparent work environment. Establish a Consistent Payroll Schedule Establishing a consistent payroll schedule is essential for your business’s success and employee satisfaction. By aligning your payment frequency with your cash flow, you can guarantee that your employees receive timely payments, which helps them manage their finances effectively. Furthermore, maintaining regularity in payroll encourages trust within your team, leading to better morale and retention, whilst supporting your financial planning. Align With Cash Flow A consistent payroll schedule is vital for small businesses aiming to align their payroll expenses with cash flow. By establishing a regular payroll frequency, you can guarantee funds are available for timely employee compensation. Here are some key points to take into account: Choose a frequency that matches your business’s cash flow cycle, such as weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Enhance employee morale by providing predictable income, fundamental for part-time or hourly workers. Prevent financial strain since payroll often represents 15%-20% of overall business costs. Maintain compliance with federal and state labor laws regarding timely wage payments. Aligning your payroll schedule with cash flow helps you budget effectively during guaranteeing operational liquidity. Maintain Employee Consistency Maintaining employee consistency is vital for nurturing a productive work environment, and a dependable payroll schedule plays a significant role in achieving this. Establishing a consistent payroll schedule, like bi-weekly or monthly, helps employees anticipate their pay dates, cultivating trust and satisfaction. Regular pay periods also improve budgeting for both you and your employees, as predictable cash flow supports better financial planning. Compliance with federal and state laws often necessitates maintaining this consistency, helping you avoid penalties tied to irregular payments. Bi-weekly schedules are common, allowing streamlined calculations of hours and overtime, which boosts payroll efficiency and employee morale. In the end, consistency in payroll processing reduces administrative errors, simplifying payroll management and leading to accurate financial reporting. Automate Payroll Processing for Efficiency When you automate payroll processing, you not just save time but furthermore improve accuracy, making it a smart choice for small businesses. By implementing payroll software, you can greatly streamline your operations. Here are some key benefits: Reduce Time: Automating payroll can cut down calculations and data entry by up to 80%, freeing you to focus on other critical tasks. Integrate Systems: Utilize payroll software that works with your time-tracking systems for accurate wage calculations and fewer manual errors. Generate Documents: Automated systems can produce electronic pay stubs and tax forms, aiding compliance with regulations and minimizing penalties. Secure Payments: Direct deposit features guarantee timely and secure employee payments, boosting satisfaction and trust within your team. Stay Updated on Tax Regulations and Labor Laws Staying informed about tax regulations and labor laws is crucial for any small business owner who wants to maintain compliance and avoid penalties. Regularly review the IRS website and state labor department resources to catch updates that could affect your payroll processes. Subscribing to industry newsletters and professional organization updates can guarantee you receive timely information about legislative changes impacting payroll management. Establish a system for tracking deadlines related to tax filings and labor law compliance; this helps avoid costly penalties and assures timely payments. Consider attending workshops or webinars focused on payroll compliance to improve your comprehension of current regulations. Engaging a CPA or compliance attorney to review your payroll practices can further guarantee that you align with evolving tax laws and labor regulations. Maintain Thorough Payroll Records Effective payroll management hinges on maintaining thorough records that comply with regulations and safeguard your business. Keeping accurate and organized payroll records is crucial to avoid costly penalties and guarantee operational efficiency. Here are four key aspects you should focus on: Employee Hours and Wages: Document hours worked, wages earned, and deductions for at least three years to meet FLSA regulations. Payroll Tax Records: Retain payroll tax documents for a minimum of four years per IRS requirements to protect against audits. Employee Classifications: Clearly record employee classifications, such as full-time and part-time, to prevent misclassification penalties. Benefits and Contributions: Keep detailed records of employee benefits and contributions, assuring compliance with ERISA regulations. Regularly reviewing and updating these records will help you stay compliant with changing tax laws and labor regulations, which can vary by state and locality. Utilize Payroll Software for Enhanced Accuracy Utilizing payroll software can greatly improve the accuracy of your payroll processes, as it automates calculations for wages, tax withholdings, and deductions. This automation considerably reduces the risk of human errors often associated with manual processing. Many payroll software options seamlessly integrate with accounting systems, improving overall financial management efficiency. Furthermore, these tools streamline tax filings by automatically generating necessary forms and reminders, helping you avoid costly penalties for missed deadlines. Advanced payroll software often includes employee self-service portals, allowing your team to access pay stubs and update personal information easily, which reduces your administrative workload. Regular updates from payroll software providers guarantee compliance with changing tax laws and labor regulations, keeping your business informed and minimizing the risk of non-compliance. Communicate Transparently With Employees Regarding Payroll Regarding payroll, clear communication with your employees is vital for nurturing trust and ensuring satisfaction. When you keep your team informed, it not just boosts morale but also reduces confusion. Here are four important practices to improve communication: Regular Updates: Inform employees about payroll schedules, changes, and new tax regulations to keep them in the loop. Encourage Questions: Create an open environment where employees can voice concerns or inquiries about payroll matters. This feedback can pinpoint areas for improvement. Explain Deductions: Provide clear explanations regarding payroll deductions, such as taxes and benefits. This helps employees understand their paychecks better. Centralized Resources: Maintain an online hub where employees can easily access payroll policies and guidelines. This promotes transparency and accountability. Frequently Asked Questions How Can I Handle Payroll for Remote Employees? To handle payroll for remote employees, first, guarantee you understand the regulations in their locations, as laws vary by state or country. Use reliable payroll software that accommodates different tax requirements and supports direct deposit. Maintain accurate records of hours worked and any overtime. Communicate regularly with your employees regarding payroll schedules and any changes. Finally, consider consulting a payroll professional to navigate intricacies and guarantee compliance with all applicable laws. What Should I Do if an Employee Is Overpaid? If you discover an employee’s been overpaid, address it quickly. First, verify the overpayment amount and make sure it’s accurate. Communicate with the employee to explain the situation transparently. Then, review your payroll policies to determine how to recover the funds, whether through deduction from future paychecks or another method. Document everything for your records. Finally, take steps to prevent future overpayments, such as implementing checks and balances within your payroll process. How Do I Manage Payroll During Employee Leaves? To manage payroll during employee leaves, start by grasping the type of leave—paid or unpaid. If it’s paid leave, make certain you adjust the payroll accordingly, tracking their hours accurately. For unpaid leave, calculate the necessary deductions. Communicate clearly with your employees about their pay status. Furthermore, keep records updated, and stay compliant with labor laws regarding leave entitlements. Regularly review your payroll system to accommodate any changes that arise during these periods. What Are the Consequences of Payroll Errors? Payroll errors can lead to serious consequences for your business. You might face financial penalties from tax authorities, which can add up quickly. Moreover, incorrect payroll can damage employee trust and morale, leading to higher turnover rates. It can likewise result in inaccurate financial reporting, affecting business decisions. In addition, addressing these errors often requires significant time and resources, diverting your attention from core business operations and potentially harming your reputation. Can I Outsource Payroll Management? Yes, you can outsource payroll management. Many businesses choose this option to save time and reduce errors. Outsourcing allows you to focus on core operations while experts handle payroll processing, tax compliance, and employee benefits. You’ll need to research reliable payroll service providers, considering their reputation, pricing, and services offered. Confirm they meet your specific needs, in addition to comply with local and federal regulations, to maintain smooth payroll operations. Conclusion By implementing these ten crucial payroll tips, you can effectively manage payroll in your small business. Comprehending compliance requirements, accurately classifying employees, and utilizing payroll software are key steps to ensuring efficiency. Establishing a consistent payroll schedule and maintaining thorough records helps prevent errors and legal issues. Open communication with your employees about payroll matters cultivates trust. Consider consulting a CPA for additional guidance on tax obligations, ensuring your business remains compliant and streamlined in its payroll processes. Image via Google Gemini This article, "10 Essential Payroll Tips for Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Managing payroll can be intimidating for small businesses, but it’s fundamental for smooth operations. You need to understand payroll basics, compliance requirements, and the correct classification of employees versus contractors. Establishing a consistent payroll schedule and staying updated on tax regulations are vital steps. By automating processes and maintaining thorough records, you can minimize errors and save time. Ready to explore these important tips that can streamline your payroll process? Key Takeaways Ensure accurate classification of workers as employees or independent contractors to avoid costly penalties and misclassification issues. Automate payroll processing to reduce errors and save time, integrating with time-tracking systems for precise wage calculations. Maintain thorough payroll records, retaining employee hours and tax documents for compliance and future reference. Stay informed about federal, state, and local labor laws to ensure ongoing payroll compliance and avoid penalties. Establish a consistent payroll schedule that aligns with cash flow to foster employee trust and satisfaction. Understand Payroll Basics and Compliance Requirements Grasping payroll basics and compliance requirements is critical for any small business owner, especially since mistakes can lead to costly penalties. You’ll need to guarantee accurate record maintenance and timely payment of payroll taxes, which may involve using contractor payroll software to streamline processes. Properly classifying your workers as employees or independent contractors is imperative; misclassification can incur significant tax penalties. Employees require IRS Form W-4, whereas contractors need Form W-9. Establishing a payroll schedule that aligns with your cash flow—whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly—guarantees employees are compensated on time and helps maintain morale. Furthermore, staying informed about federal, state, and local labor laws, including tax regulations and employee rights, is critical for compliance in small business payroll processing. Consider partnering with Paychex for small business to simplify these responsibilities and reduce the risk of errors. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) To manage payroll effectively, you need to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. This unique nine-digit number is vital for tax reporting and helps you comply with various tax obligations. Fortunately, applying for an EIN is free and can be completed online in just a day, making it a key step for any business with employees. Importance of EIN Though it may seem like a minor detail, obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is crucial for any small business with employees. Here’s why: You need an EIN for reporting payroll taxes, including income tax withholding and Social Security contributions. It’s required for filing annual W-2 forms for your employees. An EIN helps you open a business bank account and apply for necessary licenses. Without it, you risk delays in hiring and payroll processes, plus potential tax penalties. Application Process Steps Obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a straightforward process that can be completed in a few simple steps. First, visit the IRS website to access the free application. You can apply online, by fax, mail, or telephone. Make sure you have all necessary information ready, such as your business structure and owner details. It’s important to get your EIN before hiring employees to comply with tax regulations and streamline payroll operations. This will make using the cheapest payroll service or the best payroll app much simpler for your payroll small businesses. Step Action 1 Visit the IRS website 2 Choose your application method 3 Fill in your business details 4 Submit your application 5 Receive your EIN Accurately Classify Employees and Contractors Grasping the differences between employees and independent contractors is crucial for your business’s compliance and financial health. Misclassifying a worker can lead to costly IRS penalties and potential loss of benefits for your team, which can impact morale and retention. Employee vs. Contractor Distinctions Accurately classifying workers as either employees or independent contractors is essential for avoiding potential IRS penalties and legal complications. Misclassification can lead to significant issues, so it’s important to grasp the distinctions. Here are key points to reflect on: Tax Forms: Employees use IRS Form W-4 for tax withholding, whereas independent contractors provide IRS Form W-9 for identification. Benefits: Employees are entitled to benefits like overtime pay and unemployment insurance, which contractors don’t receive. Control: The IRS utilizes a 20-factor test, focusing on behavioral and financial control. Review: Regularly reviewing classifications and using IRS Form SS-8 can clarify any uncertainties about worker status. Staying informed helps you navigate these important distinctions effectively. IRS Classification Guidelines Classifying workers correctly according to IRS guidelines is key for small businesses aiming to stay compliant and avoid penalties. The IRS distinguishes workers as either employees or independent contractors based on the employer’s level of control and the nature of their relationship. Misclassifying workers can result in penalties, back taxes, and interest. Employees fill out IRS Form W-4 for tax withholding, whereas independent contractors provide IRS Form W-9 for income reporting. To determine classification, you can use IRS Form SS-8, which evaluates the relationship through behavioral, financial, and relationship factors. Keeping proper documentation for each classification is vital, as it protects your business from audits and legal issues linked to misclassification. Accurate classification is fundamental for smooth operations. Determine Payment Structures: Hourly vs. Salaried When you’re choosing between hourly and salaried payment structures, it’s vital to evaluate how each option aligns with your business needs and the nature of the work. Here are some key factors to take into account: Overtime Pay: Hourly employees are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a week, whereas salaried employees may be exempt, depending on their role. Flexibility vs. Consistency: Hourly wages provide flexibility for fluctuating workloads, allowing adjustments based on hours worked. Salaried positions offer consistent payroll expenses, simplifying budgeting. Worker Classification: Accurately classifying your workers can prevent costly misclassification penalties, including fines and back pay. Employee Morale: Reflect on how each structure impacts morale; hourly workers may prefer overtime opportunities, whereas salaried employees often appreciate paycheck predictability. Clear communication regarding classification and compensation implications is vital for promoting a transparent work environment. Establish a Consistent Payroll Schedule Establishing a consistent payroll schedule is essential for your business’s success and employee satisfaction. By aligning your payment frequency with your cash flow, you can guarantee that your employees receive timely payments, which helps them manage their finances effectively. Furthermore, maintaining regularity in payroll encourages trust within your team, leading to better morale and retention, whilst supporting your financial planning. Align With Cash Flow A consistent payroll schedule is vital for small businesses aiming to align their payroll expenses with cash flow. By establishing a regular payroll frequency, you can guarantee funds are available for timely employee compensation. Here are some key points to take into account: Choose a frequency that matches your business’s cash flow cycle, such as weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Enhance employee morale by providing predictable income, fundamental for part-time or hourly workers. Prevent financial strain since payroll often represents 15%-20% of overall business costs. Maintain compliance with federal and state labor laws regarding timely wage payments. Aligning your payroll schedule with cash flow helps you budget effectively during guaranteeing operational liquidity. Maintain Employee Consistency Maintaining employee consistency is vital for nurturing a productive work environment, and a dependable payroll schedule plays a significant role in achieving this. Establishing a consistent payroll schedule, like bi-weekly or monthly, helps employees anticipate their pay dates, cultivating trust and satisfaction. Regular pay periods also improve budgeting for both you and your employees, as predictable cash flow supports better financial planning. Compliance with federal and state laws often necessitates maintaining this consistency, helping you avoid penalties tied to irregular payments. Bi-weekly schedules are common, allowing streamlined calculations of hours and overtime, which boosts payroll efficiency and employee morale. In the end, consistency in payroll processing reduces administrative errors, simplifying payroll management and leading to accurate financial reporting. Automate Payroll Processing for Efficiency When you automate payroll processing, you not just save time but furthermore improve accuracy, making it a smart choice for small businesses. By implementing payroll software, you can greatly streamline your operations. Here are some key benefits: Reduce Time: Automating payroll can cut down calculations and data entry by up to 80%, freeing you to focus on other critical tasks. Integrate Systems: Utilize payroll software that works with your time-tracking systems for accurate wage calculations and fewer manual errors. Generate Documents: Automated systems can produce electronic pay stubs and tax forms, aiding compliance with regulations and minimizing penalties. Secure Payments: Direct deposit features guarantee timely and secure employee payments, boosting satisfaction and trust within your team. Stay Updated on Tax Regulations and Labor Laws Staying informed about tax regulations and labor laws is crucial for any small business owner who wants to maintain compliance and avoid penalties. Regularly review the IRS website and state labor department resources to catch updates that could affect your payroll processes. Subscribing to industry newsletters and professional organization updates can guarantee you receive timely information about legislative changes impacting payroll management. Establish a system for tracking deadlines related to tax filings and labor law compliance; this helps avoid costly penalties and assures timely payments. Consider attending workshops or webinars focused on payroll compliance to improve your comprehension of current regulations. Engaging a CPA or compliance attorney to review your payroll practices can further guarantee that you align with evolving tax laws and labor regulations. Maintain Thorough Payroll Records Effective payroll management hinges on maintaining thorough records that comply with regulations and safeguard your business. Keeping accurate and organized payroll records is crucial to avoid costly penalties and guarantee operational efficiency. Here are four key aspects you should focus on: Employee Hours and Wages: Document hours worked, wages earned, and deductions for at least three years to meet FLSA regulations. Payroll Tax Records: Retain payroll tax documents for a minimum of four years per IRS requirements to protect against audits. Employee Classifications: Clearly record employee classifications, such as full-time and part-time, to prevent misclassification penalties. Benefits and Contributions: Keep detailed records of employee benefits and contributions, assuring compliance with ERISA regulations. Regularly reviewing and updating these records will help you stay compliant with changing tax laws and labor regulations, which can vary by state and locality. Utilize Payroll Software for Enhanced Accuracy Utilizing payroll software can greatly improve the accuracy of your payroll processes, as it automates calculations for wages, tax withholdings, and deductions. This automation considerably reduces the risk of human errors often associated with manual processing. Many payroll software options seamlessly integrate with accounting systems, improving overall financial management efficiency. Furthermore, these tools streamline tax filings by automatically generating necessary forms and reminders, helping you avoid costly penalties for missed deadlines. Advanced payroll software often includes employee self-service portals, allowing your team to access pay stubs and update personal information easily, which reduces your administrative workload. Regular updates from payroll software providers guarantee compliance with changing tax laws and labor regulations, keeping your business informed and minimizing the risk of non-compliance. Communicate Transparently With Employees Regarding Payroll Regarding payroll, clear communication with your employees is vital for nurturing trust and ensuring satisfaction. When you keep your team informed, it not just boosts morale but also reduces confusion. Here are four important practices to improve communication: Regular Updates: Inform employees about payroll schedules, changes, and new tax regulations to keep them in the loop. Encourage Questions: Create an open environment where employees can voice concerns or inquiries about payroll matters. This feedback can pinpoint areas for improvement. Explain Deductions: Provide clear explanations regarding payroll deductions, such as taxes and benefits. This helps employees understand their paychecks better. Centralized Resources: Maintain an online hub where employees can easily access payroll policies and guidelines. This promotes transparency and accountability. Frequently Asked Questions How Can I Handle Payroll for Remote Employees? To handle payroll for remote employees, first, guarantee you understand the regulations in their locations, as laws vary by state or country. Use reliable payroll software that accommodates different tax requirements and supports direct deposit. Maintain accurate records of hours worked and any overtime. Communicate regularly with your employees regarding payroll schedules and any changes. Finally, consider consulting a payroll professional to navigate intricacies and guarantee compliance with all applicable laws. What Should I Do if an Employee Is Overpaid? If you discover an employee’s been overpaid, address it quickly. First, verify the overpayment amount and make sure it’s accurate. Communicate with the employee to explain the situation transparently. Then, review your payroll policies to determine how to recover the funds, whether through deduction from future paychecks or another method. Document everything for your records. Finally, take steps to prevent future overpayments, such as implementing checks and balances within your payroll process. How Do I Manage Payroll During Employee Leaves? To manage payroll during employee leaves, start by grasping the type of leave—paid or unpaid. If it’s paid leave, make certain you adjust the payroll accordingly, tracking their hours accurately. For unpaid leave, calculate the necessary deductions. Communicate clearly with your employees about their pay status. Furthermore, keep records updated, and stay compliant with labor laws regarding leave entitlements. Regularly review your payroll system to accommodate any changes that arise during these periods. What Are the Consequences of Payroll Errors? Payroll errors can lead to serious consequences for your business. You might face financial penalties from tax authorities, which can add up quickly. Moreover, incorrect payroll can damage employee trust and morale, leading to higher turnover rates. It can likewise result in inaccurate financial reporting, affecting business decisions. In addition, addressing these errors often requires significant time and resources, diverting your attention from core business operations and potentially harming your reputation. Can I Outsource Payroll Management? Yes, you can outsource payroll management. Many businesses choose this option to save time and reduce errors. Outsourcing allows you to focus on core operations while experts handle payroll processing, tax compliance, and employee benefits. You’ll need to research reliable payroll service providers, considering their reputation, pricing, and services offered. Confirm they meet your specific needs, in addition to comply with local and federal regulations, to maintain smooth payroll operations. Conclusion By implementing these ten crucial payroll tips, you can effectively manage payroll in your small business. Comprehending compliance requirements, accurately classifying employees, and utilizing payroll software are key steps to ensuring efficiency. Establishing a consistent payroll schedule and maintaining thorough records helps prevent errors and legal issues. Open communication with your employees about payroll matters cultivates trust. Consider consulting a CPA for additional guidance on tax obligations, ensuring your business remains compliant and streamlined in its payroll processes. Image via Google Gemini This article, "10 Essential Payroll Tips for Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The President is facing a rare bipartisan backlash after a group of federal agents shot and killed protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, but tech industry leaders – once some of The President’s fiercest critics – are sitting this one out. Pretti’s killing, depicted clearly in multiple angles of bystander video, has galvanized even apolitical corners of the internet and united voices from opposite sides of the political spectrum. The fatal shooting took place less than three weeks after an ICE agent shot and killed Minneapolis resident Renee Good as she attempted to drive away from an encounter with federal agents in the city. In an internal letter posted to Apple employees and reported by Bloomberg, CEO Tim Cook addressed the situation unfolding in Minneapolis, but stopped far short of criticizing the president or his aggressive immigration policies, which have left two people at protests in the city dead within the span of three weeks. Cook described himself as “heartbroken by the events in Minneapolis,” adding that he had a “good conversation with the president” on the issue and appreciated The President’s openness to talking about it. “This is a time for deescalation,” Cook said. “I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they’re from, and when we embrace our shared humanity. This is something Apple has always advocated for.” Cook’s statement echoes The President’s own language. The president told Fox News on Tuesday that he planned to “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota. The letter is not likely to please Apple workers who are furious that Cook attended a glitzy screening of the new Amazon-sponsored documentary about First Lady Melania The President at the White House hours after Pretti’s death. Attendees were treated to “popcorn in Melania-branded buckets, white cake pops, black-and-white macarons, a cereal box featuring the film’s poster and white sugar cookies with “Melania” written in black frosting,” according to Yahoo News. Cook and tech’s other big players are all-in on the second The President administration. Silicon Valley CEOs attended the president’s inauguration and even donated to build The President’s deeply controversial $300 million ballroom – a project that misled the public and resulted in the total demolition of the White House’s historic East Wing. By standing behind the president, Cook and others likely hope to cultivate a comfortable regulatory environment for their businesses while staving off other The President-issued punishments, like targeted tariffs. Some of the richest, most powerful men in the world once checked The President’s power, but they’ve enthusiastically abandoned that role during his second term. The President’s misinformation machine distorts the facts Silicon Valley leaders may be firmly behind The President, but Americans are increasingly unsettled by the administration’s immigration policies. More than half of those polled earlier this month believe that ICE’s enforcement actions are making cities less safe and fresh polling over the weekend revealed that nearly 60% of Americans believe that ICE has gone “too far.” In spite growing public anger and video evidence to the contrary, The President officials scrambled to distort the facts of Pretti’s death over the weekend. Homeland Security Kristi Noem misleadingly claimed that Pretti “attacked” officers while brandishing his gun – a falsehood plainly contradicted by video evidence. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller went even further, describing Pretti as an “assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents,” a claim that Vice President JD Vance and Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino doubled down on. Other The President officials asserted that Pretti broke the law by carrying a concealed weapon to a protest, but the Minneapolis police verified that he held a gun license and was behaving lawfully. “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News over the weekend. President The President himself also said that Pretti “he shouldn’t have been carrying a gun,” rankling Second Amendment advocates and many of his own supporters. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy called Pretti’s killing “incredibly disturbing,” adding that DHS’s credibility is in question. “There must be a full joint federal and state investigation,” Cassidy said on X. “We can trust the American people with the truth.” The NRA echoed calls for an investigation, criticizing public officials who demonized Americans for lawfully carrying weapons. View the full article

Google’s latest AI innovation, Gemini, promises to revamp how small business owners interact with technology by personalizing their online experiences while prioritizing privacy. Small business owners often juggle multiple responsibilities, and Gemini aims to simplify this task by enhancing productivity through intelligent, tailored support. This AI system utilizes data from Google apps such as Gmail and Photos to offer personalized suggestions, ranging from travel planning to product recommendations. In an example shared by Google, Gemini provided travel tips for a family spring break trip by analyzing past interests, steering users clear of typical tourist traps in favor of more engaging, personalized experiences. Gemini operates with a focus on privacy. Unlike other AI systems that unreservedly collect user data, Gemini starts with a privacy-first approach. Users have control over which apps they connect to the system, and they can opt in or out of data sharing as needed. This design prevents sensitive information from traversing external platforms, maintaining user security. “Gemini aims to improve your experience while keeping your data secure and under your control,” Google reports. The system uses existing data without directly training on personal information. Instead, it references your previous interactions to deliver relevant responses, which means the data within your Gmail or Photos remains untapped in a way that undermines your privacy. For small businesses, this degree of personalization opens several practical avenues. Imagine being able to leverage AI to draft emails, recommend services based on customer preferences, or tailor marketing strategies. Gemini can analyze past interactions and provide valuable insights into customer behavior, allowing owners to refine their approach and focus on what truly resonates with their clientele. However, small business owners should also be aware of potential challenges when integrating such technology. Trusting an AI to access personal data can be daunting. Although Google emphasizes the security of Gemini, some may still hesitate to rely on AI solutions for sensitive tasks. Ensuring staff are adequately trained to use Gemini is also paramount to maximize its potential benefits without the risk of miscommunication or misuse. Moreover, as businesses become increasingly dependent on AI for specific functions, it raises questions about the future of human roles within those organizations. Small business owners will need to balance the operational efficiency offered by Gemini with the vital human touch necessary for relationship-building. One real-world implication is that adopting Gemini might require a shift in mindset. Business owners should embrace AI as a tool that complements their existing operations rather than as a replacement. By understanding the strengths and limitations of the system, they can make informed decisions that preserve the essence of their business. Ultimately, Google Gemini presents an exciting opportunity for small business owners to streamline their processes while ensuring their data remains secure. Its ability to deliver personalized experiences backed by robust privacy measures positions it as a valuable asset in the rapidly evolving technological landscape. For those ready to take the plunge, the promise of enhanced productivity and customer engagement could be just around the corner. For further details about the technology and its approach to privacy, you can visit the original post at Google Blog. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google Gemini Personalizes Travel Planning While Prioritizing Your Privacy" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google’s latest AI innovation, Gemini, promises to revamp how small business owners interact with technology by personalizing their online experiences while prioritizing privacy. Small business owners often juggle multiple responsibilities, and Gemini aims to simplify this task by enhancing productivity through intelligent, tailored support. This AI system utilizes data from Google apps such as Gmail and Photos to offer personalized suggestions, ranging from travel planning to product recommendations. In an example shared by Google, Gemini provided travel tips for a family spring break trip by analyzing past interests, steering users clear of typical tourist traps in favor of more engaging, personalized experiences. Gemini operates with a focus on privacy. Unlike other AI systems that unreservedly collect user data, Gemini starts with a privacy-first approach. Users have control over which apps they connect to the system, and they can opt in or out of data sharing as needed. This design prevents sensitive information from traversing external platforms, maintaining user security. “Gemini aims to improve your experience while keeping your data secure and under your control,” Google reports. The system uses existing data without directly training on personal information. Instead, it references your previous interactions to deliver relevant responses, which means the data within your Gmail or Photos remains untapped in a way that undermines your privacy. For small businesses, this degree of personalization opens several practical avenues. Imagine being able to leverage AI to draft emails, recommend services based on customer preferences, or tailor marketing strategies. Gemini can analyze past interactions and provide valuable insights into customer behavior, allowing owners to refine their approach and focus on what truly resonates with their clientele. However, small business owners should also be aware of potential challenges when integrating such technology. Trusting an AI to access personal data can be daunting. Although Google emphasizes the security of Gemini, some may still hesitate to rely on AI solutions for sensitive tasks. Ensuring staff are adequately trained to use Gemini is also paramount to maximize its potential benefits without the risk of miscommunication or misuse. Moreover, as businesses become increasingly dependent on AI for specific functions, it raises questions about the future of human roles within those organizations. Small business owners will need to balance the operational efficiency offered by Gemini with the vital human touch necessary for relationship-building. One real-world implication is that adopting Gemini might require a shift in mindset. Business owners should embrace AI as a tool that complements their existing operations rather than as a replacement. By understanding the strengths and limitations of the system, they can make informed decisions that preserve the essence of their business. Ultimately, Google Gemini presents an exciting opportunity for small business owners to streamline their processes while ensuring their data remains secure. Its ability to deliver personalized experiences backed by robust privacy measures positions it as a valuable asset in the rapidly evolving technological landscape. For those ready to take the plunge, the promise of enhanced productivity and customer engagement could be just around the corner. For further details about the technology and its approach to privacy, you can visit the original post at Google Blog. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google Gemini Personalizes Travel Planning While Prioritizing Your Privacy" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Solopreneurs aren’t often sitting on a wealth of customer data. Their software configurations may be in nascent stages, requiring owners to rely on their own systems rather than a centralized data repository. It’s likely that they won’t be collecting much customer data to begin with, as they won’t have the technical capacity to synthesize insights from this information just yet. Plus, solopreneurs won’t pay much attention to data when they’re in go-go-go mode simply trying to keep the lights on. Still, data privacy endures in conversation because the dangers of misusing data can have prolonged effects. Companies of all sizes can imperil the privacy of data, even inadvertently, and it will only take one incident to destroy a company’s reputation among its customers, potential or current. Even solopreneurs who don’t consider how they approach data privacy will be set back among the competition and leave themselves open to criticism in this rapidly evolving tech landscape. Here’s more about what solopreneurs need to know about data privacy and what they can do to mitigate disasters before they occur: Where Data Privacy Issues Hide The thought of a data privacy breach might conjure images of a team of infiltrators hacking into a sizable database or breaking into a secure building housing a large bank of hard drives—certainly not targeting the sorts of companies that might be solopreneurships. However, reality is far more banal. Solopreneurs are collecting data and remaining prone to breaches even if they have no idea. The most obvious example can be found within software they may already be running. Everything from Microsoft Word to iTunes now collects user data while claiming that this information will be kept in-house and used to better their products and services. The practice sounds innocent, but so little is known about the internal workings of these organizations that it’s impossible for a user to know, with certainty, just which pieces of data were collected and how they were utilized. Once customer information has been entered, it becomes available to be collected unless folks opt out. Often, a prompt will appear upon first opening the software asking for permission to collect and use data, but not always, and users have proven that they don’t take the time to complete this step later. It becomes an exercise in vigilance for solopreneurs to double check every piece of software they run, as even updates could trigger data sharing. It’s also worth solopreneurs considering the internet search engines they favor. Typing a customer’s name into Google stores the information within Google AI’s LLM (large language model), where it can inadvertently be reused or folded into LLM training. In fact, AI results will always appear within normal search results unless users append “-a” to their search queries—not something most people will remember to do every time. If solopreneurs interface with technology at all, there is danger in leaking proprietary customer data for purposes beyond the scope of the small business. Vendor Responsibilities Without a robust tech stack at their disposal, solopreneurs will likely need to contract with outside vendors for software, data storage, analytics, and administrative tasks. This practice remains common but passes the onus of data protection onto the vendors themselves. These are companies that customers of solopreneurships likely hadn’t weighed in on—not that they necessarily should; this can be a time-consuming process. Regardless, the failure of a vendor is going to reflect negatively on the solopreneurship itself. What’s worse, outside tech vendors are likely to be larger organizations that utilize AI, already ripe for data privacy breaches unless the latest and most comprehensive security measures have been implemented. These are the sorts of companies that receive massive PR, including when issues arise. Customers of solopreneurships will certainly learn quickly when their data has been leaked even if the solopreneurship doesn’t communicate this fact outright. This liability requires that solopreneurs take extra time evaluating their technology partners from a data privacy perspective. At the bare minimum, these vendors must have published privacy stances on their websites that unambiguously spell out how customer data is being used and for how long it will be stored. It may be worth it for solopreneurs to share these privacy stances with their customers, as well, to emphasize that they have put care into choosing their partners and to head off any customer questions before they arise. Otherwise, were an issue to arise, it might register as a shock and make customers feel blindsided, which surely will reflect negatively on the solopreneurs themselves. What Can Be Done? While solopreneurs may not think their customer data is in peril—if they collect any at all, that is—it’s still worth considering how potential data will be used and kept secure. It may not feel like it now, but it’s well worth the effort sooner rather than later. First, solopreneurs need to consider how workflows may look if more employees were to come aboard. This is a worthy exercise even for solopreneurs who plan to maintain a one-person operation for their company’s entire lifespan, as there’s no telling when they may require temporary help or need to communicate workflows to outside vendors. Next, at each step, owners can identify which, if any, software they might use and how that technology would interact with AI. At those points, it’s worth considering how sensitive information could be shared in less identifying ways. Perhaps the data could be anonymized, or fed into one particular program but not another. This sort of thinking can save countless headaches down the road if a data breach were to occur. The above step assumes a conglomeration of apps that all originated from different vendors, but that’s not always the case. To effectively use AI while keeping data secure, solopreneurs should look for software vendors who offer apps that are deeply integrated with one another. This way, information can be shared between apps securely and updates, often addressing vulnerabilities, can be pushed across the entire system instantly. Each hand-off between third-party apps becomes a liability, so by minimizing these, solopreneurs will be in a better position to promise data privacy. In the past, it may have been a futile exercise for solopreneurs to consider purchasing software licenses, previously relegated to larger companies with more sizable budgets. But times have changed, and even the most robust software is far more affordable to smaller businesses than ever before. Many of these lower priced options even come with embedded AI that runs on the vendor’s own LLM, which can be tailored towards privacy far more efficiently than, say, Amazon Web Services. Moving Forward It’s safe to say that solopreneurs decided to launch a company so they could make a difference, not become bogged down by customer complaints and data privacy issues. By thinking about data privacy from the early days of a business, solopreneurs can ensure that their time will be spent growing their company rather than mitigating its closure. The exercise of considering data privacy can have benefits even beyond preventing data breaches. Technology is changing rapidly, and solopreneurs may find themselves out of the loop, either because their heads are down working or they haven’t yet established a network of other business owners from whom they can learn about software. Exercising some mindfulness around data privacy today, whether it’s considering where they may be sharing data unnecessarily with AI or how their typical software use can contribute, will position solopreneurs to conquer whatever comes along tomorrow. This article, "What Solopreneurs Need to Know About Privacy" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Solopreneurs aren’t often sitting on a wealth of customer data. Their software configurations may be in nascent stages, requiring owners to rely on their own systems rather than a centralized data repository. It’s likely that they won’t be collecting much customer data to begin with, as they won’t have the technical capacity to synthesize insights from this information just yet. Plus, solopreneurs won’t pay much attention to data when they’re in go-go-go mode simply trying to keep the lights on. Still, data privacy endures in conversation because the dangers of misusing data can have prolonged effects. Companies of all sizes can imperil the privacy of data, even inadvertently, and it will only take one incident to destroy a company’s reputation among its customers, potential or current. Even solopreneurs who don’t consider how they approach data privacy will be set back among the competition and leave themselves open to criticism in this rapidly evolving tech landscape. Here’s more about what solopreneurs need to know about data privacy and what they can do to mitigate disasters before they occur: Where Data Privacy Issues Hide The thought of a data privacy breach might conjure images of a team of infiltrators hacking into a sizable database or breaking into a secure building housing a large bank of hard drives—certainly not targeting the sorts of companies that might be solopreneurships. However, reality is far more banal. Solopreneurs are collecting data and remaining prone to breaches even if they have no idea. The most obvious example can be found within software they may already be running. Everything from Microsoft Word to iTunes now collects user data while claiming that this information will be kept in-house and used to better their products and services. The practice sounds innocent, but so little is known about the internal workings of these organizations that it’s impossible for a user to know, with certainty, just which pieces of data were collected and how they were utilized. Once customer information has been entered, it becomes available to be collected unless folks opt out. Often, a prompt will appear upon first opening the software asking for permission to collect and use data, but not always, and users have proven that they don’t take the time to complete this step later. It becomes an exercise in vigilance for solopreneurs to double check every piece of software they run, as even updates could trigger data sharing. It’s also worth solopreneurs considering the internet search engines they favor. Typing a customer’s name into Google stores the information within Google AI’s LLM (large language model), where it can inadvertently be reused or folded into LLM training. In fact, AI results will always appear within normal search results unless users append “-a” to their search queries—not something most people will remember to do every time. If solopreneurs interface with technology at all, there is danger in leaking proprietary customer data for purposes beyond the scope of the small business. Vendor Responsibilities Without a robust tech stack at their disposal, solopreneurs will likely need to contract with outside vendors for software, data storage, analytics, and administrative tasks. This practice remains common but passes the onus of data protection onto the vendors themselves. These are companies that customers of solopreneurships likely hadn’t weighed in on—not that they necessarily should; this can be a time-consuming process. Regardless, the failure of a vendor is going to reflect negatively on the solopreneurship itself. What’s worse, outside tech vendors are likely to be larger organizations that utilize AI, already ripe for data privacy breaches unless the latest and most comprehensive security measures have been implemented. These are the sorts of companies that receive massive PR, including when issues arise. Customers of solopreneurships will certainly learn quickly when their data has been leaked even if the solopreneurship doesn’t communicate this fact outright. This liability requires that solopreneurs take extra time evaluating their technology partners from a data privacy perspective. At the bare minimum, these vendors must have published privacy stances on their websites that unambiguously spell out how customer data is being used and for how long it will be stored. It may be worth it for solopreneurs to share these privacy stances with their customers, as well, to emphasize that they have put care into choosing their partners and to head off any customer questions before they arise. Otherwise, were an issue to arise, it might register as a shock and make customers feel blindsided, which surely will reflect negatively on the solopreneurs themselves. What Can Be Done? While solopreneurs may not think their customer data is in peril—if they collect any at all, that is—it’s still worth considering how potential data will be used and kept secure. It may not feel like it now, but it’s well worth the effort sooner rather than later. First, solopreneurs need to consider how workflows may look if more employees were to come aboard. This is a worthy exercise even for solopreneurs who plan to maintain a one-person operation for their company’s entire lifespan, as there’s no telling when they may require temporary help or need to communicate workflows to outside vendors. Next, at each step, owners can identify which, if any, software they might use and how that technology would interact with AI. At those points, it’s worth considering how sensitive information could be shared in less identifying ways. Perhaps the data could be anonymized, or fed into one particular program but not another. This sort of thinking can save countless headaches down the road if a data breach were to occur. The above step assumes a conglomeration of apps that all originated from different vendors, but that’s not always the case. To effectively use AI while keeping data secure, solopreneurs should look for software vendors who offer apps that are deeply integrated with one another. This way, information can be shared between apps securely and updates, often addressing vulnerabilities, can be pushed across the entire system instantly. Each hand-off between third-party apps becomes a liability, so by minimizing these, solopreneurs will be in a better position to promise data privacy. In the past, it may have been a futile exercise for solopreneurs to consider purchasing software licenses, previously relegated to larger companies with more sizable budgets. But times have changed, and even the most robust software is far more affordable to smaller businesses than ever before. Many of these lower priced options even come with embedded AI that runs on the vendor’s own LLM, which can be tailored towards privacy far more efficiently than, say, Amazon Web Services. Moving Forward It’s safe to say that solopreneurs decided to launch a company so they could make a difference, not become bogged down by customer complaints and data privacy issues. By thinking about data privacy from the early days of a business, solopreneurs can ensure that their time will be spent growing their company rather than mitigating its closure. The exercise of considering data privacy can have benefits even beyond preventing data breaches. Technology is changing rapidly, and solopreneurs may find themselves out of the loop, either because their heads are down working or they haven’t yet established a network of other business owners from whom they can learn about software. Exercising some mindfulness around data privacy today, whether it’s considering where they may be sharing data unnecessarily with AI or how their typical software use can contribute, will position solopreneurs to conquer whatever comes along tomorrow. This article, "What Solopreneurs Need to Know About Privacy" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Not to be outdone by Apple's "Lockdown Mode," Meta is rolling out new security features for WhatsApp designed to protect high-risk users—journalists, activists, and government officials, for example—from cyber attacks. Strict Account Settings is a "lockdown-style" mode that builds on the platform's existing end-to-end encryption, adding stronger privacy features and additional restrictions against unknown contacts. For most WhatsApp users, this level of lockdown is overkill. However, people with access to sensitive data that is potentially valuable to threat actors actually have been targeted with spyware campaigns through messaging platforms like WhatsApp, so for users like that, it may be a lifesaver. (In the last year, WhatsApp has also patched multiple zero-day exploits that allowed spyware to proliferate.) As noted, the new WhatsApp settings are similar to Apple's Lockdown Mode, an OS-level feature that blocks attachments, link previews, and communication from unknown contacts alongside some other settings changes. It also disables wired connections to external devices and a range of web features. Android's Advanced Protection offers similar functionality. How WhatsApp's Strict Account Settings protects high-risk usersStrict Account Settings automatically enables existing privacy and security settings and adds a host of restrictions to users' communication and visibility on WhatsApp. Two-step verification and security notifications, which alert you if a contact's security code changes, are turned on. Link previews are disabled High volumes of messages from unknown accounts are blocked Only your contacts or those added to a pre-established list can see information about you, including your last seen and online, profile photo, about details, and links on your profile. Only known contacts or those on your pre-established list can add you to groups. How to enable Strict Account Settings on WhatsAppThese controls can be enabled by going to Settings > Privacy > Advanced and toggling on Strict account settings. Settings must be changed on your primary device and cannot be updated on the web. Note that the feature will roll out gradually over the coming weeks, and may not be immediately available. View the full article

London raises subject with Washington after stinging criticism from The PresidentView the full article

Allbirds shoe brand announced on Wednesday that it will close almost all of its U.S. stores by the end of February (except for two outlets) and go online, turning to e-commerce instead. It will continue to operate two London-based brick-and-mortar locations as well. Fast Company has reached out to Allbirds for more details about the locations that will be closing. “This is an important step for Allbirds, as we drive toward profitable growth under our turnaround strategy,” Allbirds CEO Joe Vernachio said in a statement. “We have been opportunistically reducing our brick-and-mortar portfolio over the past two years. By exiting these remaining unprofitable doors, we are taking actions to reduce costs and support the long-term health of the business.” Famously dubbed the “world’s most comfortable shoes,” Allbirds were all the rage in the late 2010s (yes, I had a pair). They can be described as a combination of sneaker and business casual shoe, made of wool and tree fiber. They felt soft—in my opinion, almost like walking on air—due to the sugar cane foam sole. The once trendy eco-friendly footwear, which had been a favorite of tech bros in San Francisco and hip New Yorkers, have become less popular in recent years, resulting in less traffic to their store locations. Like many U.S. retailers, they’ve also struggled as consumers cut spending amid growing inflation and the higher cost of living, and have flocked online to shop. Allbirds financials Shares of Allbirds Inc. (Nasdaq: BIRD) were trading up 0.08% in midday trading on Wednesday after an early morning spike. The company reported third-quarter 2025 earnings in November, including net revenue of $33 million, down 23.3% from $43 million in the same period last year, and negative earnings per share (EPS) of -$2.49, which beat expectations of -$2.64. View the full article

The national taxpayer advocate is cautioning that the 2026 tax filing season is likely to present challenges for taxpayers who encounter problems with filing their taxes given the exodus of IRS workers since the start of the The President administration. National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins released her annual report to Congress on Wednesday, two days after the start of the 2026 season. She finds that while the IRS was able to process returns in 2025 without major disruptions, “entering 2026, the landscape is markedly different.” “The IRS is simultaneously confronting a reduction of 27% of its workforce, leadership turnover, and the implementation of extensive and complex tax law changes” mandated by Republicans’ tax and spending measure that President Donald The President signed into law last summer, Collins said in her report. Collins says most taxpayers should be able to file their returns and receive their refunds without delay, but she notes “the success of the filing season will be defined by how well the IRS is able to assist the millions of taxpayers who experience problems.” The tax filing season began on Monday, and agency leaders, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and IRS CEO Frank Bisignano, have said they expect a smooth season. Bisignano last week announced new priorities and a reorganization of IRS executive leadership in a letter addressed to the agency’s 74,000 employees, saying that he is “confident that with this new team in place, the IRS is well-prepared to deliver a successful tax filing season for the American public.” Bessent as well as others in The President’s second administration have also promised American taxpayers “substantial tax refunds,” as part of the Republican administration’s solution to an ongoing affordability crisis. Still, other IRS watchdogs have outlined major concerns at the start of the 2026 tax season. Diana M. Tengesdal, deputy inspector general for audit at the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, wrote a letter to IRS leadership on Monday and pointed to IRS staffing at October 2021 levels, combined with thousands of unprocessed tax returns and taxpayer correspondence. The IRS started 2025 with about 102,000 employees and finished with about 74,000 after a series of firings and layoffs brought on by the Department of Government Efficiency. While last year IRS employees involved in the 2025 tax season were not allowed to accept a buyout offer from the The President administration until after the taxpayer filing deadline, this year many of those customer service workers have left. Tengesdal’s office says despite new efforts to modernize tax administration, “initiatives to offset staffing losses may not yield expected benefits during the 2026 Filing Season.” More than 165 million individual income tax returns were processed in 2025, with 94% submitted electronically. The average refund was $3,167. ___ Follow the AP’s coverage of the IRS at https://apnews.com/hub/internal-revenue-service. —Fatima Hussein, Associated Press View the full article

If you’re looking to improve your Instagram strategy, crafting an effective content calendar is crucial. Start by defining your goals to guarantee your efforts align with your brand’s vision. Next, grasping your audience’s preferences can help you create engaging content. Selecting diverse formats keeps your feed dynamic, during a consistent posting schedule builds reliability. Monitoring performance metrics allows you to refine your approach. Discover how these strategies can greatly impact your social media presence. Key Takeaways Define your posting frequency by aiming for 3-5 posts per week to maintain engagement and relevance. Utilize Instagram Insights to identify optimal times for posting based on audience activity patterns. Plan content themes and formats in advance to ensure a diverse range of posts that align with brand messaging. Incorporate key dates and events into your calendar to take advantage of seasonal trends and audience interests. Regularly review and adjust your content calendar based on performance data to enhance engagement and effectiveness. Define Your Goals and Objectives Defining your goals and objectives is essential for crafting an effective Instagram content calendar, as it sets a clear direction for your strategy. Start by identifying what you want to achieve, like increasing brand awareness or driving traffic to your website. Establish specific objectives, such as a 20% increase in follower engagement over three months, to measure your success. Align these Instagram goals with your overall business objectives, ensuring your social media efforts support broader marketing strategies. Utilize metrics like engagement rates and click-through rates to guide your content decisions. Regularly review and adjust your objectives based on performance insights, keeping your Instagram content calendar relevant and effective. Consider using an Instagram auto poster to streamline your posting process. Understand Your Target Audience How well do you know your target audience? Comprehending them is vital for effective content creation. Start by researching their demographics, interests, and online behavior to tailor your posts. Utilize tools like Instagram Insights to analyze follower demographics and engagement metrics, which helps identify what resonates with them. Creating audience personas can visualize key characteristics, ensuring your content aligns with their needs. Segmenting your audience by age, location, and interests allows for more personalized content delivery, increasing engagement. Furthermore, engage with them through polls and direct messages to gather valuable feedback. This interaction can refine your content strategy, making it more relevant and appealing to your audience, in the end boosting your Instagram presence. Choose the Right Content Formats Knowing your target audience sets the stage for selecting the right content formats that will resonate with them. Incorporate a diverse mix of formats like Instagram Reels, Stories, IGTV, and carousel posts to engage various audience segments. For instance, utilize Instagram Stories for real-time engagement, as 58% of users express increased interest in brands featured there. Reels, lasting up to 90 seconds, are preferred by Instagram’s algorithm and can boost your visibility on the Explore page. High-quality visuals, such as infographics, improve user retention, attracting 94% more views. Make certain that every content format aligns with your brand’s messaging and objectives, as consistency is essential for building a recognizable and trustworthy presence on the platform. Establish a Consistent Posting Schedule Establishing a consistent posting schedule is essential for maximizing your presence on Instagram, as it directly influences your visibility in followers’ feeds. To maintain relevance, aim to post 3-5 times a week, striking a balance that keeps your audience engaged without overwhelming them. Use Instagram insights to pinpoint peak engagement times, allowing you to schedule posts strategically for maximum reach. A content calendar can be invaluable in this process, enabling you to plan posts in advance and ensuring timely delivery. This approach not only minimizes last-minute content creation stress but furthermore builds audience trust. Consistent posting helps solidify your brand identity, making it easier for followers to recognize and engage with your content regularly. Analyze Performance and Adjust Strategies To fully leverage your Instagram presence, it’s important to analyze performance and adjust your strategies based on data. Regularly track key performance indicators (KPIs) like engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to gauge your content’s effectiveness. Utilize Instagram Insights to assess post performance, pinpointing types that generate high engagement and the best posting times for your audience. Conduct a thorough audit of previous posts to identify themes and formats that resonate with your followers, enabling data-driven adjustments to your strategy. Revise your content calendar according to performance data, replacing underperforming content with more engaging alternatives. Finally, employ A/B testing for captions, visuals, and posting times to continually refine your approach and improve audience engagement. Frequently Asked Questions How to Build a Content Calendar for Instagram? To build a content calendar for Instagram, start by defining your goals, like increasing engagement or promoting products. Analyze your current account’s performance to identify effective content types. Use tools like Google Sheets or specialized apps to organize your posts, captions, and hashtags. Create content pillars that reflect your brand’s values, and schedule posts at ideal times based on audience activity. This structure will help you maintain consistency and improve your overall strategy. How to Create an Instagram Content Plan? To create an effective Instagram content plan, start by defining your goals, like increasing engagement or driving traffic. Next, analyze your current account’s performance metrics to understand what works. Choose a content management tool to organize your posts. Develop content pillars that reflect your brand, ensuring a mix of educational, promotional, and user-generated content. Finally, identify ideal posting times based on audience behavior to improve visibility and interaction with your posts. What Should a Social Media Content Calendar Look Like? A social media content calendar should be organized and user-friendly. It typically includes columns for post dates, content themes, captions, hashtags, and performance metrics. Use a digital calendar or spreadsheet for easy access and updates. Make certain it features a mix of content types like images, videos, and stories to engage your audience. Integrating scheduling tools can help automate posting times, whereas regular reviews of analytics make certain your content aligns with your marketing goals. What Steps Does a Digital Marketer Need to Take to Develop a Social Media Calendar? To develop a social media calendar, you need to start by setting clear goals that align with your brand’s objectives. Next, audit your existing performance to pinpoint successful content types. Choose a management platform, like Google Sheets or Hootsuite, for organization. Then, create content pillars that reflect your brand identity. Finally, schedule posts based on ideal engagement times, ensuring consistency and maximizing visibility across your chosen social media platforms. Conclusion In conclusion, crafting an effective Instagram content calendar requires clear objectives, a comprehension of your audience, diverse content formats, a consistent posting schedule, and regular performance analysis. By implementing these five tips, you can create a strategic plan that engages your followers and aligns with your brand goals. Staying organized and adaptable guarantees your content remains relevant, helping you build a stronger online presence as you effectively communicate your message to the target audience. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Essential Tips for Crafting an Instagram Content Calendar" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re looking to improve your Instagram strategy, crafting an effective content calendar is crucial. Start by defining your goals to guarantee your efforts align with your brand’s vision. Next, grasping your audience’s preferences can help you create engaging content. Selecting diverse formats keeps your feed dynamic, during a consistent posting schedule builds reliability. Monitoring performance metrics allows you to refine your approach. Discover how these strategies can greatly impact your social media presence. Key Takeaways Define your posting frequency by aiming for 3-5 posts per week to maintain engagement and relevance. Utilize Instagram Insights to identify optimal times for posting based on audience activity patterns. Plan content themes and formats in advance to ensure a diverse range of posts that align with brand messaging. Incorporate key dates and events into your calendar to take advantage of seasonal trends and audience interests. Regularly review and adjust your content calendar based on performance data to enhance engagement and effectiveness. Define Your Goals and Objectives Defining your goals and objectives is essential for crafting an effective Instagram content calendar, as it sets a clear direction for your strategy. Start by identifying what you want to achieve, like increasing brand awareness or driving traffic to your website. Establish specific objectives, such as a 20% increase in follower engagement over three months, to measure your success. Align these Instagram goals with your overall business objectives, ensuring your social media efforts support broader marketing strategies. Utilize metrics like engagement rates and click-through rates to guide your content decisions. Regularly review and adjust your objectives based on performance insights, keeping your Instagram content calendar relevant and effective. Consider using an Instagram auto poster to streamline your posting process. Understand Your Target Audience How well do you know your target audience? Comprehending them is vital for effective content creation. Start by researching their demographics, interests, and online behavior to tailor your posts. Utilize tools like Instagram Insights to analyze follower demographics and engagement metrics, which helps identify what resonates with them. Creating audience personas can visualize key characteristics, ensuring your content aligns with their needs. Segmenting your audience by age, location, and interests allows for more personalized content delivery, increasing engagement. Furthermore, engage with them through polls and direct messages to gather valuable feedback. This interaction can refine your content strategy, making it more relevant and appealing to your audience, in the end boosting your Instagram presence. Choose the Right Content Formats Knowing your target audience sets the stage for selecting the right content formats that will resonate with them. Incorporate a diverse mix of formats like Instagram Reels, Stories, IGTV, and carousel posts to engage various audience segments. For instance, utilize Instagram Stories for real-time engagement, as 58% of users express increased interest in brands featured there. Reels, lasting up to 90 seconds, are preferred by Instagram’s algorithm and can boost your visibility on the Explore page. High-quality visuals, such as infographics, improve user retention, attracting 94% more views. Make certain that every content format aligns with your brand’s messaging and objectives, as consistency is essential for building a recognizable and trustworthy presence on the platform. Establish a Consistent Posting Schedule Establishing a consistent posting schedule is essential for maximizing your presence on Instagram, as it directly influences your visibility in followers’ feeds. To maintain relevance, aim to post 3-5 times a week, striking a balance that keeps your audience engaged without overwhelming them. Use Instagram insights to pinpoint peak engagement times, allowing you to schedule posts strategically for maximum reach. A content calendar can be invaluable in this process, enabling you to plan posts in advance and ensuring timely delivery. This approach not only minimizes last-minute content creation stress but furthermore builds audience trust. Consistent posting helps solidify your brand identity, making it easier for followers to recognize and engage with your content regularly. Analyze Performance and Adjust Strategies To fully leverage your Instagram presence, it’s important to analyze performance and adjust your strategies based on data. Regularly track key performance indicators (KPIs) like engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to gauge your content’s effectiveness. Utilize Instagram Insights to assess post performance, pinpointing types that generate high engagement and the best posting times for your audience. Conduct a thorough audit of previous posts to identify themes and formats that resonate with your followers, enabling data-driven adjustments to your strategy. Revise your content calendar according to performance data, replacing underperforming content with more engaging alternatives. Finally, employ A/B testing for captions, visuals, and posting times to continually refine your approach and improve audience engagement. Frequently Asked Questions How to Build a Content Calendar for Instagram? To build a content calendar for Instagram, start by defining your goals, like increasing engagement or promoting products. Analyze your current account’s performance to identify effective content types. Use tools like Google Sheets or specialized apps to organize your posts, captions, and hashtags. Create content pillars that reflect your brand’s values, and schedule posts at ideal times based on audience activity. This structure will help you maintain consistency and improve your overall strategy. How to Create an Instagram Content Plan? To create an effective Instagram content plan, start by defining your goals, like increasing engagement or driving traffic. Next, analyze your current account’s performance metrics to understand what works. Choose a content management tool to organize your posts. Develop content pillars that reflect your brand, ensuring a mix of educational, promotional, and user-generated content. Finally, identify ideal posting times based on audience behavior to improve visibility and interaction with your posts. What Should a Social Media Content Calendar Look Like? A social media content calendar should be organized and user-friendly. It typically includes columns for post dates, content themes, captions, hashtags, and performance metrics. Use a digital calendar or spreadsheet for easy access and updates. Make certain it features a mix of content types like images, videos, and stories to engage your audience. Integrating scheduling tools can help automate posting times, whereas regular reviews of analytics make certain your content aligns with your marketing goals. What Steps Does a Digital Marketer Need to Take to Develop a Social Media Calendar? To develop a social media calendar, you need to start by setting clear goals that align with your brand’s objectives. Next, audit your existing performance to pinpoint successful content types. Choose a management platform, like Google Sheets or Hootsuite, for organization. Then, create content pillars that reflect your brand identity. Finally, schedule posts based on ideal engagement times, ensuring consistency and maximizing visibility across your chosen social media platforms. Conclusion In conclusion, crafting an effective Instagram content calendar requires clear objectives, a comprehension of your audience, diverse content formats, a consistent posting schedule, and regular performance analysis. By implementing these five tips, you can create a strategic plan that engages your followers and aligns with your brand goals. Staying organized and adaptable guarantees your content remains relevant, helping you build a stronger online presence as you effectively communicate your message to the target audience. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Essential Tips for Crafting an Instagram Content Calendar" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

TikTok's having a rough 2026. The app recently switched ownership from the Chinese-based ByteDance to the new "TikTok USDS Joint Venture," which, as the name implies, is a majority American-owned business entity. Any changing of the guard comes with the risk for disruptions and issues, but it seems TikTok's problems have gone beyond the usual rocky transition. First, the app itself went down, which the company attributed to a power outage at a data center. Then, users accused the platform of updating its terms of service with aggressive new tracking, blocking certain content types, and "shadowbanning" new posts from some users. It's still not clear exactly what's going on here, but users aren't waiting around for more explanation. In fact, many have made up their minds already, and believe the app is actively suppressing content, neutering algorithms, and invading privacy in a way it didn't under ByteDance. While there are other, popular social media platforms to jump to, many apparently have flocked to a relatively new one: UpScrolled. As of this article, it's now the second most popular free app on the iOS App Store, reminding me of when X users ran to Bluesky. What is UpScrolled? UpScrolled, created by Issam Hijazi, is a social media platform that launched this past June. According to the company's "About" page, UpScrolled's mission is to allow all users to share their views without risk of bias, shadowbanning, or "unfair" algorithms. The company asserts it does not push agendas, and ensures that "every post has a fair chance to be seen." If you believe TikTok's algorithm is now biased against your views, I could see how that pitch sounds enticing. The company says it only restricts content that violates their guidelines. That means illegal activities, hate speech, bullying and harassment, explicit nudity, unlicensed copyrighted content, or anything "intended to cause harm." UpScrolled will also never ban you without your knowledge. If the platform removes your videos or your account, it says it'll let you know why. One big difference between UpScrolled and other social media platforms is its algorithm. The app splits feeds into two: There's the Following Feed, which lists posts entirely in chronological order. The first posts are the newest from your followers, and you scroll through previous posts. If you want to find new posts from accounts you don't follow, you can use the Discover Feed. But unlike TikTok or Instagram, the Discover Feed does not employ some aggressive, personalized algorithm. Instead, it's based on likes, comments, and reshares. Popular posts from across the platform are shared with you What I especially appreciate is UpScrolled's approach to data collection, in that they largely don't do it. The company says it doesn't sell user data to third-parties for marketing, tracking, or for profit. The only times they'll hand over user data is when compelled by law. That's in sharp contrast to many social media platforms, which seem to collect as much of your data as possible. Using UpScrolledI haven't spent much time with the app yet, though I did create an account this morning to see what the hullabaloo was all about. I don't recognize any of the users the app suggests I follow, which means I'll likely need to dig through the content types if I want to find accounts to start following. The Discover Feed is a mix of content types, but is heavy with content surrounding the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In fact, many users are choosing the platform as a space for pro-Palestinian content, in response to allegations that mainstream social media apps censor these types of posts. That said, the app advertises a host of different content types to follow, including sports, news, games, film, music, tech, and travel. As you might expect, some of the posts here are simply ripped from TikTok, which is a common practice I see on social media platforms that, well, aren't TikTok. Despite the current controversy, it's clear which platform still has the largest user share at this time, by a long shot. But it's not all short-form videos. The app also includes plenty of posts of static images as well, which reminds me more of Instagram than TikTok. Still, it seems former TikTok users don't care that this isn't a one-to-one replica of the TikTok formula, and care more about sending a message to the app they once loved being addicted to. I'm not sure my limited journey with UpScrolled this morning will keep me hooked, but it's an interesting take on a social media platform. We'll just need to see if the growth will continue, or if this is just a momentary blip before people return to TikTok. View the full article

The activist investor is calling on Costar to exit its residential real estate businesses to concentrate on commercial. View the full article

Race for new chair heats up as Jay Powell’s final meeting as head of US central bank comes into sightView the full article

Meta tests paid subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp to unlock premium features and AI across its apps. What is happening. Meta is testing new subscriptions that unlock exclusive features across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, while keeping the core experiences free. Rather than a single bundle, Meta plans to experiment with different subscription models and feature sets tailored to each app, spanning productivity, creativity and expanded AI capabilities. Subscriptions will introduce premium controls and tools for everyday users, creators and businesses — separate from Meta Verified. On Instagram, early tests could include unlimited audience lists, insights into non-followers, and stealth story viewing. Meta also plans to roll out paid access to AI features, including expanded usage of its Vibes AI video generation tool under a freemium model. Why we care. Paid subscriptions could change how users interact with Meta’s apps, potentially shifting engagement, privacy settings, and audience visibility. New AI-powered creation tools and premium features may also influence the volume, quality, and formats of user-generated content advertisers compete with — or can tap into — for campaigns. Over time, subscription tiers could reshape targeting, measurement, and the value of organic vs. paid reach across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Between the lines: AI is at the center of the strategy. Meta plans to scale Manus, the AI agent it acquired for a reported $2 billion, integrating it directly into its apps while also selling standalone subscriptions to businesses. Early reports say Manus shortcuts could appear inside Instagram, tightening the link between social engagement and AI-assisted creation. Why now. Advertising remains Meta’s core business, but subscriptions offer diversification at a time when users are increasingly willing to pay for differentiated social features — as shown by Snapchat+, which has grown to more than 16 million subscribers. Meta is betting it can replicate that success without overwhelming users already feeling subscription fatigue. The bottom line. Meta is testing whether premium social and AI features can unlock a new revenue stream beyond ads, but success will hinge on whether users see enough everyday value to justify yet another monthly subscription. Dig deeper. Meta to test premium subscriptions on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp View the full article

As a continuation of President Donald The President‘s pitch to Americans on affordability and the economy under his administration, the U.S. Treasury and White House are celebrating the upcoming launch of a program they view as a key milestone: “The President Accounts.” A provision of The President’s tax legislation, The President Accounts are meant to give $1,000 to every newborn, so long as their parents open an account. That money is then invested in the stock market by private firms, and the child can access the money when they turn 18. A U.S. Treasury event Wednesday brings together an assortment of politicians and celebrities — from Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz to rapper Nicki Minaj — to discuss the program and its potential impact on the economy. Backers of The President Accounts have said they’re a way to help children from low-income households build wealth. Here’s what you need to know about The President Accounts and how to claim them. What is a The President Account? It’s a new savings tool where money is invested in the stock market on behalf of a child. The child can’t access the money until they turn 18 and can only use it for specific purposes, such as paying tuition, starting a business or making a down payment on a home. After a parent opens an account, the U.S. Treasury will contribute $1,000 for newborns. Private banks and brokerages will manage the money, which must be invested in U.S. equity index funds that track the stock market and charge the accounts no more than 0.10% in annual fees. Parents can contribute up to $2,500 annually in pretax income, much like they do for retirement accounts. Parents’ employers, relatives, friends, local governments and philanthropic groups can also pitch in. Yearly contributions are capped at $5,000, but contributions from governments and charities don’t count toward that total. Who gets $1,000? As part of the initiative’s launch, parents of older children are also encouraged to open accounts, but they won’t get the $1,000 bonus. That money is only reserved for babies born during the calendar years of the The President administration. To qualify for the $1,000 seed money, a baby must be a U.S. citizen, have a Social Security number and be born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Any parent can open an account for a qualifying child, regardless of the parent’s immigration status. It’s important to note that the child won’t be able to access the money until they turn 18, except in rare circumstances, so it can’t help with immediate expenses. And disbursements from the accounts will be subject to taxes. What about older children? Children born before 2025 won’t qualify for the $1,000 incentive, but parents can still open accounts for them as long as they’re under 18. Parents can still invest up to $2,500 pretax for those kids. In December, billionaires Michael and Susan Dell announced a $6.25 billion donation that will allow some children who are 10 and under to receive $250 in seed money if their parents open an account. That money is reserved for kids who live in ZIP codes with a median family income of $150,000 or less and who won’t get the $1,000 seed money from the Treasury. A few weeks later, hedge fund founder Ray Dalio and his wife Barbara pledged $75 million for kids under 10 in Connecticut, where Dalio lives. That would amount to $250 for 300,000 children in qualifying ZIP codes. Those large contributions are part of an effort by the U.S. Treasury — dubbed the “50 State Challenge” by Secretary Scott Bessent — to encourage wealthy philanthropic donors to pitch in. Other corporations participating in the program include Uber, MasterCard, BlackRock, Visa and Charles Schwab, according to the The President Accounts website. How do I open a The President Account for my kids? The accounts won’t be open for contributions until July 2026, but parents of eligible kids can sign up using Form 4547 from the Internal Revenue Service. Parents can fill out the form when filing taxes this year or when the administration opens an online portal this summer, according to the The President Accounts website. Registering for a The President Account is required for a child to receive the money. In May, parents who sign up will get information about how to finish opening the accounts. What’s the idea behind the accounts? Backers of the accounts say they want to introduce more people to the stock market and give even children born into poverty a chance to benefit from it. Supporters also say the accounts bolster capitalism at a time when openly socialist candidates are growing more popular. About 58% of U.S. households held stocks or bonds in 2022, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, though the wealthiest 1% owned almost half the value of stocks in that same year. Before The President created the accounts, California, Connecticut and the District of Columbia were piloting “baby bonds” programs that are similar to The President Accounts in some ways. Several other states, including Maryland, are weighing programs. But those programs are targeted for youth growing up in poverty or foster care, plus children who lost a parent to COVID-19. Wealthier children don’t benefit. They’re also managed by the state, not private investment firms. What do critics say? Critics point out the accounts do little to help children in their early years, when they’re most vulnerable and most likely to be in poverty. The accounts, they say, also fail to offset cuts the The President administration and congressional Republicans have made to other programs that benefit young people and their families, including food assistance and Medicaid. Republicans created the accounts in the same The President tax bill that reduced spending for some of those programs. And even with the contribution from the government, critics say the The President Accounts will widen the wealth gap. Affluent families that can afford to make the maximum pretax contribution to the accounts will realize the greatest benefits. Poor families who can’t afford to set aside money for the accounts will benefit the least. Assuming a 7% return, the $1,000 in seed money would grow to roughly $3,570 over 18 years. ___ The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Makiya Seminera and Moriah Balingit, AP education writer View the full article

It feels as though Google Chrome has been around forever, but it's actually still just a teenager: The browser launched back in 2008, originally just for Windows—though it's now made its way to macOS, Linux, and mobile devices too of course. It's a powerhouse of a browser that is more widely used than any other. In the 18 years since its release, Chrome has changed a lot: A host of features have been added and taken away down the years, and it's very possible that you don't know everything that Chrome can do, even if you use it every day. Here are my favorite hacks for Chrome, covering everything from casting tabs to playing audio and video. Change the look and feel of Google ChromeIf you've always stuck with the 'out of the box' Chrome aesthetic, you might not be aware that it's relatively simple to change up the theme of the browser—which covers the colors of menus and tabs, as well as what you see on the new tab page. To see the available options, open up a new tab, then click the Customize Chrome button (lower right). You can apply any of the color themes just by clicking on them, or set up your own colors by clicking the color picker (the little pipette icon). For a more significant visual overhaul, click Change theme: You'll then see a range of options created and curated by Google. Click Chrome Web Store to see more official and third-party themes you can install. Claw back some RAM from Chrome Activate Memory Saver for smoother performance. Credit: Lifehacker It's fair to say Chrome doesn't have the best reputation for efficient RAM usage, but you can get some of it back. In any tab, click the three dots (top right), then choose Settings > Performance, and activate the Memory Saver option. As Google explains, this will put tabs you've not used in a while in an inactive state, and recover some RAM from them. Put your tabs up on a big screenIt's not a Chrome feature that gets much attention, but you can cast tabs wireless to a big screen via Google TV or Chromecast devices. It's useful for everything from music streaming to slide presentations, though the latency is usually too high for video playback (and bear in mind that YouTube, for example, has its own casting button for this). With a tab open in Chrome, click the three dots in the top right corner, then choose Cast, save and share > Cast. You'll then be asked to choose the device to cast to (which must be on the same wifi network of course). Via the Sources button, you can choose to cast just the tab you're in, or your entire Windows or macOS desktop, including Google Chrome. Switch up your search engine Chrome can use whatever search engine you tell it to. Credit: Lifehacker Just because you use Google Chrome doesn't mean you have to use Google Search—maybe you want to switch to a privacy-first alternative, like DuckDuckGo. To set up search engines in Chrome and change the default one, click the three dots in the top right corner of any tab, then choose Settings, and open the Search engine page. Use the Add button to add new search engines, the pencil icons on the right to edit their details, and the three dots on the right to set which one is used by default (when you type some search terms into the Chrome address bar). Each search engine can also have a shortcut: Type the shortcut into the address bar to run a search using that specific site. Group your tabs togetherTab grouping can make it much easier to manage the myriad tabs you've got open in every single session—these groups can be moved and closed and saved all together, so you could set up different groups for different research projects, for example, or for different tasks in the browser (maybe one for work-related browsing and another for shopping). The easiest way to get started with tab groups in Chrome is to right click on a tab header and pick Add tab to new group from the pop-up menu. Give your tab a name and color, and if you then right-click on other tab headers, you'll be able to add them to the group (or create a new one). Right-click on the headers of grouped tabs to access further options. Switch between user profiles Add a new profile to separate your browsing activities. Credit: Lifehacker User profiles are a hugely powerful Chrome capability that more people should know about: It lets you split your browsing into work and personal categories, for example, (and separate Google accounts, if needed). It means that logins, browsing history, and all the other data that gets stored in Chrome don't all get lumped together in one place. So, you could use your work profile for the day, and then switch to your personal profile at night—making it easier to access your Netflix login and Amazon shopping history, for example. To get started with profiles, click your current profile avatar (in the top right corner, next to the three dots), then choose Add Chrome profile from the menu. Edit webpages with TampermonkeyIf you're prepared to invest some time and effort into your Chrome hacking, give the Tampermonkey extension a look (it's actually available for several browsers, not just Chrome). The tool lets you inject your own custom code to modify the websites you're looking at, so you can alter the appearance or even the functionality of pages. You could remove distractions from a page, for example, add your own keyboard shortcuts for navigation, or insert new buttons for sharing links on social media. We don't have the space for a full tutorial here, but if you head to the Tampermonkey website you'll find a wealth of help to get you started, plus some links to user script repositories on the web. Install web apps in Windows or macOS Spotify's web app as a desktop app. Credit: Lifehacker There are plenty of powerful web apps you can get at through Chrome—Slack, Gmail, Spotify—and Google's browser lets you set these up as if they were desktop apps in Windows or macOS. You can get a shortcut straight to the app on the Windows taskbar or macOS dock, and when you launch it, it appears in its own distinct desktop window. With the web app open in Chrome, click the three dots (top right), then choose Cast, save and share > Install page as app. You'll then be asked to give your new app a name, and click Install to confirm. The app launches right away, and you can then organize it into your Windows or macOS system as you want (by pinning it to the taskbar, for example). Run a check for safety and privacyChrome comes with a built-in Safety Check that runs an audit on passwords, security updates, third-party extensions, and more. You can find the Safety Check screen by clicking the three dots to the top right of any tab, then choosing Settings > Privacy and security: As well as running the check, you can follow the recommended actions. Use Chrome to preview files and preview media Chrome can quickly open files like PDFs. Credit: Lifehacker Google Chrome can handle more than webpages: It's also able to open up PDF documents, and image, video, and audio files saved in common formats (like MP3 or MOV). Just drag a file into an empty tab to open it, or associate the file type with Chrome in Windows or macOS (which means it'll automatically open in the browser when you double-click on it). Chrome isn't the most advanced PDF editor or video player you're ever going to see, but it's a quick and easy way of opening up local files without having to launch an entirely separate program each time. You could use this alongside the Split View feature, for example, to watch a video stored on your system while making notes in Google Docs. View the full article

Have you ever wanted to browse the internet, but the thought of typing a URL into your address bar seemed just too exhausting? Now, Google's here to help. Today, the company announced a big expansion of its existing Gemini in Chrome feature, with the highlights including a new look for the AI companion, more-integrated image editing tools, and, perhaps most impressive (but also creepy), the launch of Auto Browse, which lets Gemini take the wheel when you're going online. The new side panel view Credit: Google Previously, Gemini in Chrome appeared in a small box on top of your browser, which made it a bit inconvenient to use, especially when bouncing between tabs. Google's update moves it to a scrollable side panel view that's a bit bigger, and it won't obscure any of your other content. Instead, it'll sit to the right of the webpage your viewing, so you can more easily compare whatever answers Gemini gives you with what you're seeing, or carry on a conversation while bouncing between multiple tabs. It will retain all the same functionality as before, including the ability to reference multiple open tabs in prompts. It's a small change, but should help for usability. Right-click any image to edit it in Nano Banana Credit: Google Google's Nano Banana image generation AI is having a bit of a moment, and the new Gemini in Chrome updates make it easier to use. Now, instead of having to download an image and re-upload it to Gemini, you can edit it using Nano Banana with a simple right click. Or, you could also use natural language to start an edit by pulling up the image you want to edit on your screen and telling Gemini to edit it in the side panel. Google says this should work with pretty much any image you can pull up on the browser. During a demo, Google showed this off to journalists using a Google Photos library, but there's nothing saying you have to stick to your own images. That immediately set off alarm bells for me, given Elon Musk's X is currently in hot water after opening up the ability for anyone to use Grok to edit other people's images directly on the social media platform and without their permission. After some users started using that tool to generate explicit content from others' photos, it was pared down a bit, but Google doesn't seem worried. When I asked about safety protections for this feature, a Google spokesperson told me the following: "We have clear policies that prohibit the use of our AI tools to generate sexually explicit content, and our tools are continually getting better at reflecting these policies. We've invested in safety from the outset and added technical guardrails to help limit problematic outputs such as violent, offensive, or sexually explicit content." The company didn't say anything about how users might use Nano Banana in Chrome to circumvent copyright, but technically, the new update doesn't really add new features to Google's AI image generator, it just makes it easier to access. Granted, the same thing applied to Grok's recent update, too, and easier access can mean opening the floodgates, even if you have the best of intentions. Use AI to Auto Browse in Chrome Credit: Google Finally, the big one: "Agentic" has been the hot buzzword in AI as of late, and Google doesn't want Chrome to be left behind. So now, instead of just answering questions, Gemini can take control of your browser for you. The functionality is currently limited to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, but starting today, those subscribers can ask Chrome to "Auto Browse"—completing research, taking you to different websites, and filling out forms for you. You can watch as the AI navigates around the web, or you can click away to a different tab while it works in the background. Multiple tabs can Auto Browse at the same time, so you can have a few tasks going on at once. The AI will list out the steps it takes in the side panel while it navigates around, to make checking in on it easier. Google demonstrated this to journalists by showing the AI finding a specific product, navigating to its store page, singing into the buyer's account (using Google Password Manager), and adding it to their cart. The company also suggested you could use Auto Browse to schedule appointments, fill out an online form using information from an uploaded PDF, collect tax documents, compare apartments listed on sites like Redfin, and more. I haven't been able to go hands-on with it yet, so I can't speak to how well it'll perform any of these tasks, although it did look snappy in the controlled demo. Do you really trust an AI to browse for you?My concern with Auto Browse mostly lies in sketchy websites and permissions, although Google told me it's planned for those. Auto Browse needs to get permission before it can access your Google Password Manager, and if it stumbles across a link that the AI thinks doesn't look quite right, it will supposedly use Chrome's existing unsafe browsing protections to navigate away. A Google spokesperson told me its "as secure as you can make it," although I'd probably want to keep an eye on it for at least my first few requests. The feature also has one limitation for now—while it can be open in multiple tabs at once, your Auto Browse tabs won't be able to communicate with one another. That means each instance of Auto Browse is isolated, but that could change in the future. Personally, I don't see myself using this much, especially for sensitive tasks like "collecting tax documents," but automatically filling out a basic form does sound handy. Google said that Auto Browse will stop and ask for you to take over for sensitive steps in any tasks that might require it, like actually buying an item or submitting a form. It won't (or isn't supposed to) take that final step for you, giving you a chance to check its work. In that way, it's similar to the Gemini app's existing shopping features. Existing and upcoming featuresGemini in Chrome can use most of Gemini's existing features, allowing it to connect with apps like Gmail or access your history chatting with the bot. But there is one big one that's planned for the "coming months." Recently, the Gemini app proper rolled out a beta for "Personal Intelligence" to paying users, allowing the AI to view all of your past conversations and connected apps without you having to direct it where to look. It's basically an extension of those existing connected apps and history features, with a reasoning model applied over it. For instance, you could tell it to help you find new tires for your car, and it would automatically know to look through your Gmail and Google Photos to find out what model of car you have and the last time you bought tires. That feature is still baking, but that it's even in the works means Google is moving fast on bringing parity between all the different ways you can access Gemini. Every other feature mentioned in this article is either already available, or rolling out now. View the full article

Virtues such as compassion, patience, and self-control may be beneficial not only for others but also for oneself, according to new research my team and I published in the Journal of Personality in December 2025. Philosophers from Aristotle to al-Fārābī, a 10th-century scholar in what is now Iraq, have argued that virtue is vital for well-being. Yet others, such as Thomas Hobbes and Friedrich Nietzsche, have argued the opposite: Virtue offers no benefit to oneself and is good only for others. This second theory has inspired a lot of research in contemporary psychology, which often sees morality and self-interest as fundamentally opposed. Many studies have found that generosity is associated with happiness, and that encouraging people to practice kindness increases their well-being. But other virtues seem less enjoyable. For example, a compassionate person wants to alleviate suffering or misfortune, but that requires there be suffering or misfortune. Patience is possible only when something irritating or difficult is happening. And self-control involves forgoing one’s desires or persisting with something difficult. Could these kinds of virtues really be good for you? My colleagues and I investigated this question in two studies, using two different methods to zoom in on specific moments in people’s daily lives. Our goal was to assess the degree to which, in those moments, they were compassionate, patient, and self-controlled. We also assessed their level of well-being: how pleasant or unpleasant they felt, and whether they found their activities meaningful. One study, with adolescents, used the experience sampling method, in which people answer questions at random intervals throughout the day. The other, studying adults, used the day reconstruction method, in which people answer questions about the previous day. All told, we examined 43,164 moments from 1,218 people. During situations that offer opportunities to act with compassion, patience, and self-control—encountering someone in need, for example, or dealing with a difficult person—people tend to experience more unpleasant feelings and fewer pleasant ones than in other situations. However, we found that exercising these three virtues seems to help people cope. People who are habitually more compassionate, patient, and self-controlled tend to experience better well-being. And when people display more compassion, patience, and self-control than usual, they tend to feel better than they usually do. In short, our results contradicted the theory that virtue is good for others and bad for the self. They were consistent with the theory that virtue promotes well-being. Why it matters These studies tested the predictions of two venerable, highly influential theories about the relationship between morality and well-being. In doing so, they offered new insights into one of the most fundamental questions debated in philosophy, psychology, and everyday life. Moreover, in the scientific study of morality, lots of research has examined how people form moral judgments and how outside forces shape a person’s moral behavior. Yet some researchers have argued that this should be complemented by research on moral traits and how these are integrated into the whole person. By focusing on traits such as patience, compassion, and self-control and their roles in people’s daily lives, our studies contribute to the emerging science of virtue. What still isn’t known One open question for future research is whether virtues such as compassion, patience, and self-control are associated with better well-being only under certain conditions. For example, perhaps things look different depending on one’s stage of life or in different parts of the world. Our studies were not randomized experiments. It is possible that the associations we observed are explained by another factor—something that increases well-being while simultaneously increasing compassion, patience, and self-control. Or maybe well-being affects virtue, instead of the other way around. Future research could help clarify the causal relationships. One particularly interesting possibility is that there might be a “virtuous cycle”: Perhaps virtue tends to promote well-being, and well-being, in turn, tends to promote virtue. If so, it would be extremely valuable to learn how to help people kick-start that cycle. The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work. Michael Prinzing is a research and assessment scholar at Wake Forest University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

The landscape of business operations is shifting quickly as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly embeds itself into the workplace. A recent report from SurveyMonkey reveals that the number of Americans using AI weekly or daily has climbed to 31% in 2025, up from 24% in 2024. This significant increase suggests that more businesses, including small ones, are considering AI tools to improve efficiency and stay competitive. While AI offers remarkable opportunities for small business owners, navigating this new terrain requires understanding both the benefits and the challenges. According to the survey, less than one-third of consumers (27%) find AI features appealing, illustrating a cautious predisposition among potential users. For small business owners, aligning AI implementation with customer expectations can pose a challenge. One of the standout benefits of incorporating AI in small businesses is the potential for streamlining operations. AI can automate repetitive tasks, allowing small teams to focus on strategic decision-making and customer engagement. This automation can range from chatbots handling customer inquiries to AI-driven analytics offering insights into consumer behavior. As a small business owner, leveraging these technologies can free up resources and enhance productivity. However, the report highlights a critical concern: trust in AI technologies. While users appreciate the convenience AI brings to tasks like searching for information, they often doubted the accuracy and reliability of the results. This skepticism could lead customers to verify AI-generated information, which may counteract some time-saving benefits. Small business owners need to communicate transparently about how they use AI, ensuring customers feel secure in their interactions. “AI is a tool that can either enhance or complicate customer experiences depending on how it is integrated,” noted a spokesperson from SurveyMonkey. It’s essential for small business owners to witness firsthand how AI technologies align with their brand values and customer expectations to ensure that the technology enhances relationships rather than detracting from them. Implementing AI does come with learning curves and upfront costs. Small business owners should prepare for the potential financial investment required for training staff and purchasing AI software. Additionally, one practical approach is to begin with simple, scalable applications. For example, utilizing AI in marketing to analyze customer data or improve targeted advertising could yield immediate insights without overwhelming operational structures. As small businesses integrate these technologies, ethical considerations also arise. The survey indicates that customer skepticism surrounding AI is intertwined with concerns about data privacy and security. Small business owners must navigate these waters carefully, ensuring they comply with data protection regulations and respecting customer preferences. Beyond initial implementation, the ongoing assessment of AI’s impact will be essential. Owners need to gather feedback both from customers and employees, analyzing how these technologies affect experiences and operational efficiency. A proactive approach not only mitigates risks but also cultivates trust, positioning the business as a leader in innovation. While the SurveyMonkey findings present a cautious view of AI’s acceptability among consumers, it’s clear that small businesses can harness its power effectively to improve operational efficiencies and meet evolving customer expectations. Balancing the advantages with the challenges will be vital for success. As small business owners consider how AI can fit into their future operations, they have to remain adaptable and open to learning. Resources like SurveyMonkey provide valuable insights that help to navigate these transformative changes. For those interested in exploring these trends further, the complete details can be found in the original report here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "AI Use Surges Among Americans, but Trust Issues Remain Unresolved" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The landscape of business operations is shifting quickly as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly embeds itself into the workplace. A recent report from SurveyMonkey reveals that the number of Americans using AI weekly or daily has climbed to 31% in 2025, up from 24% in 2024. This significant increase suggests that more businesses, including small ones, are considering AI tools to improve efficiency and stay competitive. While AI offers remarkable opportunities for small business owners, navigating this new terrain requires understanding both the benefits and the challenges. According to the survey, less than one-third of consumers (27%) find AI features appealing, illustrating a cautious predisposition among potential users. For small business owners, aligning AI implementation with customer expectations can pose a challenge. One of the standout benefits of incorporating AI in small businesses is the potential for streamlining operations. AI can automate repetitive tasks, allowing small teams to focus on strategic decision-making and customer engagement. This automation can range from chatbots handling customer inquiries to AI-driven analytics offering insights into consumer behavior. As a small business owner, leveraging these technologies can free up resources and enhance productivity. However, the report highlights a critical concern: trust in AI technologies. While users appreciate the convenience AI brings to tasks like searching for information, they often doubted the accuracy and reliability of the results. This skepticism could lead customers to verify AI-generated information, which may counteract some time-saving benefits. Small business owners need to communicate transparently about how they use AI, ensuring customers feel secure in their interactions. “AI is a tool that can either enhance or complicate customer experiences depending on how it is integrated,” noted a spokesperson from SurveyMonkey. It’s essential for small business owners to witness firsthand how AI technologies align with their brand values and customer expectations to ensure that the technology enhances relationships rather than detracting from them. Implementing AI does come with learning curves and upfront costs. Small business owners should prepare for the potential financial investment required for training staff and purchasing AI software. Additionally, one practical approach is to begin with simple, scalable applications. For example, utilizing AI in marketing to analyze customer data or improve targeted advertising could yield immediate insights without overwhelming operational structures. As small businesses integrate these technologies, ethical considerations also arise. The survey indicates that customer skepticism surrounding AI is intertwined with concerns about data privacy and security. Small business owners must navigate these waters carefully, ensuring they comply with data protection regulations and respecting customer preferences. Beyond initial implementation, the ongoing assessment of AI’s impact will be essential. Owners need to gather feedback both from customers and employees, analyzing how these technologies affect experiences and operational efficiency. A proactive approach not only mitigates risks but also cultivates trust, positioning the business as a leader in innovation. While the SurveyMonkey findings present a cautious view of AI’s acceptability among consumers, it’s clear that small businesses can harness its power effectively to improve operational efficiencies and meet evolving customer expectations. Balancing the advantages with the challenges will be vital for success. As small business owners consider how AI can fit into their future operations, they have to remain adaptable and open to learning. Resources like SurveyMonkey provide valuable insights that help to navigate these transformative changes. For those interested in exploring these trends further, the complete details can be found in the original report here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "AI Use Surges Among Americans, but Trust Issues Remain Unresolved" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Rocket denied the allegations, saying the lawsuit is a retread of a case the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed that was quickly dismissed. View the full article

How to set up your system, starting with progress reports. By August Aquila MAX: Maximize Productivity, Profitability and Client Retention Go PRO for members-only access to more August J. Aquila. View the full article