Wow!  Can you believe we are already at the close of 2011?  What a year we’ve had this year!  I have been reflecting on how much we’ve accomplished this year, and we have done a lot together.  First, we won Chapter of the Year for the 3rd time!!  Also, for 2011, we held 10 monthly business & education meetings, 3 one-day seminars, 3 PIE events, and 5 Networking Events (including the YPPG event last week).  We have averaged approximately 130 attendees month-to-month.  We held our two awesome classes at North Lake College (with 2 CPP study classes), and we started the Young Payroll Professionals Group.  That’s 25 individual events, not counting the many individual Saturdays it took to put on those classes.  We even gave away our first Congress Education Grant.  To top that off, we are currently standing at 442 active members. 

We have also had some amazing sponsors throughout the year.  We have a number of website sponsors, which you can see on the website, Financial Additions sponsored one of our networking events, and Awards Night was sponsored by ADP, rapid! Paycard, and TALX.  It’s been a great year, and we have had a lot of fun together – and it’s not over yet!  We still have one more meeting for this calendar year, which is coming up this Thursday. 

We still have until April before the close of our fiscal year, though, and we plan on having one more networking event before then.  Speaking of April... Have you thought about what it would be like to serve on the Dallas Chapter’s Board of Officers?  Have you thought about teaching a session at one of our classes?  The spirit of volunteerism is alive in the Dallas Chapter – made evident by the 81 volunteers we had this year!  We couldn’t possibly ask for better volunteers.  You are all so awesome, and none of the things I mentioned above would’ve happened without you!  You are the best of the best, and my true desire is for you to see the difference you can make by serving in the chapter and by being willing to get out of your comfort zone.  I have been on the board for 6 years now, and it has been the most rewarding experience of my life.  It has changed me and my career.  Yes, it’s a little work, but it is more than worth it!  You may have the next really big idea that would propel the Chapter to the next level!  

Finally, I would just like to close out this month by wishing you all a very happy holiday season – whether it be a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, or just a Happy Holiday.  We payroll professionals have extremely busy positions, and it is so easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of that this time of year.  Please don’t forget to take a moment for yourself and for your families to realize how blessed we all really are.  I wish you all the happiest of holidays, and I hope your year-end goes smoothly with as few “bumps in the road” as possible.

 Enjoy the season, and I hope to see you soon! 

The Dallas Chapter’s 2011 Awards Night and Vendor Fair was held on November 10^th. Aptly named “Dinner and Diamonds” it was a stellar evening!  With 133 members and non-members in attendance and 17 vendors represented, it was the largest awards night since 2003. The keynote speaker was Dan Maddux, Executive Director of the APA, whose presentation was “Good Lessons from Bad Bosses” and he offered a number of personal examples. In addition to our huge family of volunteers who were recognized the following also received awards:

Payroll Professional of the Year - Rebecca Mather, CPP

Premier Volunteer - Denise Davis, CPP, PHR

Meritorious Service - Susan Charles, CPP

Special Recognition - Rhonda Potter, CPP

Special Recognition - Lynn Wrinkle, CPA

Friend of the Chapter - Financial Additions

Lifetime Achievement - Dan Maddux

We want to congratulate all our outstanding volunteers, award winners, and all the chapter members for making this a memorable night. As we gear up for our Holiday meeting and go into our year end and W2 fun time, take a minute to thank your employers for letting you be involved and being able to enjoy such a wonderful event!

Awards Night & Vendor Fair Photos are Here! 

November 2011 Awards Night & Vendor Fair Photos taken by Matthew T Rader Photography are now available for download and for purchase. Just click on the following link:

2011 Awards Night & Vendor Fair Photos

YPPG 1^st Networking Event

The Young Payroll Professional Group had our first networking event at The Ranch at Las Colinas on Thursday, December 1^st. We had a wonderful turnout of payroll professionals in all stages of their career. We swapped payroll stories and knowledge and lots of laughs! We had great food and great fun!

For those of you who joined us, Thank You and we are so glad that you attended. We look forward to seeing you at the next event. For those of you who didn’t make it, we missed you! We will be scheduling our next event after the holidays, so please, if you missed this one, plan on joining us for the next event.

We had several door prize drawings as well. Congratulations to our winners!

Debra Mix - $25 Amex card

Greg Killeen - $15 iTunes card

Raquel Gonzales - $15 iTunes card

If you haven’t already, go to our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/yppgdallas and Like us. We will be posting pictures from the event shortly and details on our upcoming events.

Thanks again for coming, and we look forward to this new and fun networking opportunity!

Nominations for officers on the Dallas Chapter Board of Directors for 2012 are still being accepted.  This is your time to enjoy the leadership opportunities, networking, and education advances by growing with your chapter professionals.  All interested members contact pastpresident@apadallas.com for more information.  Elections will be held at the March 2012 education meeting and all candidates will be introduced at this month's meeting. 

2012 – It will be here before you know it! 

As we move into the final months of 2011, let’s keep in mind 2012. Let’s strive to make 2012 more than just about resolutions, but about commitments.  

The Dallas Chapter strives to provide top notch education at costs that are “budget friendly” for most individuals and companies alike. We are always looking for new speakers and topics to ensure a well rounded educational opportunity for our members.  So please let us know what you would like to learn about and which educators you would like to see, so we can continue to grow our knowledge base! 

Did you know that perfect attendance to the monthly education meetings earns you a free annual membership?  Does a National Congress registration seem to be out of reach due to budget constraints?  Remember, a grant is awarded each year for Congress, based on attendance to the monthly educational meetings.  The more meetings you attend, the better your chances at winning! Also, a registration for the Texas Payroll Conference is given away each year at the Awards Banquet in November.  

Got ideas, comments, contacts, and commitment?  Consider getting involved by running for a Board Position.  Elections will take place in March. How about partnering with a current Board member?  Committee chairs and other volunteer positions are available. Just let us know your strengths and passions and we will find a place for you! 

Together, 2012 will be EXTRA-ordinary!

First let me thank Carl York and Mimi Rader for presenting the topic of Social Networking for the PIE event held on November 17^th.  They did a wonderful job of helping many of us understand how the use of social websites affects our professional image.  They shared tips and provided great information on what is and what is not appropriate and how this information is viewed by prospective employers and business associates. 

On December 1^st, Dallas Chapter welcomed Mr. Gerald (Jay) Whittmore as the instructor for the one-day seminar, Get Ready! Get Set! Year End!  

As always, Jay gave us very useful information that we will be able to share with our co-workers and information that will help us close the year end, reducing risk of non-compliance, and how to get started in the New Year.  Many of the tips shared are easy to implement and possible to do on a monthly basis to help make next year’s closing less stressful.  Thank you Jay for sharing your time and information with us. 

December 8 

Topic:  Payroll Compliance on U.S. Employee Relocation Benefits 

Speakers: Bruce Waller, CRO, CMC, RIM-VP of Corporate Relocation for Armstrong        Relocation

Yvonne Bosson, CRP, GMS - Independent Relocation Consultant, Bosson Consulting 

Time: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM 

Location: Doubletree Hotel                                                                                                       
                4099 Valley View Ln
                Dallas, TX 75244

Cost:  $33.00 Non-Member Registration
           $38.00 after 12:00 am December 5

           $26.00 Member Registration
           $31.00 after 12:00 am December 5 

There will not be a meeting in January 2012

 The next meeting will be held on February 9^th.  Topic and Speaker to be announced soon.

Don’t Forget! Registration for the Spring classes starts December 21st!

The Dallas Chapter of the American Payroll Association, in conjunction with Northlake College, will be offering the INTRODUCTION TO PAYROLL CONCEPTS starting 4/14/2012 through 5/12/2012, and the PAYROLL CONCEPTS - ADVANCED course beginning 6/9/2012 through 8/18/2012.

We will also have two One-day Review classes; March 31^st and August 25^th 2012.

Registration will open with Northlake College on December 21^st, 2011 for the 2012 Spring class series.

If you are planning on taking your CPP or FPC and need a little extra encouragement, or are looking for a great way to earn RCHs, the Dallas Chapter is here to help you. 

Check our website on either the Education tab or the Programs tab for more class information. www.apadallas.com.

Dec. STAT Updates 

Federal

Social Security maximum wages for 2012 reflect an increase to $110,100 maximum earnings.

The maximum Social Security tax for employees and employers will be 6.2% or $6,826.20.  President Obama has sent proposed legislation (American Jobs Act) that would lower both the employee and employer tax to 3.1% in 2012 if enacted. 

Pension Plan 2012 Dollar Limitations have been announced by IRS.

Elective deferrals.  The limitation on the exclusion for elective deferrals under Code Sec. 402 (g)(3) increases to 17,000 in 2012.  This limitation applies to Code Sec. 401(k) plans, Code Sec. 403(b) annuities, SEPS and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan.

Catch-up contributions dollar limitation will remain at $5,500 in 2012.

Defined Benefit Plans.  The limitation on the annual benefit will increase to $200,000 in 2012.

Defined Contribution Plans.  The limitation on total annual contributions to defined contributions plans will increase to $50,000 in 2012.

Annual Compensation limit.  The maximum annual compensation that may be taken into account for various qualified plans increase to $250,000 in 2012.

Please see your tax guide or the IRS website for other Pension plan limits. 

Cost of Living – The IRS has released [Rev Proc. 2011-52, 2011-45 IRB; IR2011-104] indicating the COLA adjustments for Qualified transportation fringe benefits, Adoption exclusion, Long-term care insurance, Archer MSA, Foreign earned income exclusion, Property exempt from levy and other adjustments. 

New Hire reporting must include “rehired employees” on new hire reports beginning April 21, 2012 based on the “Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011” signed into law October 21, 2011.

IRS – Classifying Workers – IRS has started a voluntary compliance program that allows many employers to resolve worker classification issues at a low cost if they voluntarily agree to reclassify their workers as employees.

IRS has issued a draft version of Form 940 which includes separate lines to compute FUTA tax for wages paid before July 1, and June 30, 2011.  IRS has also released 2012 draft Form 941. 

IRS backtracks and issued Federal “High-Low” per diem rates effective October 1;  meals rate can be used on its own for the first time.

IRS has issued Form 1099 electronic filing requirements to apply to 2011 reporting.

State & Local

Unemployment – States continue to add assessments to help pay the interest due on their federal unemployment insurance loans.  See below for maximum wage rates with changes for 2012.

2011                      2012

Colorado          10,000              11,000                         

Florida             7,000                 8,500

Illinois             12,740              13,560

Iowa                 24,700              25,300

Kentucky           8,000                 9,000

Minnesota        27,000              28,000

Montana           26,300              27,000

Nevada             26,600              26,400

New Hampshire12,000              14,000 

New Jersey       29,600              30,300

New Mexico      21,900              22,400

North Dakota    25,500              27.900

Oklahoma        18,600              19,100

Oregon             32,300              33,000

Rhode Island    19,000              19,600*

South Carolina 10,000              12,000

South Dakota   11,000               12,000

Vermont           13,000              16,000

Washington      37,300              38,200

Wyoming         22,300              23,000 

*Rhode Island Note:  The RI wage base will increase to 21,100 for top 25% of the employers with reserve account percentages of negative 24.% or less.  FUTA to be .3% higher for RI employers for 2011 tax year.

Arizona

Minimum Wage will increase from $7.35 to $7.65 per hour in the 2012 tax year.

California

Withholding – Supplemental wage rate will remain at 6.6% and the withholding rate on stock options and bonus payments will stay at 10.23%.  New withholding tables are available on the California Employment Development Department website.

 Colorado

Minimum Wage will increase from $7.36 to $7.64 per hour beginning January 1, 2012.

Florida

Minimum Wage will increase from $7.31 to $7.67 per hour beginning January 1, 2012. 

Georgia

Child Support - The Georgia Supreme Court adopted UPL Advisory Opinion No. 2010-1 stating that a non-lawyer who responds to a garnishment order issued by a Georgia court for a garnishee is engaging in the unlicensed practice of law.

Indiana

Withholding – The county income tax rate table has been revised effective November 1, 2011.  The only change to the table is to Hancock County who increased its CAGIT/CEDIT rate for residents to 1.65%.  The nonresident rate for Hancock remains at 0.4%.

Maryland

Withholding – Effective 2012 the maximum local income tax rate is 1.25% and Nonresident percentage Method Tables is 6.75%.  Queen Anne’s county withholding tax rate will increase from 2.85% to 3.2% in 2012.

Michigan

Withholding – The tax rate reduction effective Oct. 1, 2011 was repealed.  The tax rate will remain at 4.35% through 2012.

Montana

Minimum Wage – Effective Jan., 1, 2012 the state minimum wages rate will increase from $7.40 to $7.70 per hour.  Tipped employees will increase from $3.70 to $3.85 per hour. 

New Jersey

Disability -   The maximum employee contribution for 2012 will be 60.60 which reflect a rate decrease from 0.5% to 0.2%.  The wage base will increase to $30,300 for 2012.

Vermont

Minimum Wage – The minimum wage rate will increase from $8.15 to $8.46 per hour effective January 1, 2012.

Washington

Minimum Wage – Effective Jan. 1, 2012 the state minimum wage rate will increase from $8.67 to $9.04 per hour.