Blog posts by
Beth Dean

When shopping for the right PEO for your business, you’ll naturally look for a few checkpoints, such as technology, employee benefit options, and customer service. But perhaps the biggest point you’ll need assurance on is their trustworthiness. That’s where ESAC accreditation comes in. The Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC) is one of the Professional Employer […]

Handing off your human resources tasks to a Professional Employer Organization changes how you run your business. You get access to premium benefits, automated payroll, and expert HR guidance. But you probably want to know how the relationship actually works day to day. Partnering with a PEO gives your people better health benefits than you […]

As we kick off 2026, we’d like to give you a heads-up regarding changes to Federal Unemployment taxes (FUTA) for employees in California, the Virgin Islands, and New York. Some states are subject to a “Credit Reduction,” which essentially means employers in those states pay a higher federal unemployment tax rate to cover outstanding federal […]

Check out some of the amazing things we did together in 2025 with our interactive year in review!

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduced a number of changes for employers. Luckily, Nextep is here to help! As our clients’ PEO and Employer of Record, Nextep automates much of the compliance, tax reporting, and administrative burden created by the OBBBA. While the laws change, our partnership ensures your business stays compliant. Here […]

On July 4, 2025, the U.S. President signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) into law. Since then, we at Nextep have been watching for the fine print from Washington. Here is a rundown of what is currently active law, what is retroactive, what is coming in 2026, and, importantly, what these […]

What counts as “qualified” tips and overtime pay when you’re looking at tax exemptions? We’re here to break it down for you. One of the changes included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), passed in July 2025, introduced a federal tax exemption on “qualified” tips and overtime wages. This exemption only applies to […]

Passed in 2022, the SECURE 2.0 Act made updates to strengthen the retirement system for both employers and employees. Here’s a rundown of what’s become effective and what to expect. Effective January 1, 2026 Roth Deferrals for High Earners Participants aged 50+ who earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages in the previous year (2025) […]

2026 SUTA  Wage Base Amounts We’ve put together a comprehensive list of 2026 SUTA (State Unemployment Tax Act) wage bases for each state, making it easier for you to stay compliant and manage your payroll taxes. Simply find your state in the table below and discover the applicable wage base for the upcoming year. Not […]

Plan your company’s financial strategy for 2026! To help you with your company’s budget, here’s an overview of some notable upcoming financial changes. Download your cheat sheet here: Download: 2026 Tax, FSA, and Retirement Updates   2026 Tax, FSA, and Retirement Updates 2026 2025 Taxes Social Security Wage Base $184,500 $176,100 FICA – Social Security […]

Summer is upon us! It’s a time when many companies may hire young people or increase their working hours, as school is out. This presents a great opportunity to refresh your knowledge of youth labor laws and ensure your company’s compliance. Below is an overview of federal youth labor laws you can use as a […]

Strategic Benefits = Savings, Satisfaction, and a Competitive Advantage Navigating employee benefits can feel like a maze. At Nextep, our Strategic Benefits Specialists simplify this journey through expert consultation and a deeply collaborative process – a stark contrast to the more transactional approach you might find elsewhere. We work closely with you from the beginning, […]