Massage Therapy Journal Spring 2025

24 • Massage Therapy Journal

T he time has come. The signs are everywhere. Maybe you don’t have time to take on new clients. Maybe you haven’t had time off in months. Or maybe your practice is growing and you need to be able to delegate some of your workload.

you supply the needed information to an automated EIN Assistant.” What will payroll look like? Anyone looking to hire an employee will also need to think about payroll. There are myriad payroll options available for small businesses, such as Gusto, Quickbooks Payroll and Square Payroll. Massage therapists should do a little research on the various options to find the best payroll software for their practice. Employee paperwork. As you think about payroll, remember that any employee you hire will need to fill out a W-4 to withhold the correct amount of federal tax from each paycheck. Remember, a W-4 is for employees, while a W-9 is for an independent contractor. Most of the payroll software available can help you navigate payroll taxes and expenses. “Payroll expenses are the sum you pay to employees for their labor, as well as associated expenses, such as employee benefits and payroll taxes,” Benson explains. “This is an important definition to note because you should consider your overall payroll expense when hiring a new employee.” New hires must also fill out an I-9 form to prove they are legally eligible to be employed in the United States. “You, as the employer, are charged with verifying the information your employee has supplied by examining one or a combination of documents (U.S. Passport, driver’s license, birth certificate),” Benson says. “So you, too, will complete and sign your portion of the I-9 and keep it on file.” Reconciliation Act mandates employers report any new hires to the directory maintained by their states within 20 days of the hire date. What to Look for When Hiring: Additionally, since 1996, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity

No matter the reason, the voice in the back of your head is saying the same thing: It’s time to hire. Hiring seems simple enough on the surface, but the process of bringing another person into your practice should be thoughtful and deliberate. Without careful planning, hiring can quickly turn something that is meant to help you and your practice into a massive headache instead. Between filing the proper paperwork, preparing for your new employer tax responsibilities, making sure you choose an employee that fits with your goals, and onboarding the employee, there are a lot of details to keep track of in the hiring process. Below are a few of the most important things to remember before, during and after hiring your first employee.

Tax Considerations Mean Paperwork, Paperwork and More Paperwork One of the first and most

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important things to come to grips with when considering hiring is the paperwork you’re going to need to file. Apply for an EIN number. Before hiring, you need to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). “The IRS and state agencies will require this number for tax filings and other paperwork,” says Brittany Benson, Lead Tax Research Analyst at H&R Block’s Tax Institute. “The fastest, easiest way to get yours is to apply online ,” she says”. You’ll be issued an EIN immediately after

Getting the Right Fit Hiring a first employee is a big decision, and deciding

who among the applicants best fits your needs and culture of your practice is an even bigger

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