Set up your federal and state payroll taxes in Relay

NEW: Relay Payroll is available by invitation while it's in beta. Setting up your taxes is part of getting your company ready to run payroll.

To set up payroll taxes in Relay, add your federal details including your Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) and federal tax deposit schedule along with your state details, such as state tax account IDs and rates.

Be sure to use your FEIN, not your Social Security number. Using an SSN may cause your tax returns to be rejected.

What you'll need

Have these ready before you start:

Your Federal Employer ID Number (FEIN) not your Social Security number.
Your federal tax deposit schedule.
Your state tax account IDs and rates (state withholding, state unemployment, and any local taxes that apply).

What federal tax details do I need?

Your federal taxes need your Federal Employer ID Number (FEIN) and your federal tax deposit schedule. Use your FEIN, not your Social Security number as your payroll tax returns and payments are rejected if the FEIN is wrong. Your federal tax deposit schedule defaults to semi-weekly.

What state tax details do I need?

Your state taxes need your state tax account IDs and rates. The exact fields depend on your state, but most states ask for:

Your state withholding account ID and withholding deposit schedule.
Your state unemployment (SUI) account ID and unemployment rate.
Any local tax account IDs for where your team works.

You'll enter these in your Relay Payroll tax settings.

PRO TIP: You can start setup and even run payroll before your state tax account IDs arrive. Enter your tax rates and deposit schedules to finish setup, then add your real state tax account IDs before the end of the quarter so your filings process correctly. Never enter a placeholder or made-up account number to move ahead that can cause incorrect tax payments and filings.

If something goes wrong

A couple of issues can hold up your tax setup:

Your legal name and FEIN don't match IRS records. A mismatch can hold up setup, and your returns and payments are rejected when the FEIN is wrong. Re-enter your exact registered legal name and correct FEIN.
You don't have your state tax account IDs yet. You can finish setup and run payroll with your tax rates and deposit schedules, then add your real account IDs before the end of the quarter. If you've never paid employees in your state, register with your state to get them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run payroll before my state tax IDs are ready?

Yes. You can finish setup and run payroll before your state tax account IDs are in. Enter your tax rates and deposit schedules to finish setup, then add your real account IDs before the end of the quarter so your filings process correctly never a placeholder or made-up account number. If you've never paid employees in your state, register with your state to get your IDs. You can enter these details after setup in your Relay Payroll tax settings.

Can I use my SSN instead of a FEIN?

No. You can't use your Social Security number in place of your Federal EIN. The IRS requires a Federal EIN once you've hired your first employee, and your payroll tax returns and payments are rejected if the FEIN is wrong.

Talk to our Customer Experience team

If this article did not fully answer your question, our Customer Experience team is here to help.