Stay compliant, save time, and pay your US team with confidence

US payroll typically involves:

1. Collecting employee and tax setup information
2. Calculating gross wages
3. Deducting federal, state, and local taxes
4. Withholding benefits and other deductions
5. Paying employees
6. Filing payroll taxes and submitting employer liabilities
7. Producing reports and employee tax forms (e.g., W-2s)

Because every state—and many cities—have different tax rules, companies rely on US payroll services, online payroll systems, or a trusted payroll company to stay compliant. Modern online payroll services make it easier to automate calculations, tax filings, and secure payroll processing across all 50 states.

Look for:

• Automated compliance across federal, state, and local laws
• Real-time calculations and transparent payroll reporting
• Ability to support employees in multiple states
• Integrations with HRIS, benefits, accounting, and time tracking
• The option for expert review or support
• Scalability if you employ workers outside the US

Deel checks all of these boxes by offering a single platform for both global teams and US payroll services, making it a strong alternative to traditional payroll companies or local payroll firms.

Yes, there is a payroll tax in the US. Payroll tax includes the taxes employees and employers pay on wages, tips, and salaries. It encompasses federal, state, and local income taxes, as well as the employee's share of Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA). Both employers and employees have to pay an equivalent share of Social Security and Medicare taxes, with the Social Security tax rate at 12.4% and the Medicare tax rate at 2.9%, paid evenly by both employers and employees.

If you paid $1,500 or more in wages during any calendar quarter, or you had at least one employee working part of a day in 20 or more weeks in the current or previous year, you are required to pay the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) annually.

For all 50 states, Deel will accurately & automatically calculate and file payroll taxes with the IRS and with local, state and federal agencies on your behalf, along with necessary W-2, W-4, new hire and termination filings. We also offer human resources tools like digital I-9 verification to facilitate compliant new hire onboarding, and have 24/7 support to help you at every step of the way. Plus, clients can use our proactive monitoring tool, the Compliance Hub, to stay informed about compliance updates that are impactful, whether you’re a small business or enterprise.

With our built-in Benefits Admin, Deel will consolidate all benefits into a single HR system so that all key information and deductions are synched and automated into your payroll. Your employees can easily manage their enrollment directly from the Deel platform. You can either use your own preferred broker. Deel can refer you to a benefits provider partner like Employee Navigator or Thatch to set up and manage your benefits program.

You can run payroll monthly, semi-monthly, or bi-weekly, and can also run off-cycle payroll as needed. Unlike other payroll services, we do not charge for off-cycle payments with US payroll.

Yes. Deel will automatically generate and take care of filing these documents with the respective tax authorities, usually the IRS and Social Security Administration. We will then distribute W-2s to employees at year-end.

Yes. Modern online payroll systems (like Deel) include secure data handling, audit trails, automated reconciliation, and built-in compliance logic to reduce errors and risks.

Absolutely. Deel Payroll - US is built for companies with fewer than 200 US employees.