Frederick Community College

 

ACCT117ONL – Payroll Accounting

 

FALL 2009

 

Class begins: 8/22/09

Class ends:  12/12/09

Last Day to Drop: 11/2/09

 

You must send your email address to the instructor before class begins

 

Instructor Information:

 

 

Name:   Donna J. Lane, CPA, MBA

Office:  L101F

E-mail:  dlane@frederick.edu

Phone Number:  301-846-2603

Office Hours:  by appointment

Campus Mail Box #: 133

           

Course Information:

 

Credits:  3

On-campus Meetings:  none

On-campus Exams:  2

Prerequisites:  EN50A and EN52 or ESL95 and ESL99, and ACCT100 or ACCT101

Co-requisites:  none

 

Course Description:

 

Examines the concepts, regulations, laws and procedures related to payroll accounting.  The course is comprehensive and detailed to prepare students to be competent to account for the payroll of all businesses.  Includes hands-on preparation of all payroll forms, schedules, records and application of different systems.

 

Core Learning Outcomes:

 

Upon completion of this course students will:

1. Identify and apply relevant payroll laws and regulations.

2. Identify deposit and reporting requirements and prepare all quarterly and annual payroll-related forms.

3. Compare and contrast characteristics of different payroll systems.

4. Identify proper presentation and disclosure of payroll data within the financial statements.

5. Identify and compute:  gross earnings, tax and nontax deductions, net earnings for employees, and payroll taxes for employers.

 

 Instructional Methods:

 

Activities and projects

Problem solving/research

Online discussions

 

 

 

 

 How is this course organized:

 

The course is arranged by topics.  Each topic is a chapter that will be covered during a 2-week period and end with a quiz.  A continuing payroll problem begins in Ch. 2 and ends in Ch. 6.  The culmination of the course is an extensive problem that is done in a computer environment.

 

Text(s) for Course:

 

Required:  PAYROLL ACCOUNTING, Bieg, 2009 edition

ISBN#:  0-324-64554-6

 

Progress Report:

 

By the end of sixth week of the semester, you will have an opportunity to evaluate your progress in this course and decide if you need to make any adjustments (additional study, tutoring, conference with instructor) to assure your success in this course.

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluation Methods:

 

Tests / Papers / Projects

Point Value

Final Grade Scale

Exam 1 Chapters 1,2

Exam 2 Chapters 3,4

Exam 3 Chapters 5,6

Chapter quizzes (6)

Payroll project audit tests

Continuing Payroll Problem

Discussion board

TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE

100

100

100

150

100

  50

  50

650

 

A=585-650

 B=520-584

 C=455-519

 D=390-454

F=Below 390

 

If the graded performance for online assignments differs significantly from the grade average for proctored assignments, the instructor reserves the right to administer additional tests.

 

 

Attendance/Participation Policy:

 

Even though this is an on-line course, attendance is mandatory.  Attendance means visiting the Blackboard course site at least three times a week – four or five times a week is better.


Visiting the on-line course includes:

   Getting the week's assignments
   Doing the learning activities listed in the weekly assignments
   Participating in on-line class discussions at least twice a week

 

 

 

 

 

          Students with Disabilities

 

 

FCC provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and amendments.  Students with disabilities who are in need of accommodations must contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at 301-846-2408 (A Building, Room 106A) in order to request and apply for services.  The SSD office will require appropriate documentation of a disability.  Questions related to accommodations or services can be directed to the SSD office.  Additional information related to services can be viewed at the following FCC web page:  http://www.frederick.edu/student_services/disability.aspx. 

If you currently receive services from the SSD office, please submit your Student Success Plan to me and make an appointment with me to discuss your accommodations and needs in class.  I will hold any information you share with me in strict confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise.

 



 

 

 Email Policy:

 

Email is an instructional tool essential to student-instructor and student-student communication. In the Blackboard environment by default, your email address is available to all students in this course.

However, students are permitted to use email addresses of other students in this course only for the purpose and the duration of this course.

Students who are concerned about the privacy of their personal email address are reminded of commercially available products that allow them to create unique email addresses specifically for the purpose and duration of this course.

The instructor can be expected to respond to regular student email inquiries (grades, posted assignments, and tests excluded) within the time frame of 24 to 48 hours.

 

Academic Honesty:

 

Work in this course is subject to the provisions of the FCC Code of Academic Honesty. Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. As a student, it is your job to practice academic honesty at ALL times.  Make sure that all sources, particularly Internet sources, get proper credit for quotations, paraphrases, and ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Topical Outline

 

Week

SUBJECT

CONTENT

Week 1, 2

Ch. 1 THE NEED FOR PAYROLL/PERSONNEL RECORDS

State wage and hour laws

FICA

Income tax withholding laws

Unemployment tax acts

QUIZ 1

Week 3, 4

Ch. 2 COMPUTING/PAYING WAGES AND SALARIES 

Fair Labor Standards Act

Determining employees’ work time

Records used for timekeeping

Methods of computing and paying wages and salaries

QUIZ 2; EXAM 1

Week 5, 6

 Ch. 3 SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES

Coverage under FICA

Forms SS-4 and SS-5

Form 941

Failure-to-comply penalties

QUIZ 3

Week 7, 8

Ch. 4 INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING

Coverage under Federal withholding law

Withholding allowances

Supplemental wage payments

Earned income credit

Tax forms

Independent contractors

QUIZ 4; EXAM 2

Week 9, 10

Ch. 5 UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION TAXES

Coverage under FUTA and SUTA

Unemployment compensation taxes and credits

Employer reports

Unemployment compensation benefits

QUIZ 5

Week 11, 12

Ch. 6 ANALYZING/JOURNALIZING PAYROLL TRANSACTIONS

Payroll register; earnings record

Recording gross payroll/withholdings

Recording taxes/adjustments

Recording other payroll deductions

Summary of accounts used

QUIZ 6; EXAM 3

Week 13

Ch. 7 PAYROLL PROJECT; article

CONTROLLING COSTS: PAYROLL, BENEFITS AND TAXES

Books of account

Narrative/questions

Employees’ earnings records

Submit Audit tests 1, 2, 3, 4

Week 14         

Continue project

Submit audit tests 5, 6, 7, 8

Week 15

Continue and complete project

Submit audit test 9 & Optional Activities

 

            THE TOPICAL OUTLINE MAY BE CHANGED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR.