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dr-shane-garrett
July 5, 2021
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I have a question about best double-entry accounting practices.  Background: I use a 3rd party Payroll (Gusto) that reports directly to QBO.

  • July 5, 2021
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I have a question about best double-entry accounting practices.  Background: I use a 3rd party Payroll (Gusto) that reports directly to QBO.  When running payroll, Gusto creates a QBO Journal Entry in which my 401k benefit is reported as a CREDIT to a Liability Account (401k Liability) matched by a DEBIT to an Expense Account (Employee Salary, Benefits, and Tax Expenses).  Later, I must manually transfer funds from the Business Checking account to the 401k management company.  This creates a QBO transaction for me to categorize.  To properly categorize that transaction I, then, must manually create a new journal entry, whereby I DEBIT the 401k Liability Account.  My question is:  should I CREDIT the Employee Expense Account or the Business Checking Account?
Best answer by john-pero

The company liability for the 401k has been created for you the way you described it. The next step is NOT a journal entry but simply a  check or ACH to the 401k that debits the liability.

1 reply

john-pero
john-peroAnswer
July 6, 2021

The company liability for the 401k has been created for you the way you described it. The next step is NOT a journal entry but simply a  check or ACH to the 401k that debits the liability.

dr-shane-garrett
July 6, 2021

I did as you stated.  I recorded the ACH transaction as a transfer to the 401(k) liability account, which debited that account to balance the credit to the 401(k) liability account created by the Gusto journal entry.  Thank you.