Payroll and Tax Fundamentals (Coursera)

Payroll and Tax Fundamentals (Coursera)

Using the pay statement as our roadmap, this course covers the basics of payroll that everyone who receives a paycheck should know. Starting with your classification as an employee, you'll learn why certain new hire forms are required; how to calculate various payroll amounts, including gross and taxable wages, deductions, and certain taxes; how pretax deductions and benefits impact your taxes; and how your pay statement year-to-dates are used to generate a W-2. All this so you can make sure you are being paid accurately.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

What you'll learn

  • The learner will explore fundamental aspects of payroll, including earnings, taxes, deductions and the significance of accurate personal information.
  • Explore other employee benefits and look at pay statement details and the W-2, enhancing the understanding of income reporting.
  • The importance of payroll date calculations and payment methods.

Syllabus

Payroll and Taxes for the Employee
We’ll look at how evaluating whether you are a contractor, or an employee determines what forms you will need to get you on board at your new job. We’ll discuss minimum wage rate, overtime rules and the importance of the calendar when receiving payroll.

Earnings, Taxes, and Deductions
This week, we’ll discuss different earning types, how gross pay is calculated with overtime and commission, and we’ll take a close look at payroll taxes and other elements impact deductions.

Net Pay, Benefits, and Pay Statement Details
Learn how to recognize the essential components on your pay statement so you know what you are being paid and what is being withheld from your pay. Then, it’s time to learn how these components are used to calculate your net pay and how those amounts are reflected on your annual statement.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Coberturas de riesgo con futuros y opciones para agrobusiness (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad Austral

Coberturas de riesgo con futuros y opciones para agrobusiness (Coursera)

La producción agropecuaria y agroalimentaria tiene una gran importancia en las economías latinoamericanas tanto desde el punto de vista de su participación en el PBI de los países, generación de empleo y exportaciones , ya que en muchos casos las exportaciones agroalimentarias constituyen una fuente muy importante de divisas en las economías latinoamericanas.

Oct 12th 2026
4 Weeks
Becoming a Sports Agent (Coursera) Coursera
Case Western Reserve University

Becoming a Sports Agent (Coursera)

An immersive experience in the world of sports that will take students through the four stages of a professional athlete's career. Utilizing lectures, guest speakers, reading assignments and hypothetical walkthroughs, students will learn how the best sports agents manage clients at each of these four stages. This course will provide each student with the skills necessary to guide an athlete through the difficult decisions that can make or lose the athlete millions of dollars, as well as affect their public image and career.

Oct 12th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Run Simple HR with SuccessFactors Employee Central (openSAP) OpenSAP
SAP

Run Simple HR with SuccessFactors Employee Central (openSAP)

The openSAP course Run Simple HR with SuccessFactors Employee Central is open to everyone, and is aimed at those interested in learning about HR in the cloud and how Employee Central can support your people strategy. The course is ideally suited for SAP on-premise customers interested in moving to the cloud, but will be of interest to all HR professionals who want to learn more about Employee Central. The course will begin with an overview of Employee Central, and will include demos of Core HR for employees, managers, and HR administrators. You’ll learn about Global Payroll and Benefits using Employee Central Payroll and the Payroll Control Center. You’ll also learn how to configure deductions and advances, reporting and analytics, absence management, time sheets, and more.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Principles of Economics: Microeconomics (MRUniversity) MRUniversity
Marginal Revolution University

Principles of Economics: Microeconomics (MRUniversity)

By taking this free microeconomics course, you’ll be exposed to the economic way of thinking. You’ll understand how to use economics in your life and, ultimately, see the world differently. Supply and demand, prices, the invisible hand, trade, monopoly, externalities, wages, public goods, asymmetric info, and more.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Desarrollo rápido de productos innovadores para mercados emergentes (Coursera) Coursera
Tecnológico de Monterrey

Desarrollo rápido de productos innovadores para mercados emergentes (Coursera)

El objetivo del curso es aprender el proceso para el Desarrollo Rápido de Productos Innovadores para mercados emergentes a través de la aplicación de 3 fases. Recordemos siempre que la diferencia entre una invención y una innovación no radica del todo en el grado de novedosidad, sino en la aceptación de dicho producto y/o servicio innovador demostrada a través de su adquisición/compra por el consumidor/mercado meta.

Oct 12th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Costos para los Negocios (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad de Chile

Costos para los Negocios (Coursera)

Al completar el curso, los participantes podrán: a) Analizar los elementos, las estructuras, los métodos y los sistemas de costeo propios de una empresa, utilizando diversas herramientas, para identificar los posibles tipos de cálculos a generar. b) Calcular costos, utilizando diversos procedimientos acordes a los tipos de objetos de costos, estructuras, procesos y sistemas, con el propósito de obtener información relevante para la empresa que permitan una adecuada toma de decisiones. c) Elaborar e interpretar informes de costeos de objetos del costo, basándose en la información recabada y los datos obtenidos, con la finalidad de proponer diversas recomendaciones que permitan efectivas toma de decisiones.

Oct 12th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Economic Growth and Distributive Justice Part II - Maximize Social Wellbeing (Coursera) Coursera
Tel Aviv University

Economic Growth and Distributive Justice Part II - Maximize Social Wellbeing (Coursera)

If you really care about the big questions in the economies and societies of the 21st century, such as distributive justice - namely, inequality of income or wealth, and its correlation with economic growth - this course is meant for you. The knowledge you will gain can truly change your outlook on our world.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Identifying Social Entrepreneurship Opportunities (Coursera) Coursera
Copenhagen Business School

Identifying Social Entrepreneurship Opportunities (Coursera)

This Course will clarify the definition and meaning of Social Entrepreneurship and will focus on the need to learn about the source and root of a social problem. You will be introduced to different perspectives about Social Entrepreneurship and you will learn about complementary and opportunistic assets which will help you to detect an opportunity and develop an idea of how to create a business for social change.

Oct 12th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Finance for Everyone: Debt (Coursera) Coursera
McMaster University

Finance for Everyone: Debt (Coursera)

In Debt, we take on one of the most challenging financial questions that remains unresolved: How much to borrow? We start by demonstrating why using debt has always been and continues to be a great temptation, particularly when borrowing costs are historically low. We identify conditions for selecting the optimal amount of debt for a corporation looking to maximize its value. You’ll become fluent in related concepts like norms and benchmarks.

Oct 12th 2026
4 Weeks
International Business I (Coursera) Coursera
University of New Mexico

International Business I (Coursera)

We live in a world of intensifying global relationships, one in which international business has become the key determinant of economic development and prosperity. This course, Global Business Environment, Part I, introduces students to a fundamental understanding of the socioeconomic political, cultural, and linguistic environment in which international businesses operate.

Oct 12th 2026
5-12 Weeks