Gusto

Since our platform has an integration with your payroll provider, we can take a lot of work off your plate regarding the processing of your payroll files through automation.

Gusto offers a 360° level of integration.

This guide will help you set up your integration as well as help you understand your specific responsibilities for the proper administration and submission of payroll files.

  1. Is My Version of Gusto Compatible With the Integration? 
  2. Are There Any Reasons Why My Plan Might Not Be Eligible for an Integration? 
  3. What Are My Responsibilities if My Plan Has an Active Payroll Integration? 
  4. What Payroll Activities Do You Handle for Me?
  5. How Do I Connect My Integration?
  6. How Do I Disconnect My Integration?

Is My Version of Gusto Compatible With the Integration? 

Gusto offers several products that have similar names. Below is a list of the integration-compatible product/version names offered by Gusto. 

Supported

  • Gusto (Simple, Plus, or Premium)

Not Supported

  • Gusto Embedded 
    • This includes any business or organization that uses a platform powered by Gusto Embedded. 

Visit https://gusto.com/product/pricing for more information on your Gusto product.

Are There Any Reasons Why My Plan Might Not Be Eligible for an Integration? 

Some plan design features currently prohibit the use of payroll integration, including:

  • Plans that have multiple EINs.
  • Plans that have multiple logins into their payroll system.
  • Plans that do not have an established recurring pay schedule set up with us and the payroll system.
  • Plans that do not use the same payroll provider for all pay group(s).
  • Plans that have limitations preventing each pay group from being integrated. 
  • Eligibility rules that exclude certain classes of employees, types of compensation, or certain types of hours worked.
  • Plans with per pay period non-mandatory employer contributions.
  • Plans that allow after-tax contributions (only be available if your plan uses a Third Party Administrator). Note: After-tax and Roth contributions differ.

How Do I Initiate My Integration Setup?

To connect your integration please follow the below instructions. You must be a Primary Admin or Full Access Admin on your Gusto account to complete the required steps below:

  1. Log in to your employer portal.
  2. Navigate to the "Contributions" page.
  3. Click the gear icon.
  4. Click the Connect to Gusto button.
  5. Follow the steps to authorize your connection.

We will deactivate your existing 401(k) deduction codes, please do not run payroll until you see "Vestwell” retirement deduction codes."

Where to Find Retirement Deduction Codes:

Your retirement deduction codes will appear 4 business days before your first payroll with us. You can locate the codes in Gusto by following the instructions below:

  1. Log in to Gusto.
  2. Select Benefits.
  3. Navigate to "Active Benefits."
  4. Click Benefits connected to Gusto.

Note: These deduction codes will not appear under each individual employee, rather they will reflect on the "Benefits" tab of your Gusto portal.

What Are My Responsibilities? 

Our ability to successfully process your payroll files and administer your plan depends on you! It is your responsibility to manage:

Loans

  • Set up and maintain retirement loans within your payroll system. Follow the steps below to set up a loan in Gusto:
    • Log into the Gusto portal.
    • Navigate to the employee to which a loan repayment should be added.
    • Scroll to the bottom of the employee's Job & Pay tab and click +Add Garnishment or Custom Deduction.
    • Under Deduction Type, choose Garnishment.
    • Under Garnishment Type, choose Other Garnishment.
    • Under Description, type exactly Vestwell 401k Loan Repayment.
    • Use the following prompts on the Gusto website to accurately enter the loan repayment amount to be withheld.
    • Click Save & Continue.

Discretionary and/or Profit-Sharing Contributions 

  • With an active integration, non-mandatory company contributions will not be able to be set up within your payroll system.
  • Submit non-mandatory employer contributions through your employer portal using an off-cycle upload.

Mandatory Employer Contributions

  • With an active integration, mandatory company contributions which are funded on a frequency other than per pay period will not be able to be set up within your payroll system.
  • Submit mandatory employer contributions that are on a frequency other than a per-pay period basis using an off-cycle upload.
  • Fixed match will not be able to be set up within your payroll system & will also need to be submitted using an off-cycle upload.

Pay Groups 

  • Make sure any pay groups in your payroll system are also set up with us and vice versa.
  • If you are removing a pay group from your payroll system, please contact us directly.
  • The number of pay groups or companies in your payroll system may affect your plan’s eligibility to integrate.
    • If your plan has multiple pay groups, you must add a pay schedule name to identify each pay group. You can do this by following the next steps:
      • Log into the Gusto portal.
      • Navigate to the settings option. 
      • Find the "Pay Schedule" option & click the Edit button.

  • Enter a name to identify the pay group in the empty field.

  • Click Save.

Saver Status Changes - Payroll System

  • Make updates in your payroll system when savers are hired, terminated, or re-hired. Include a specific date when making these status changes in your payroll system.

Saver Personal Information

  • Maintain complete, accurate, and up-to-date personal information within your payroll system - including date of birth, social security number, and email address. 

Pay Frequency/Schedule Changes

  • Report any pay frequency or pay schedule changes to your retirement plan representative to ensure there is no delay in processing your payroll files upon making this change in your payroll system.

Negative Contributions/Corrections

  • Negative contributions or corrections are not able to be processed through the integration. For assistance with negative contributions or corrections, please contact us directly.

Review Payroll Data

  • We rely on you to provide us with correct, updated, and complete data about your employees regardless of whether we receive that data directly from you or from your payroll provider. Regular audits and spot checks of the data provided to us will help you quickly identify and rectify any discrepancies.
  • We recommend ensuring accuracy of the Plan Contact Info on your employer portal as an email will be sent to notify you of any discrepancies.

What Do You Handle For Me if My Plan Has an Active Payroll Integration?

Payroll Codes

Set up and maintain certain deduction/earnings codes within your payroll system. Once the integration is set up, these will not be able to be edited.

  • Vestwell Pre-Tax 401(k)
  • Vestwell Roth 401(k)

Saver Deferrals - First Payroll

  • Four business days prior to your first pay date with us, we will use the saver deferral rates in the portal to set saver elections in your payroll system. To guarantee saver deferral rates have been updated in your payroll system, do not run payroll prior to 4 business days before your scheduled pay date.

Saver Deferral Updates

  • Ongoing deferral changes made in the portal by eligible savers will be communicated to your payroll system. It may take a few pay periods for this to be reflected in saver paychecks. 
  • If your plan has an auto-enrollment feature, the same guidelines above apply.

Saver Status Changes in the Portal

  • When you add, rehire, or terminate employees in your payroll system, the changes will be reflected in the portal.

Processing Contributions

  • Process employee deferrals and employer contributions, which are maintained by the integration shortly after you run payroll in your payroll system.
  • If you process your payroll early, we will never process the contributions file before the pay date. 
  • Off-cycle contributions processed in your payroll system will come through the integration & reflect in your employer portal after the pay date, unless the off-cycle is categorized as a Wage Correction, Reversal or Tax Reconciliation.

Will You or Gusto Charge Me Fees to Set Up and/or Maintain This Payroll Integration?

Please note that integration fees may apply. For further information, please reach out to your representative.

What if I Amend My Plan or Change the Frequency of My Employer Contributions? 

If your plan has been amended or if you are considering an amendment to your original plan documents, please inform your retirement plan representative to understand what actions on your part will be required to submit and process your payroll files correctly.

If you have changed the frequency of funding your employer contribution, our team will work with your payroll provider to make any necessary updates. 

How Do I Disconnect My Integration?

To disconnect your integration:

  • Log in to your sponsor portal.
  • Navigate to your "Contributions" page.
  • Click the gear icon.  
  • Select Disconnect under the integration status.
  • Follow the steps to authorize your connection.

If you change payroll providers, it is your responsibility to inform us so that we can work with you to assess whether integration with a different payroll provider is available. Please reach out to your representative, and we will assist you.