UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Controller

Barnes & Noble P-Card Purchase Changes

Shopping cart with credit card and keyboard.

There has been an upgrade to the Barnes and Noble Bookstore credit card processing system, according to Theresa Knott, controller’s office. Faculty and staff who purchase items with a P-card at the bookstore will now need to have a PIN set up for the PIN and chip features on their cards. In the past the bookstore staff were able to manually enter card information and override the necessity of entering a PIN if the cardholder didn’t know or have a PIN set up on the card. That will no longer be possible. Please be prepared to enter a PIN number for all P-card transactions with the bookstore. If you have not set up a PIN, or if you do not remember your PIN, you will need to call Wells Fargo to reset the PIN. Follow the instructions below.

  • Call Wells Fargo at 1-800-932-0036 and select option 2
  • Option 1
  • Option 2
  • Enter your account number (pcard number)
  • Enter your Unique ID#.  Your Unique ID is the last four digits of your UP ID#.
  • Select a four digit PIN

For more information contact Knott at pcard@up.edu.

2017 Tax Reform Legislation: Time to Double-Check Withholding

Tax reform legislation enacted in December, 2017 makes a number of changes for 2018 that affect individual taxpayers. The IRS has released the 2018 Form W-4, and has updated the IRS withholding calculator in order to assist taxpayers in determining the appropriate withholding allowances for the 2018 tax year.

The IRS specifically encourages taxpayers who fall into the following groups to double-check their withholding:

  • Two-income families;
  • Taxpayers with two or more jobs at the same time or who only work for part of the year;
  • Taxpayers with children who claim credits such as the child tax credit;
  • Taxpayers who itemized deductions in 2017; and/or
  • High-income taxpayers and those with complex tax returns.

Below are links to the 2018 Form W-4 and IRS withholding calculator. While the IRS has stated that employees are not required to make any changes, they have strongly recommended that employees review their withholding to make sure it is accurate.

To access the IRS withholding calculator please use this link.

To view the 2018 Form W4 click on this link.

Please send new W-4 forms to the payroll department at least 10 days prior to the pay date you would like the change to take effect. If you have any questions please contact the payroll department at payroll@up.edu.

New Policy on Employee Recognition: Awards, and Events

20090210-01846.jpgAs we begin the holiday season, all departments should take note of a new policy adopted by the President’s Leadership Council with respect to employee recognition, awards, and events, according to Eric Barger, controller.  This new policy was adopted to ensure compliance with tax regulations, appropriate use of University resources, and equity across the departments of the University.  A significant point in the new policy is a general prohibition on the use of gift cards as gifts to employees.  There may be infrequent exceptions to this general rule, and in those circumstances departments must have officer approval in advance and give notice to the Controller’s Office (so that the value of the card may be included in taxable income).

To clarify, the drawing items at the annual staff luncheon are not going to be taxed; other gifts outside that arrangement that will be taxed. Because of the random nature of the drawings, those benefits are considered “de minimis.” The new policy may be read at this link.

For more information contact the controller at x7393 or barger@up.edu.

New Monthly PCard Calendar

knott copyAll PCard cardholders are asked to please open and download the updated 2016-2017 calendar for reference during the new fiscal year. Cardholders will need to have monthly reconciliations completed by the last day indicated in blue on the calendar. Approvers have until the last day indicated in pink to approve statements of cardholders in their departments. The calendar can also be found on the Controller’s web page on the left side bar under “Purchase Cards.”

For more information contact Theresa Knott, controller’s office, at 8712 or knott@up.edu.

Money Matters

Responsibility for p-card reconciliations will continue through the summer, according to Eric Barger, controller. Those who use p-cards for University expenses can go online from anywhere with internet access to reconcile p-card statements. For more information, contact Theresa Knott, controller’s office, at 8712.

Please remember that the IRS requires documentation of names of all participants for meals and entertainment expenses, an area of documentation that the University needs to improve. Best wishes for a safe and happy summer from the controller’s office.