Transaction Type - Formula Deduction Detailed Example

Overview

This article details the step-by-step process for implementing unemployment levy formulas in payroll systems, with specific instructions for Wisconsin's 16-line calculation method that incorporates gross earnings, taxes, child support, existing garnishments, union dues, and insurance deductions.

The article also briefly contrasts Wisconsin's approach with Illinois creditor garnishment rules, which limit withholding to the lesser of 15% of gross wages or the amount by which disposable earnings exceed 45 times the applicable minimum wage, providing payroll administrators with the technical knowledge needed to correctly configure these distinct state garnishment calculations.

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The example below is an Unemployment Levy formula. There are 21 lines in the document, but only Lines 1 through 16 are applicable to the formula, with the remaining lines being applicable during the addition of the deduction onto an employee record. The pictures below show the lines from the document and how they should be entered into the editor. There is some room for customization, as is described below.

1. Line 1: The Gross Earnings for the employee is entered as a single value.
   
   
   1. Select Specify single value for the function type.
      
      
   2. Select Gross Earnings under the Non-transactional type value drop-down menu, because Gross Earnings is not a transaction type or a set value.
      
      
2. Line 2: Federal, State, and Social Security taxes are added.
1. Select Add for the function type.
   
   
2. Select Federal Tax, State Tax, and Social Security Tax from the Non-transactional type value drop-down menu for the values.

• Note: Since there are more than two values, you will have to click the small plus (+) sign next to the value. 
  
  
• Line 3: Line 2 is subtracted from Line 1.
  • Note: This is equivalent to Line 1 - Line 2 in mathematical terms. The editor should read "Subtract: Line 2 from Line 1.
    
    
  1. Select Subtract for the function type.
     
     
  2. Select Line 2 from the Previous line reference drop-down menu to go into the first value.
     
     
  3. Select Line 1 from the Previous line reference drop-down menu to go into the second value.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Line 4: All Child Support deductions are entered as a single value.
  • Note: It is recommended to create a Child Support transaction group as is described in the following
    
    
  1. Select Specify single value for the function type.
     
     
  2. Select the name of the Child Support transaction group from the Transaction type group drop-down menu.
     
     
• Line 5: Levies, Wage Assignments, and Garnishments are added.
  • Note: It is recommended to make each of these into their own separate transaction groups. The following describes their entry as their own groups.
    
    
  1. Select Add as the function type.
     
     
  2. Select the name of the transaction groups for levies, wage assignments, and garnishments for each value from the Transaction type group drop-down menu.
     
     
• Line 6: Line 4 and Line 5 are added.
  
  
  1. Select Add as the function type.
     
     
  2. Select Line 4 and Line 5 for each value under the Previous line reference drop-down menu.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Line 7: Union Dues is entered as a single value.

• Note: If this transaction type does not exist because it was not previously used, we recommend you create it now. All transaction types used in a formula that are not present on an employee record will be processed as having a value of zero. It is possible to skip this line, however, all numbers in following lines in the formula will have to be adjusted including line references. 
  
  

1. Select Specify single value for the function type.
   
   
2. Select the (BLANK) Category from the Transaction type value drop-down menu and select Union Dues transaction type from the second drop-down menu.
   
   

• Line 8: Insurance is entered as a single value.
  • Note: It is recommended to create a transaction group for Insurance as is described in the following. 
    
    
  1. Select Specify single value for the function type.
     
     
  2. Select the name of the Insurance transaction group from the Transaction type group drop-down menu.
     
     
• Line 9: Lines 6, 7, and 8 are added.

1. Select Add as the function type.
   
   
2. Select Line 6, Line 7, and Line 8 from the Previous line reference drop-down

• Note: Since there are more than two values, you will have to click the small plus (+) sign next to the value.
  
  
• Line 10: Line 9 is subtracted from Line 3.
  • Note: This is equivalent to Line 3 - Line 9 in mathematical terms. The editor should read "Subtract: Line 9 from Line 3.
    
    
  1. Select Subtract as the function type.
     
     
  2. Select Line 9 from the Previous line reference drop-down menu to go into the first value.
     
     
  3. Select Line 3 from the Previous line reference drop-down menu to go into the second value.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Line 11: Line 10 is multiplied by 0.25. 
  
  
  1. Select Multiply for the function type.
     
     
  2. Select Line 10 from the Previous line reference drop-down for the first value.
     
     
  3. Enter 0.25 in the Manual value entry field for the second value.
     
     
• Line 12: Line 3 is multiplied by 0.25.
  
  
  1. Select Multiply for the function type.
     
     
  2. Select Line 3 from the Previous line reference drop-down for the first value.
     
     
  3. Enter 0.25 in the Manual value entry field.
     
     
• Line 13: Line 9 is subtracted from Line 12.
  • Note: This is equivalent to Line 12 - Line 9 in mathematical terms. The editor should read "Subtract: Line 9 from Line 12."
    
    
  1. Select Subtract as the function type.
     
     
  2. Select Line 9 from the Previous line reference drop-down menu to go into the first value.
     
     
  3. Select Line 12 from the Previous line reference drop-down menu to go into the second value.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Line 14: A specific number value is entered based on the pay period of this formula. 
  • Note: As this formula can be reused by multiple employees, so it is recommended to note employee dependent selections such as this in the name of the transaction. For instance, this example may be named "Unemployment Levy - Weekly pay period" to prevent it being used for employees that require a different value for this. 
    
    
  1. Select Specify single value as the function type.
     
     
  2. Enter the applicable value (217.5 entered in the editor for a weekly pay period) in the Manual value entry field.
     
     
• Line 15: Line 14 is subtracted from Line 3.
  • Note: This is equivalent to Line 3 - Line 14 in mathematical terms. The editor should read "Subtract: Line 14 from Line 3"
    
    
  1. Select Subtract as the function type.
     
     
  2. Select Line 14 from the Previous line reference drop-down menu to go into the first value.
     
     
  3. Select Line 3 from the Previous line reference drop-down menu to go into the second value.
     
     
• Line 16: Lines 11, 13, and 15 are compared and the smallest value is used.
  
  
  1. Select Use the lesser value as the function type.
     
     
  2. Select Line 11, Line 13, and Line 15 from the Previous line reference.
  • Note: Since there are more than two values, you will have to click the small plus (+) sign next to the value.

The last 5 lines are applied when the deduction is added to the employee. 

Illinois Creditor Garnishment

The amount to withhold for a creditor garnishment in Illinois is the lesser of:

• 15% of gross wages (not disposable earnings)
• The amount by which disposable earnings exceed 45 times the greater of the federal or Illinois minimum wage

Key points about this calculation:

• Disposable earnings means gross pay minus required deductions (federal/state taxes, Social Security, Medicare)
• The calculation doesn't automatically include deductions for child support or previous levies
• If needed, those additional deductions can be added under tax lines when calculating disposable earnings
• Illinois uses whichever minimum wage is higher (state or federal) in the calculation

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