Payments to Individuals
Payments: Accounts Payable vs. Payroll
| Purpose of Payment | Pay Through Payroll | Pay Through Accounts Payable | Foreign National Individual |
| Awards for student employees, faculty, staff, prior employees, retirees **Scholarship Awards should be processed through Financial Aid | If the award is in any way related to employment it should be paid through Payroll Ex. P-154 | If the award is strictly academic and work was not involved in the decision to give the award it should be paid through AP **Must have documentation from the department | Taxed through Payroll |
| Awards for non employees | No. Process through Accounts Payable | Yes. Complete a Purchase Order for payment through HokieMart. If the award is $600 or greater, or if combined payments to the individual in the calendar year exceed $600, the individual will receive a Form 1099. | Taxable @ 30% |
| Gift Cards & Cash Equivalents for student employees, faculty, staff, prior employees, retirees | Yes. Please send all information pertaining to the gift card or cash equivalent to payroll@vt.edu. *Please note these are always taxable Ex. P-154 | No. Process through Payroll | Taxed through Payroll |
| Gift Cards & Cash Equivalents for non employees | No. Process through Accounts Payable | Not allowable on state funds unless following the IRB process. See Procedure 23715c. | Taxed through AP at 30% |
| Honorariums for non employees | No. Process through Accounts Payable | Yes. Complete a Purchase Order for payment through HokieMart. If the award is $600 or greater, or if combined payments to the individual in the calendar year exceed $600, the individual will receive a Form 1099. | Taxable @ 14% for F or J Visa Taxable@ 30% for any other visa status |
| Payments for Services for student employees, faculty, staff, prior employees, retirees | Yes. Payments made to employees for services, including consulting should pay via Payroll. Please contact the HR Service Center to set up payment Anything outside of the normal scope of the employees’ work will need to be evaluated. Ex. P-14 Wage – process via Banner Time Entry | No. Process through Payroll. | Taxed through Payroll |
| Payments for Services for non-employees | If the individual does not qualify as an Independent Contractor per the Independent Contractor check list, they must be paid through Payroll. Please contact the HR Service Center to set up payment | Complete the Independent Contractor Form. If the individual qualifies as an Independent Contractor through the Independent Contractor list, they should be paid through Accounts Payable. | Taxable @ 14% for F or J Visa Taxable@ 30% for any other visa status |
| Prizes | Should follow protocol for Awards | Should follow protocol for Awards | Taxable @ 30% |
| Reimbursements for student employees, faculty, staff, prior employees, retirees | No. Process through Accounts Payable | Yes. Complete an Expense Report through Emburse. *Reimbursement requests that are over 1 year old at submission are taxable by IRS regulations. | Not taxed if reimbursement falls under the accountable plan. Travel Grant are Taxable @ 14% for F or J Visa Taxable@ 30% for any other visa status |
- If the scope of the services provided is for Instruction, Teaching, etc., payments must be processed via Payroll. Any payments for Instruction cannot go through AP.
- Honorariums for student employees, staff, prior employees, and retirees are token payments made to bestow recognition to an individual for services they perform, for which payment is not required. Virginia Tech does not pay honorariums to employees. Please refer to Procedure 23715.