Edit company details (for admins)

You can add a DBA in Gusto, but for official IRS filings, the IRS says you must use:

• The legal company name, and
• The Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).

Using only a DBA for official filings may cause tax issues.

Steps to add a DBA in Gusto

1. In the left menu, click your company name.
2. Under Information, click Details.
3. Next to your company name, click Edit.
4. Under Trade name, enter the DBA and click Save.

Your DBA will appear across your profile, on reports run in Gusto, and on your team's paystubs.

If your legal business name changes:

1. Submit the change to the IRS and state agencies.
2. Confirm with the IRS if you also need a new Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).
   • If yes, follow the steps for updating your FEIN.
   • If no, send a message in Gusto from the  in your account. It must include IRS and state documents that prove the name has changed (such as CP-575 or Letter 147C).

Gusto requires IRS proof before we can update your account. State documents alone are not enough.

Troubleshooting company name issues

If Gusto flags an error with your company name:

• It may mean you’re using a DBA instead of the legal IRS name.
• Send a message in Gusto from the  in your account with proof from the IRS showing your official name.
  • If you want to use a DBA in addition to the legal name, include both in the message.

A change to your FEIN can have serious tax implications. We'll work with you to help keep your tax reporting accurate, but it can sometimes take several weeks to fully account for a change to your FEIN.

Changing your Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) has significant tax implications and can take several weeks to fully process and reflect accurately in your tax reporting. To keep tax filings accurate under both your old and new FEINs, you'll need to create two separate Gusto accounts—one for each FEIN. Follow the steps below to set up your new company profile with the new FEIN.

Click the dropdown below that best represents your issue to find next steps.

For more information on the different entity types, check out our blog.

If you've changed your entity type, here’s what to do next:

1. Check with the IRS to see if this requires a change to your company's Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)—if so, click here for the next steps on how to update your FEIN with Gusto.
   • Important: When your FEIN changes, your state, and local tax account numbers typically change too (but not always)—contact all of your state and local tax agencies to see if you need new state or local account numbers. Once you have them, add them to the new company profile in Gusto that you’ll set up using the new FEIN.
     • Your original state and local account numbers that were associated with your old FEIN should remain as-is in the old Gusto company profile (that has the original FEIN).
2. If your Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) did not change, you can change your entity type in your existing company profile by following the steps below:
   • Click the Taxes & compliance section and select Tax setup.
   • Next to “Federal Tax Setup”, click Edit.
     • Certain permissions are required to update company details.
   • Under “Company Type”, make your new selection.
   • Click Save.

You may be asked to make additional updates in your account based on the change, or provide additional documentation or proof of the entity change. 

Example: If your company becomes taxed as an S-Corporation, you’ll also need to:

• Identify your firm’s 2% shareholders, and
• Update your company’s tax elections and exemptions in Gusto.

Note: An S-Corporation (S-Corp) is not a business entity type, but a tax election. You can specify this after you select your legal entity type as a C Corporation (C-Corp) or a Limited Liability Company (LLC).

A company location can be any address where your employees work (or live, for employees working from home), your legal filing address, or your legal mailing address. If you've added a new company location, enter it in Gusto.

Important reminders

• If you do not enter employee work locations during onboarding, and only have PO-box locations, we'll eventually ask for a company work location that's not a PO box (for taxation). 
• Legal or mailing address changes—be sure to notify the IRS of your legal or mailing address change. You’ll also need to notify the states (where you've previously registered) so they can update your legal or mailing address on file.
• If you’ve never registered with the state agencies where you now have employees working, you’ll need to register your business in the new state. 

If you do not let the IRS and state agencies know before making updates in Gusto, it may result in failed payments or filings.

At this time, you'll need to contact us from the in your account to request a phone number update. Your company phone number must be a US-based number.

The company signatory is responsible for electronically signing all government forms Gusto creates and is generally a member of the partnership/business.

Each time a signatory is added or updated in Gusto, we’ll have to file a new Form 8655 with the IRS—your signatory must be authorized by the IRS to give Gusto the “Reporting Agent Authorization” we need to file and pay your taxes.

Important reminders

• Changing the signatory will block payroll until your new signatory has re-signed company forms—make sure they're ready to sign them before making the change.
• If your signatory is changing, you should notify the IRS by completing Form 8822-b.
• The company signatory and person who signs benefits-related forms (benefit-signatory) are different, or can be.
  • If you need to change your benefits signatory, contact us from the in your account and we'll start the process.

Authorized signers by entity type:

• Sole proprietorships.
  • The individual owning the business.
• Corporation—including a limited liability company (LLC) treated as a corporation.
  • An officer having legal authority to bind the corporation,
  • Any person designated by the board of directors or other governing body,
  • Any officer or employee on written request by any principal officer, and
  • Any other person authorized to access information under section 6103(e).
• Partnership (including an LLC treated as a partnership) or an unincorporated organization.
  • A member of the partnership.
• Single member LLC treated as a disregarded entity.
  • The owner of the LLC.

Step 1. Delete the current signatory

You must be the primary administrator to complete the steps below:

1. Click your company name in the left menu to go to your company's profile. 
2. Below the "Information" header on the left, click Details. 
3. Next to Company Signatory, click edit.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the pop-up, and click Delete this signatory.

Step 2. Assign a new signatory

Once this signatory is deleted, add the new signatory.

1. Click your company name in the left menu to go to your company's profile.
2. Below the "Information" header on the left, click Details. 
3. Next to Company Signatory, click Assign a signatory.
4. Select if you're the signatory.
   • If you are the new signatory, enter your information.
   • If you are not the new signatory, enter their email address so that we can send them a notification to fill out their information.

Once the new signatory is added, they'll be prompted to electronically sign a few forms by clicking the Documents section.

If your state or local tax account numbers were changed or updated, check with the IRS to determine if your FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number) also needs an update. If you’re issued a new FEIN, here’s how to handle FEIN changes with Gusto. 

Update a state or local tax account number (if your FEIN has not changed)

Carefully review any information you’re updating, and all supporting agency documentation (e.g., notices, online portal screenshots, etc)—entering incorrect information can result in notices, penalties, and extra cost and time to correct historical payments and returns.

When one thing changes, others may too—you should check to see if any other important tax details are changing (e.g., state unemployment insurance tax rate changes, or deposit schedule changes for withholding taxes).

1. Click the Taxes & compliance section and select Tax setup.
2. Scroll to the applicable “[State] Tax Setup” headline. 
3. Click Manage taxes. 
4. Click Edit next to the account number you need to update.
5. Update the number, and click Save—this new account number will be used on all payments and filings that are created after the update was made.
   • If you change your account number in January, April, July, or October (the months that quarterly filings are generated and due), message us from the in your account. There’s a chance that the upcoming payments or filings will be sent with your old account number—if this happens, there could be tax implications. 

If we’ve already made payments and filings to an incorrect account number, you’ll need to fix this with the tax agencies directly (outside of Gusto). Learn how to find your historical tax payments and tax returns in Gusto below.

• Heads up: Correcting payments or filings sent to the wrong account number can be tricky—we recommend working with a tax advisor for help, or using our partner directory to find one. 

Find historical tax payments made to the incorrect account number

1. Head to the Reports section of your account. 
2. Find and select the “Agency payments” report. 
3. In the “Sort by” field, select Date (newest) to see the most recent deposits made.
4. Choose the report format, and click Generate report. 
   • The report will not show the account number each payment was paid to, but all payments listed will have been made to the account number Gusto had on file on the date listed in the report. 
5. For the agency where a new account number was issued, confirm the “effective date” of the new number and identify all past payments that were made to the incorrect account number (based on the new number’s effective date).
6. Contact the agency and ask that they transfer the identified payments to the correct account number. 

Correcting payments or filings sent to the wrong account number can be tricky—we recommend working with a tax advisor for help, or using our partner directory to find one. 

Find historical tax returns filed with the incorrect account number

1. Head to the Taxes & Compliance section and click Tax documents. 
2. Toggle to the State tab. 
3. To find historical tax returns made to the incorrect (old) number, click the column headers to filter by:
   • State, or;
   • Time frame
4. Find all filings that have been “Sent” (according to the “Status” column) using the incorrect account number—this should be based on the new number’s effective date.
5. Contact the agency and ask that they transfer the identified tax returns to the correct account number. 

Correcting payments or filings sent to the wrong account number can be tricky—we recommend working with a tax advisor for help, or using our partner directory to find one.

State agencies assign your company an unemployment insurance tax rate when you register as an employer. Each year, you will get a new notice with your updated rate. These notices usually arrive between November of the prior year and March of the current year.

⚠️ Important compliance reminder: You must keep your SUI rate up to date in Gusto. If you miss deadlines, the state agency may charge penalties or interest, and your company will need to pay them.

Add a new SUI rate

Tip: Wait until October 1 or later to add rates for the following year.

Follow these steps to enter a new SUI rate from your state notice:

1. Sign in to Gusto.
2. Go to Taxes & Compliance > Tax setup.
3. Click Manage Taxes under the applicable state section.
4. In State Tax Settings, click Edit next to Unemployment Tax Rate (may also be called “SUI rate” or “Experience rate”).
   • Updating only works in states where you have active employees.
   • You can also view your past rates here.
5. Click Add a new rate.
   • If the rate was effective during a prior closed quarter, you may get a tax notice for an amount owed or a refund (depending on whether you underpaid or overpaid).
6. Enter the percentage from your notice.
   • Example: If your notice says .055555, enter 5.5555%.
   • For state-specific entry instructions, check the state registration articles.
7. Set the Effective Date from the notice.¹
   • Most states: January 1.
   • New Jersey, Tennessee, Vermont: Use July 1.
   • New Hampshire: Dates may be Jan 1, Apr 1, Jul 1, or Oct 1, depending on the notice.
8. Click Save.

Correct a SUI rate or effective date

If you entered the wrong rate or effective date, update it as soon as you have the correct info.

1. Sign in to Gusto.
2. Go to Taxes & Compliance > Tax setup.
3. Click Manage Taxes under the applicable state section.
4. In State Tax Settings, click Edit next to Unemployment Tax Rate (may also be called “SUI rate” or “Experience rate”).
   
   • Updating only works in states where you have active employees.
   • You can also view your past rates here.
5. Click Make a correction.
   • Before each quarter ends, Gusto runs a reconciliation payroll to check for differences between your current SUI rate and past rates.
     • If we find you underpaid, Gusto will debit your account for the missing amount.
     • If we find you overpaid, Gusto will refund the extra amount.
   • If the new rate applies to a quarter that has already closed, you will likely get a notice from the agency:
     • Underpaid → You must pay the agency.
     • Overpaid → You will receive a refund.
   • ⚠️ Gusto does not amend unemployment returns for past quarters. You either pay the agency directly or accept the refund.
6. Enter the correct rate (example: .055555 → 5.5555%) and effective date from your notice.
   • For state-specific entry instructions, check the state registration articles.
7. Set the Effective Date from the notice.¹
   • Most states: January 1.
   • New Jersey, Tennessee, Vermont: Use July 1.
   • New Hampshire: Dates may be Jan 1, Apr 1, Jul 1, or Oct 1, depending on the notice.
8. Click Save.

1 Failure to timely update or confirm your State Unemployment Insurance rate may result in additional taxes and penalties being imposed on the taxpayer by the taxing authority or agency.

What happens if you update late

If the update applies to a closed quarter, the agency may issue:

• A notice to pay more (if underpaid), or
• A refund (if overpaid).

Gusto will not amend unemployment returns for past quarters.

• If underpaid → Pay the agency directly.
• If overpaid → Accept the refund.

Before the end of each quarter, Gusto runs a reconciliation payroll. If a difference is found:

• Gusto will debit your account for underpaid taxes, or
• Gusto will refund your account for overpayments.

⚠️ Final compliance reminder: Failure to update or confirm your SUI rate may result in extra taxes and penalties from the agency. The company is responsible for paying these.

Automatic updates from agencies

Some agencies share rate updates directly with Gusto. If we can confirm your rate, we may update it for you. However, it is still your responsibility to:

• Confirm your correct rate is entered in Gusto, and
• Update it if necessary.

Get help

If you need assistance entering or correcting your rate, message us from the  in your account. 

Admins with the required permissions can now change the transaction description that appears on employee’s bank statements. 

There are three description options to choose from—the description will default to "GUSTO" if no changes are made.

Change the direct deposit bank description

1. Go to Pay.
2. At the top of the page, click Settings.
3. Next to "Bank descriptor", click edit.
4. Choose between the three options:
   • GUSTO
   • Your company’s name
   • Custom
     • If custom, enter the description you’d like employees to see on their statements.
5. Click Save.

1. Click your company name in the left menu to go to your company's profile. 
2. Under "Information", click Details.
3. Find the "Details" section, and click Edit.
4. Add or update your company's website.
5. Click Save.

Used for company branding in communications (e.g., invoices, emails, paystubs)

1. Click your company name in the left menu to go to your company's profile. 
2. Next to your company name at the top of the company profile, click the kale edit pen.
3. Upload or drop a file. Only PNG and JPEG files of 300k or less.
4. Click Save.