Filing social security is an important duty of every employer, whether the business is small, medium or large. Handling it correctly and on time is a legal responsibility. Filing incorrectly, incompletely or late can lead to fines, interest, or problems with the protection of employees' benefits.
This affects confidence within the organisation and carries the risk of an inspection by the Social Security Office (SSO). This article walks you through the most common mistakes, how to check for them, and simple techniques that make social security filing smooth, safe and compliant with the law.
Problems and challenges business owners often face when filing social security
Although remitting social security contributions is a step every business must take each month, many businesses find the process more complicated than expected, especially those without a dedicated HR department or an accounting specialist directly in charge. Mistakes caused by misunderstanding or haste often lead to problems such as:
Forgetting to file social security by the deadline, resulting in fines and interest
Keying in salary data or employee names incorrectly, so the contribution amounts do not match
Submitting an incomplete list of employees, especially new staff who have just started
Not registering new employees or deregistering leavers within the prescribed time, so medical benefit records are wrong
Not understanding the SSO e-Service system and using it in the wrong order
Miscalculating contributions because the statutory minimum and maximum wage bases are not known
Having no one to double-check the documents, so small errors accumulate into a big problem
These problems can seriously harm the organisation, in terms of extra costs, employee dissatisfaction and the risk of an inspection, so it is essential to know how to prevent them properly.
How to file social security correctly every month
To file social security correctly every month, you should clearly understand the types of forms and the filing deadlines, so as to reduce errors and comply fully with the law.
Understand the types of forms and the filing deadlines
Employers must file Form SSO 1-10 (list of insured persons) and pay social security contributions every month by the 15th of the following month. If the deadline is missed, fines and interest apply immediately, so you should keep a clear filing calendar every month.
Check the accuracy of salary data and the employee list
Before filing social security, you should check the key data, namely:
Employees' regular salaries
Salary adjustments
New employees who must be registered
Employees who have resigned and must be deregistered
This data should be recorded correctly in the HR-payroll system before the figures are sent to the social security system.
Use the SSO e-Service system to reduce errors
The online system makes filing social security more convenient and has automatic validation on its forms, but you should still review everything before submitting to prevent keying errors.
Keep the supporting documents for each filing in an organised system
Important documents such as pay slips, contribution calculation reports, employee lists and proof of payment should be kept in good order, easy to use and available for later checks.
Set up a double-check of the data before pressing submit
It is recommended to have at least 2 people review the data, such as the bookkeeper and HR, to reduce data-entry errors that can arise from haste or unfamiliarity.
Tips for preventing the most common social security filing mistakes
To prevent mistakes in filing social security, you should register and deregister employees immediately whenever there is a change in staff, so the data matches reality and the risk of errors is reduced.
Register and deregister employees immediately whenever staff change
Registration must be done within 30 days, and deregistration must be done immediately when an employee's employment ends. Forgetting to notify the SSO can affect the employee's social security rights, such as medical benefits or compensation payments. Reporting the information correctly and promptly keeps each month's social security filing running smoothly.
Check the minimum and maximum wage bases every year
The social security law sets the maximum wage base for calculating contributions at 15,000 baht. A miscalculation will affect the social security filing amounts and trigger error alerts in the system.
Use payroll software for automatic calculation
A payroll program reduces the risk of keying errors and calculates contributions in line with the law every time, especially for businesses with many employees. Using such a system also makes social security filing accurate and fast.
Check error messages in the e-Service system carefully
If the system flags an error, such as an incorrect ID card number, an invalid data format or mismatched amounts, correct it immediately to prevent the social security filing from being rejected.
Consult an accounting and social security specialist when unsure
Some cases, such as retroactive social security filings, correcting data in the system, or backdated wage adjustments, can be more complicated than usual. Seeking advice from a specialist reduces the risk and gets the documents right from the start.
Start filing social security correctly and completely
Filing social security correctly every month is important for reducing legal risk and problems within the organisation. Mistakes or late filing can mean heavy fines and the loss of employee benefits.
Business owners should therefore have an accurate payroll data system, check the data before every filing, and keep documents in good order. If you find that errors are becoming frequent, or there is no specialist looking after accounting and social security, getting help from a specialist is the best option for keeping the business running smoothly.
If you want social security filed correctly and on time, with a document system that is easy to audit, YMTD Accounting, an accounting firm in Chiang Mai, is ready to look after your accounting, payroll and social security work end to end. Contact us today to make social security filing easy and safe for your business.
