Frequently Asked Questions

If you are a new payroll representative, administrator, or otherwise involved in the payroll process, please send the following information to DL-BF Payroll Help:

• Employee name
• Title
• Department ID
• Department Name
• Campus phone and address

Once your details are received, you will be included on the payroll representative email list, ensuring you receive all relevant updates and communications.

A Form W4/MW507 will be rejected for any of the following reasons:

• It is not signed using black ink.
• It is not typed.
• It has crossed out information or ‘correction’ on it.
• It is missing information such as County of Residence or Marital Status.

If your Form W4/MW507 was rejected, government regulations require that taxes be withheld at the maximum rate—meaning, the system defaults to "Single" status with zero exemptions. This ensures compliance, but may result in higher taxes deducted from your paycheck until a valid form is processed. Once a correct form is filed, taxes will be withheld according to your indicated status from that point forward; however, any taxes previously withheld under the default status will not be adjusted retroactively.

As required by law, W-2s are sent out by January 31 of the year following the tax year to which they pertain. Please note that the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) does not directly issue W-2s; instead, all W-2s are prepared and distributed by the Maryland State Central Payroll Bureau (CPB). If you have not received your W-2 by February 1, you can print a copy directly from POSC Payroll Online Service Center or contact your payroll rep for assistance. 

Once your new hire information are entered into the payroll system, it generally takes two pay periods for your direct deposit to be activated. The process includes a "pre-note," which is a trial run sent to your bank to verify that your routing and account numbers are accurate. Provided your bank accepts the pre-note without issue, your direct deposit will begin with the following pay period, ensuring your funds are delivered directly and securely to your account.

Once you submit the direct deposit cancellation form to the CPB, it typically takes up to 21 days for the direct deposit to be deactivated. During this period, your pay will continue to be sent to your bank account until the change is processed. After your direct deposit has stopped, you will begin receiving a regular paper paycheck instead. It is very important not to close your bank account until you have confirmed receipt of your first regular paper paycheck. Closing your account too soon may result in delayed access to your wages if a direct deposit is attempted to a closed account.

The timing of your first paycheck depends primarily on when your employment paperwork is completed and processed, as well as the point in the payroll cycle when you begin working at UMB. By collaborating closely with your payroll representative Payroll Reps - Payroll Services to ensure all documents are accurate and submitted promptly, you can typically expect to receive your first paycheck no later than the second payday Pay-Date-Schedule-2028-062425.xlsx following your hire.

All new employees are required to set up a Payroll Online Service Center (POSC) account Payroll Online Service Center. This account is essential for accessing your payroll information, including pay stubs and Year-End W2s. After the Central Payroll Bureau (CPB) has processed your tax forms, you’ll be able to make updates such as changing your address and adjusting your tax withholdings directly through POSC.

To create your POSC account, please have the following information on hand:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of Birth
• Email address
• Agency number (360221)
• Check or Advice number— your payroll representative Payroll Reps - Payroll Services can provide

Once these details are gathered, you can follow the step-by-step instructions (http://www.umaryland.edu/media/umb/af/fs/payroll/POSC-Instructions.pdf) to complete your POSC registration. Upon account setup, you’ll have convenient online access to manage and monitor your payroll information:

• Current year- pay stubs (rolling 12-month)
• Prior year- last pay stub
• View/Print duplicate W2 (current year and prior 2 years)
• Update address/W4 (tax withholding)
• Update Direct Deposit
• Sign up/modify web-only access.

Federal regulations require your payroll records to match your name as it appears on your Social Security card. To process a name change for payroll purposes, you must provide an updated Social Security card reflecting your new legal name. Once you have this documentation, submit it to HR-Service Center to ensure your records are accurately updated. This step is essential to comply with IRS requirements and to avoid any discrepancies with tax reporting or future payroll documents.

To update your address on your paycheck, you must complete a new W4 or MW507 Form. This can be done electronically via POSC Payroll Online Service Center or by filling out a paper form Employee's Withholding Certificate (Federal & State) - Payroll Services. If you choose the paper option, submit the W4/MW507 form to your payroll representative, who will then forward it through the appropriate channels to the CPB for processing. Your address change will be made once the CPB receives and processes the updated information.

IRS Form W-2 is used to report your annual taxable federal and state wages. For non-resident aliens (NRA), certain tax treaties may exempt you from federal taxes, though not from Maryland state taxes; in this scenario, you would still receive a W-2 for annual state income tax filing. If you qualify as an NRA and are exempt from federal taxes under a treaty, you will also receive Form 1042-S. Both the W-2 and 1042-S are necessary for completing your annual 1040NR tax return. For further details, click here for IRS Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.