Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Troy, MI

ConnectPay is a payroll service provider that focuses only on small businesses. Its Michigan office is in Troy, in the Crooks Road corridor, and it also runs offices in other states. Its founders started the company because they saw that smaller employers often got little attention from larger payroll vendors. The goal is to give owners an easier and more dependable way to pay staff and handle payroll taxes, with a specific person assigned to each account.

Payroll and Tax Services

The core offering is full-service payroll. ConnectPay processes pay runs, files payroll taxes for the client and handles year-end forms. The company says it backs its work with a 100% compliance guarantee. For Michigan employers, the Troy team helps with city and local withholding rules and state withholding accuracy.

It also handles new-hire reporting, which it lists among the most common problems for employers in the state. Businesses with staff in more than one state, or that are expanding into a new one, can have their filings set up for each state's requirements.

• Guided onboarding and account setup
• Payroll processing that clients can complete in minutes from any location
• Federal, state and local payroll tax filing
• Digital W-2 and 1099 forms on every tier, with printed copies on the top tier
• Paperless pay delivery, with physical checks available for an extra fee
• Workplace compliance posters on higher tiers
• An HR resource library plus time-clock and PTO tracking on the Premium tier

Plans and How They Work With Clients

Pricing comes in three tiers. The entry tier covers a single state. The middle tier covers employees in up to three states. The top tier has no limit on states and adds HR and timekeeping tools. Every tier includes white-glove onboarding and a named payroll specialist. Employers whose needs don't fit a standard package can request a custom plan.

Client reviews often mention account managers by name, and several note fast replies by email, phone or text. One reviewer said a correction to a year-end form took weeks to finish.

Partners and Additional Solutions

Beyond payroll, the company offers add-on business tools that clients can adopt as they grow. Its LinkedIn profile adds that it connects clients with professionals in health benefits, insurance, retirement savings, accounting and bookkeeping. The profile also mentions workers' comp integration, Section 125 premium-only plans and time-and-attendance options.

CPAs, brokers and other advisors can join a partner program to offer ConnectPay's payroll services to their own clients. ConnectPay also buys payroll businesses: owners of independent payroll firms who plan to sell can book a confidential consultation about the transition.

Background and Locations

ConnectPay serves small employers in all 50 states. Besides Troy, its listed offices are in Foxboro, Massachusetts (headquarters), Forest Hill, Maryland, and East Syracuse, New York, and a client review mentions a Rhode Island location. For buyers comparing providers, the main draws are its small-business focus, an assigned specialist on every plan, and local tax knowledge from its Michigan team. It also publishes free state payroll guides and a small-business payroll eBook.

Trion Solutions is a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) that takes payroll, HR and related administrative work off the hands of its clients. Its main market is growing small and mid-sized companies, which often find payroll and personnel work harder to manage as they hire more people. It also works with large corporations that want outside help with routine HR tasks. The company says it serves more than 800 client businesses.

Payroll and tax services

Payroll sits at the center of what Trion offers. Acting as each client's administrative employer, the firm takes on full responsibility for payroll and payroll taxes. It pairs its software platform with review by its own specialists to keep pay runs and filings accurate and on schedule. Each client works with an assigned payroll expert rather than being left to run the software alone. Trion presents this as a key difference from large payroll vendors. Its payroll services include:

• Direct deposit, plus paycards for workers who have no bank account
• Paper check printing, signing and envelope stuffing at no extra charge
• A web portal, open around the clock, where employees can view pay stubs and W-2s
• Online payroll entry that can connect to systems the client already uses
• A time and attendance system with web, mobile app or physical clock punches, tracking of paid time off, and hardware that supports facial recognition
• Union reporting handled by trained specialists
• Payroll tax filing, including taking on tax liability and handling tax audits
• Standard and custom reports, such as pay journals, check registers, liability reports, job costing, workers' compensation, department and timesheet reports

Broader HR support

Besides payroll, Trion handles daily HR administration and record keeping, and its services are fitted to each client's strategy and culture. Because it pools many employers together, it can offer employee benefits at lower cost than many firms could get on their own. Its workers' compensation programs add protection beyond a standard policy.

The firm helps clients meet rules from OSHA, EEOC, ADA, FMLA, DOL, COBRA and the ACA. It also offers retirement plans with traditional and Roth 401(k) options and no corporate administrative fees. For larger companies, Trion staff can serve as an extension of the internal HR team and report to the head of HR.

The firm can also help shape HR strategy, policies and procedures.

Industries served

The company lists the following industries where it has particular experience:

• Temporary and staffing employers
• Hospitality and seasonal businesses
• Manufacturing
• Home health care

Credentials and approach

Trion says it is a certified minority-owned business enterprise and holds SOC 2 certification, which may matter to buyers who need strong data security. It stresses quick, flexible customer service, with a support team that handles client and employee questions. Its client portal gives both managers and staff access to information.

The company also says it supports community and charitable causes. Buyers looking for a full PEO arrangement that combines payroll, tax, benefits and compliance under one provider may find Trion a good fit.

Wenderski & Associates, CPA P.C. is a certified public accounting practice in Troy, Michigan, that opened in 2004. The firm works with companies and private individuals. Its payroll work sits within a wider set of tax, bookkeeping and advisory services. Employers in Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Troy and neighboring communities may want one CPA team to handle wages, books and returns together, and the firm offers that combination.

Payroll Administration

The firm takes over payroll for small, mid-sized and larger employers. Its accounting staff calculate each paycheck and apply the correct tax withholding and deductions. They also separate taxable from non-taxable items, such as reimbursements for fuel or work uniforms. Commissions, overtime, pension amounts, raises and bonuses are all built into the figures. The firm also watches a range of factors that affect employer obligations:

• Insurance contributions
• Minimum wage changes
• Shifts in tax legislation
• Paid sick leave
• Maternity leave
• Unemployment insurance

Beyond processing, the team can advise owners on suitable pay levels for staff, using industry norms and geographic location as benchmarks. Year-end support is included, and the firm describes its arrangements as tailored to each company and its workforce.

Support for Small and New Businesses

Small employers and brand-new ventures are a stated focus. The firm encourages owners to set up sound payroll habits from the first hire so records stay orderly as headcount grows. Clients can run payroll through QuickBooks or another platform, and the choice is matched to the employer's needs and to how comfortable its staff are with technology.

The firm can simply guide an owner who runs payroll in-house, or it can assume the whole function. It also helps arrange direct deposit for employees and provides automatically generated tax slips, which cuts down on paperwork at filing time.

Technology and Record Keeping

The practice has invested in dedicated payroll software, which helps it keep pace with regulatory changes. Employee information is held confidentially. Payroll records, pay slips and staff contracts are kept on file and available to the client on request.

Working Style and Broader Services

New engagements start with a private consultation that carries no commitment. The firm uses this meeting to learn the client's short- and long-term financial goals before shaping its service. The team emphasizes explaining numbers in plain language so owners understand where they stand. Because it is a full-service CPA office, payroll clients can also draw on many other services:

• Bookkeeping and financial statement preparation
• Corporate tax returns and state and local taxation
• Cash flow projections
• Cost segregation and forensic accounting
• Incorporation guidance and business advisory
• Tax audit representation and transaction advisory
• QuickBooks training

On the individual side, it prepares personal returns and handles trusts and estates. Its client base includes professionals, self-employed people, non-residents, rental property owners, business owners and corporations. All of its accountants are described as certified.