Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Saint Paul, MN - Page 2

ABA Tax Accounting is a public accounting firm in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Its main clients are small businesses and individuals in Woodbury, Saint Paul, Minneapolis and the wider Twin Cities area. Founder and CEO Amare Berhie, an Enrolled Agent, started the practice, and the firm says it has more than three and a half decades of experience.

Payroll is one part of a larger set of bookkeeping, tax and advisory services. That suits employers who want one outside firm to handle their wage processing, books and tax filings together.

Payroll and Related Services

Payroll is part of the firm's small business accounting service. ABA processes and manages payroll for clients. It also keeps the books, produces financial reports and handles accounts payable and receivable. Because the same firm keeps the general ledger and runs payroll, wage costs and tax liabilities can be matched against the rest of a company's finances.

ABA can also step in when payroll tax filings go wrong. Its tax resolution practice handles payroll tax problems, along with sales tax issues, unfiled returns, back taxes and representation in IRS audits.

• Payroll processing and ongoing payroll management
• Resolution of payroll tax problems
• Bookkeeping, financial statements, payables and receivables
• QuickBooks setup, support and accounting
• Sales tax services and compliance
• Interim, part-time and virtual CFO services

Industries and Specialties

Healthcare is a focus for the firm. It offers a separate package for dental and medical practices that combines bookkeeping, payroll and tax planning. Other industries it lists include retail and eCommerce, construction and real estate, freelancers and consultants, and nonprofit organizations. For nonprofits and small organizations, ABA also offers grant research, proposal writing, budget preparation and reporting after an award. It notes that it cannot promise any grant will be awarded.

How the Firm Works With Clients

Most of ABA's work is done remotely. Clients share documents through a secure online portal run by CPA Site Solutions. Through the portal they can upload records, send messages that don't need an immediate reply, sign documents electronically and review returns before filing.

The firm doesn't require face-to-face meetings, and it can arrange a Google video call if a client wants one. It says it is licensed in all states and is an authorized IRS e-file provider, so it can serve employers outside Minnesota. The firm offers help all year, not only during tax season.

Background and Credentials

The firm describes its team as Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors and says it is federally licensed for tax work. Besides payroll and bookkeeping, it helps businesses choose an entity type (LLC, S-Corp or C-Corp), plan finances and meet regulatory requirements. It also offers budgeting, cash flow analysis, forecasting and retirement planning.

ABA may suit owners and practice managers who want payroll handled by a small, owner-led accounting firm alongside their tax and accounting work. It is less suited to buyers looking for a standalone payroll platform.

AssetHR is a human resources and payroll firm in Apple Valley, Minnesota, near Burnsville. It works with employers that want a single partner for payroll processing, HR technology and day-to-day people management. The company calls its approach the human side of HR. It combines an enterprise-grade human capital management (HCM) platform with hands-on help from its own staff, so clients get both the software and people they can call.

Payroll and HCM Services

Payroll administration is one of the firm's main services. AssetHR runs payroll for its clients on the isolved platform, and clients and their employees log into it through the company's website. Client reviews say some businesses moved to AssetHR as their single HRIS and payroll system.

They also say the team sets up the system to each employer's specifications during implementation. Once the system is live, clients work with an administration and benefits team for ongoing support. One reviewer said the firm has handled its payroll and HR consulting for more than ten years.

Besides payroll, the firm offers a wider set of HR services that buyers can combine or add over time:

• Payroll administration
• Human capital management technology and support
• HR compliance help
• HR consulting, delivered remotely or on site, for short- or long-term engagements
• HR recruiting
• Leadership development
• OSHA safety programs and training sized to a client's industry and budget
• Identity theft protection
• Benefits administration and voluntary benefits

Benefits and Employee Programs

Through its voluntary benefits offering, AssetHR helps employers put together packages that can include retirement savings through 401(k) plans, life coverage and financial planning help. Packages can also cover medical, vision and dental plans, time off such as PTO and leave for new parents, and mental health support. Extra perks can include tuition help, wellness programs and staff discounts. Clients can also draw on the firm's HR and legal knowledge, which helps smaller employers that have no in-house HR department.

How They Work With Clients

The company says it puts client relationships ahead of profit, and its service model is built around fast responses. In Google reviews, clients say the staff answer the phone, reply to email within a day, and know when to bring in a colleague with the right expertise.

Reviewers include a manufacturing company and a small drafting business, so clients seem to range from small firms to established manufacturers. Each engagement is shaped around the employer's goals and workforce instead of being sold as a fixed package.

Team and Background

AssetHR was founded by CEO Chris Kelly. Its leadership also includes CFO Dave Rott and Senior HCM Consultant Bill Cade, and clients name other staff members in their reviews. Beyond its core services, the firm publishes a blog and a podcast, shares client success stories, and lists its partners and its community support work on its site.

For buyers comparing payroll providers south of the Twin Cities, AssetHR offers payroll on an HCM platform along with a local team that can also handle compliance, safety, recruiting and leadership needs.

Benson & Sweetland CPAs is a small certified public accounting firm in Eagan, Minnesota. It is licensed in the state and works mainly with small businesses and individuals. Payroll is one part of a wider set of services that also covers tax and accounting work.

For a company that wants its payroll, bookkeeping and tax filings handled by the same team, this setup means one group of CPAs sees the whole financial picture, so the work does not have to be split among several vendors.

Payroll and Business Services

Payroll is listed among the firm's business services, next to bookkeeping and part-time financial leadership. Employees of client companies can reach an ADP login through the firm's website, which suggests payroll is run on a well-known commercial platform. The firm also helps employers who have run into trouble with payroll taxes. That makes it a fit for businesses that need help fixing past payroll problems as well as running payroll going forward.

• Payroll processing for small employers
• Resolving payroll tax problems with the IRS
• Online bookkeeping and QuickBooks support
• Small business accounting
• Part-time CFO services
• Accounting for non-profit organizations

Tax Services and IRS Representation

The firm prepares individual and business tax returns. It also does a large share of tax problem work, including representing clients in IRS audits, catching up on unfiled returns, dealing with back taxes owed, and setting up IRS installment agreements. It also helps with wage garnishments, innocent spouse relief claims, and getting a client's IRS file. For employers, this experience is useful when payroll filings have fallen behind or notices from tax agencies start arriving.

Industries and Specialties

Over the years the firm has worked with assisted living operators, homeowner associations, real estate professionals, nonprofits and private clients. At one point the founder kept the books for 17 assisted living facilities. The current principal's tax work covers manufacturing, HOAs, personal services, insurance and health care. The website also has a client login for Buildium, a property management platform, which fits its work with associations and real estate clients.

Background and Team

Margaret (Peggy) Benson founded the practice in September 1999. Before that, she worked in corporate accounting for a retail supplier, served as lead accountant at a manufacturer, and then completed her CPA credential while working at another accounting firm. She belonged to the AICPA and the Minnesota Society of CPAs. The firm now honors her as its late founding partner.

Margaret (Meg) Sweetland joined in 2016, became a licensed CPA in February 2022, and now leads the practice as principal. An office administrator, a data entry specialist and seasonal staff support the two CPAs.

The firm works with clients across the southern Twin Cities metro and in other states. Clients can choose how they want to work with the firm, from traditional paper-based service to fully digital tools such as a client portal and secure file transfer. It also offers a free first consultation so business owners can talk about their payroll and accounting needs before signing on.

Burke, Wheeler & Rolling, P.A. is a Certified Public Accounting firm based in Oakdale, Minnesota, licensed to practice in the state. It works with business owners, executives and independent professionals in the eastern Twin Cities suburbs. Employers comparing payroll providers should know that it is a full-service accounting practice, not a standalone payroll bureau. Payroll is handled alongside bookkeeping, tax compliance and advisory work, so a company can bring all of its financial administration to one team.

Payroll and Related Compliance

The firm describes its payroll offering as tailored to each business. The aim is to take the time-consuming work of paying staff off the owner's desk so they can focus on running the company. Staff profiles confirm that payroll preparation is part of the firm's day-to-day client work. Its tax resolution practice also covers payroll tax problems.

That matters to employers who have fallen behind on withholding deposits or employment tax filings and need help dealing with the IRS. The same team can step in on liens, levies, wage garnishments and payment plans if payroll-related debts have escalated.

• Payroll preparation for small and mid-sized employers
• Resolution of payroll tax problems and back taxes owed
• Bookkeeping and small business accounting
• Sales tax return preparation
• QuickBooks setup, training, tune-ups and support
• Corporate, partnership, nonprofit and individual tax returns

Broader Business Services

Beyond payroll, the firm offers audits, reviews and compilations, along with strategic business planning, succession planning and help forming new businesses. It also serves nonprofit organizations. For clients who run their books in QuickBooks, it provides setup, training, quick answers to software questions and periodic tune-ups to make sure the system is being used well.

This can be useful for employers who run payroll inside their accounting software and want it set up correctly. On the individual side, the practice offers tax preparation and planning, estate planning, retirement planning, elder care guidance and wealth management. Business owners can therefore coordinate their personal and company finances with the same advisors.

Team and Background

The firm is led by several CPAs, including Brent W. Rolling, Paul R. Balfanz, Aaron M. Rolling and Sarah C. Henderscheid. They are supported by staff accountants and administrative personnel. Founding names Jack M. Burke and Kelley M. Wheeler have since retired. Staff bring degrees in accounting and mathematics, and their experience covers payroll, sales tax, bookkeeping and multi-entity tax work. The firm has served the Oakdale area for many years.

How They Work With Clients

The firm presents itself as offering the personal attention of a small practice with the range of a larger one. It stresses efficiency, affordability and discretion. New clients are invited to start with a consultation to work out which services fit their situation.

The firm also offers practical tools such as a secure client portal, online file sharing and online payments, plus a resource library of tax guides, due-date calendars and financial calculators. For Maplewood-area employers who want payroll handled by a local CPA team that also knows their tax and accounting picture, the firm is a nearby option worth considering.

Essential Business Services of Roseville, Inc., known as EBS, is an office support firm based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving the north metro area. It works with individuals, small businesses and nonprofit groups that would rather hand off back-office work than add staff.

Instead of hiring full-time or part-time employees, clients bring in EBS when they need help and pay only for the time the work actually takes. Payroll is part of a wider set of accounting, bookkeeping and administrative services.

Payroll and Accounting Services

Payroll is mainly handled through Minnesota Gaming Services (MN Gaming Services), the firm's division for charitable gambling organizations. Its account managers process payroll and accounts payable for client organizations and also prepare monthly financial reports. For these clients the work covers both gambling accounts and general accounts, so the whole organization's books can sit with one provider. The services include:

• Payroll processing and accounts payable
• Monthly gambling returns, schedules and reports
• Management reports built around each client's needs
• Help with annual audits and state compliance reviews
• Full bookkeeping for gambling and general funds
• Support with Charitable Gambling Made Easy software
• Check distribution for raffles and IRS regulatory reporting

Outside the gaming niche, EBS offers general bookkeeping and accounting, data entry, HR support and business consulting to businesses of many types. Each engagement is shaped around the client's needs. Clients can send work through the website, by email, by fax or by regular mail. The office also handles UPS, FedEx and local courier shipments.

Specialty in Lawful Gambling

The firm's clearest specialty is Minnesota lawful gambling. Youth hockey associations, Lions clubs, athletic associations and high school booster clubs rely on the team for reporting, payroll and regulatory guidance. Beyond the accounting work, the consultants advise on operating systems, compliance and CRG strategy, Schedule F variance resolution, employee issues and business planning. Client testimonials describe relationships that have lasted many years, including one organization that has worked with the firm for close to two decades.

Background and Team

Christie Schmidt started EBS as a home-based business in 1985. At first it helped clients with word processing, administrative tasks and bookkeeping. After two years it moved into an executive suite in Roseville, and in 2011 it moved to its current Saint Paul office.

According to the company, it grew mainly through client referrals rather than paid advertising, and referrals still bring in most new clients. Schmidt, a co-founder of the gaming division, has more than 40 years of experience with business systems and the gambling industry. She has worked on state compliance reviews and Minnesota Revenue audits.

Senior Account Manager Marisa Peck joined in 2008, and Account Manager Monica Leedom, who has worked in the field since 1999, joined in 2019. Both handle payroll, payables and client communication.

Buyers comparing payroll providers may find EBS a good fit if they want hands-on, personal service combined with bookkeeping. It is especially relevant for Minnesota nonprofits that run charitable gambling and need payroll handled by staff who know Gambling Control Board and Department of Revenue requirements.

Freimuth and Co., LLC is a Minnesota-licensed accounting practice based on Rice Street in St. Paul. Formerly operating as Steven W. Freimuth & Co., LLC, it has served individuals and businesses in the area for over a quarter century. Payroll is one of several business offerings, alongside tax preparation, bookkeeping and consulting. Employers comparing payroll vendors can therefore keep wage processing under the same roof as their ongoing accounting and tax compliance.

Payroll Services

The practice takes payroll off owners' plates so they spend less of their week on paperwork. Staff can install a computer-based system that processes each pay period, delivers employee compensation on schedule and completes the associated tax filings.

Every payroll client works with a single dedicated specialist from start to finish, so companies have no need to hire in-house payroll personnel or buy dedicated software. The firm also monitors shifts in employment tax regulations so clients don't have to. Payroll features include:

• Electronic paycheck delivery to employee bank accounts and other electronic transfers of funds
• Physical check printing for staff who prefer paper
• Electronic submission of payroll tax filings, timely deposits and overall regulatory compliance
• Reporting that can be organized around individual workers or around business units
• Year-end forms, including staff wage statements, the federal transmittal summary and independent contractor forms
• Clear, readable tax summaries issued each month, each quarter and at year's end
• Remittance of paycheck deductions owed to outside parties, for instance insurance premiums

Related Business Accounting

For small companies, the firm maintains general ledgers and produces financial statements, and it keeps books on whatever cycle a client needs, whether monthly, quarterly or yearly. It installs and supports accounting systems, builds cash flow budgets and projections, and prepares personal financial statements.

Clients can also get help structuring staff benefit programs and arrangements that let workers share in company profits. Litigation support is available, as is preparation of business returns and strategic planning to reduce a corporation's tax burden. Entrepreneurs launching a venture can get guidance on choosing and establishing an entity.

The practice works with nonprofits, assists owners planning for the eventual transfer of their business, and offers QuickBooks troubleshooting and cleanup for those who handle their own records.

Tax Services and Industries

Tax work covers returns for individuals, companies, estates and trusts. Beyond preparation, the firm provides forward-looking planning, assistance resolving tax debt, representation when the IRS opens an audit, and help catching up on returns that were never filed. Individuals may also receive advice on preparing for retirement and arranging their estates. According to the practice, it brings specialized experience to the following fields:

• Construction
• Dentists and healthcare
• Hospitality
• Law firms
• Manufacturers
• Real estate

Team and Approach

Several certified public accountants are on staff, including Steven W. Freimuth and Daniel P. Freimuth, each of whom additionally holds the Chartered Global Management Accountant credential. An enrolled agent rounds out the professional group, which is backed by two bookkeepers and an administrative team.

The firm names professionalism, responsiveness and quality as its guiding principles and describes a collaborative method in which multiple team members look closely at each client's financial picture. Documents move between the office and clients through an encrypted online portal, and a monthly newsletter is available by subscription.

Business owners who would rather have one local firm manage payroll, bookkeeping and taxes together may find this integrated arrangement well suited to their needs.

Overview

Law Tax & Financial Services is an accounting practice in Woodbury, Minnesota. It handles payroll along with bookkeeping, tax work and QuickBooks support. The firm is licensed in Minnesota and says it serves business owners, executives and independent professionals, as well as individuals who need help with their own returns. For companies comparing payroll providers, the main draw is having payroll, the books and tax filings done in one place instead of spread across separate vendors.

Payroll Services

The payroll service is built for small and mid-sized employers. That includes newer companies with only a few staff and growing businesses where payroll now takes too much time to handle in-house.

Each client gets an assigned payroll specialist who stays involved through every stage of each pay cycle, so the business doesn't need to hire its own payroll staff or run payroll software. The team also keeps up with changes to federal, state and local payroll rules so clients don't have to. Payroll services include:

• Paying employees by direct deposit and electronic funds transfer
• Payroll tax compliance, including electronic filing and sending tax payments
• Payroll reports broken out by employee or by department
• Year-end W-2 and W-3 forms, plus 1099s for contractors
• Clear monthly, quarterly and annual payroll tax reports

Related Accounting and Tax Support

Beyond payroll, the firm keeps books for small businesses, provides ongoing bookkeeping for clients in a range of industries, and prepares financial statements such as cash flow reports. It helps owners stay current on estimated tax payments and on sales and use tax. It also prepares business and individual tax returns with a focus on claiming every deduction and credit available, and it offers tax planning.

One specialty that matters to employers is tax relief. The firm helps with payroll tax problems, which often come up when a business falls behind on withholding deposits. It also offers IRS audit representation and help with unfiled returns, liens, levies, wage garnishments, seizures, payment plans, offers in compromise and innocent spouse relief. A business with past payroll tax trouble can therefore get help cleaning it up and then move to a reliable payroll process.

Technology and Client Experience

The firm works closely with QuickBooks. It sets up the software and trains small and mid-sized companies that want to run their accounting in it, and it shares tips for current users. Clients can exchange documents through a secure online portal. The website also has a tax center with due dates, tax rates, forms, refund tracking and financial calculators.

The firm describes itself as affordable, experienced and approachable. That makes it a good fit for local employers who want a hands-on accounting partner to run payroll instead of a large national processor.

MD Lewis LLC is a certified public accounting firm in Eagan, Minnesota, built around the needs of small and owner-operated companies. The firm calls itself a small business, and it sets up its practice to serve owners much like itself. On its site it presents payroll assistance next to tax preparation as a core local specialty. That combination suits buyers who want their employee pay handled by the same advisors who prepare their returns and shape their tax strategy.

Payroll and Accounting Services

The firm's services page makes the point that taxes and payroll are two areas a company has to get right, and it presents MD Lewis LLC as a partner on both fronts, in Eagan and further afield. For a business choosing a payroll provider, this means payroll support comes from inside a full CPA practice rather than from a standalone processing shop. Wage reporting, bookkeeping and tax filings can then be reviewed together. The firm's published offerings include:

• Payroll assistance for small business employers
• Bookkeeping services
• General accounting
• Business tax preparation
• Year-round tax planning
• Tax advice and compliance support
• Business and financial planning

How the Firm Works With Clients

MD Lewis LLC begins an engagement by finding out what the owner hopes to achieve. It then builds an overall business strategy around those goals and teaches the client and their staff how to make sound financial decisions. The firm frames its main aim as increasing a client's net worth after taxes.

It ties this to stronger revenue, healthier cash flow and avoiding tax overpayments. Clients can combine several services into one bundled package scaled to their company. A recently launched startup and a business that has operated for decades can each choose the mix that fits. The site also offers a client login portal and lets prospects book a meeting online.

Who It Serves

The practice is aimed at small businesses at every stage. It also speaks to owners who are dissatisfied with their current accountant or tax preparer, or who want coaching to sharpen their business strategy. The firm describes itself as a trusted advisor that helps clients stay compliant while they work toward their goals. It places strategic guidance alongside routine compliance work, so owners can spend less time on administration and more on growth.

Background

MD Lewis LLC operates from a single office in Eagan, serving clients in the south metro and beyond. The firm stresses two qualities it brings to its work: up-to-date knowledge of changing tax rules and regulations, and a practical, innovative approach.

For companies comparing payroll service providers, its main distinction is that payroll help sits inside a CPA-led relationship that also covers bookkeeping, tax planning and business advisory work. This may appeal to small employers who would rather have one accountable advisor than several separate vendors.

Based in Woodbury, Minnesota, Metro Payroll Inc is a payroll company whose customers are mostly small and mid-sized businesses. Founder Tim Medenwaldt launched the business in 2006, and it has since grown to support over 190 employers in ten states. Its core client base remains in Minnesota.

It also serves neighboring Upper Midwest states such as Wisconsin and the two Dakotas, along with more distant states like Nevada and Georgia. Regional companies with employees in several states may find this appealing, since a single provider can manage their entire workforce.

Payroll Processing

Running payroll is at the heart of what the company does. Employers have two routes: they can enter and submit payroll on their own using Metro Payroll's online platform, or they can delegate the entire task to the firm's team. Under either arrangement, the company manages every step of the process. That includes working out gross wages and tax deductions, depositing pay into employee accounts, and submitting payroll tax returns. Among the capabilities it highlights are:

• A review step before payroll is finalized, giving employers a chance to catch and correct mistakes
• Flexible pay methods, including printed checks, direct deposit, payroll debit cards, or any combination
• Payroll handling and reporting for businesses whose staff are located in multiple states
• A web portal where workers can view their pay statements, W-2 forms and 1099 forms
• Reports available for clients to print through the website or to receive by delivery at their place of business
• An unrestricted number of earnings and deduction categories

Timekeeping, Insurance and Screening

In Metro Payroll's view, correct paychecks depend on reliable time records. To support this, it provides a range of attendance solutions, such as web-based clocks used through an internet browser, on-site hardware clocks, and employee scheduling features. Businesses can pick whichever combination fits their headcount and daily operations.

The company also assists employers in securing workers' compensation insurance, simplifying a form of coverage that many business owners struggle to understand. On the hiring side, it supplies pre-employment checks that pair a criminal history search with drug testing.

HR Support

Employers looking for more than payroll can expand into human resources features. These include applicant tracking software that lets managers sort through job applications submitted online. They also include monitoring of required staff training, alerts when employee reviews are coming due, and logs of performance milestones that simplify the preparation of monthly or yearly appraisals.

How the Firm Works With Clients

The company places a strong focus on personal service. It tailors its offerings to each employer's real requirements, whether a client wants only basic payroll or a more complete set of HR tools.

Customer reviews posted on the firm's site point out that clients speak with the same recognizable staff members whenever they call, with Tim and Kim singled out by name. Reviewers also credit the team with resolving tax issues with state and federal authorities after a previous payroll vendor neglected to pay taxes on their behalf.

The businesses offering these reviews include a stone fabrication company, an auto body repair shop, a travel goods business and a seller of printer cartridges. For employers comparing options, Metro Payroll presents a more personal, smaller-scale choice than the large national payroll firms.

It pairs responsive staff with online tools and offers services that reach into timekeeping, insurance, hiring and human resources.

Overview

Miller Tax Service is a locally owned tax and accounting practice in Maplewood, Minnesota. Its office sits where White Bear Avenue meets Larpenteur Avenue, on the east side of the St. Paul metro. The firm works with households and small companies across the Twin Cities region. Its original website calls it a full-service practice for personal and small-business returns.

For employers comparing payroll providers, the draw is that payroll and accounting help come from the same team that has handled tax preparation for decades, all from one neighborhood office.

Payroll and accounting services

Along with individual and business tax filings, the firm lists accounting and payroll support among its main services. It says it has provided both tax and payroll work to St. Paul-area clients for more than three decades. This could suit small business owners who want one local team to handle their annual business return, their wage processing and their books. The alternative is splitting that work between a national payroll platform and a separate preparer. The services it lists include:

• Payroll services for small businesses
• Accounting support
• Small business tax return preparation
• Individual and family tax preparation
• Online return filing through a partner portal

How clients work with the firm

Miller Tax Service works by appointment. Clients can phone the office or send a request through an online form on its newer website. Returning clients can drop off their paperwork in person. Anyone who wants guaranteed completion before the filing deadline needs to drop off by mid-March. The firm also advertises same-day service. For people who would rather prepare their own returns, the earlier site linked to a web-based filing tool for completing and submitting returns online.

Background and experience

The firm's current website says it has been helping businesses lower their tax liability and meet yearly filing requirements since 1983, and it claims more than 37 years of experience. Its own pages stress how long it has been in business and that it is locally owned. They do not include staff biographies or describe professional credentials in detail.

What sets it apart

Buyers should think of Miller Tax Service as a small, independent practice, not a high-volume payroll software vendor. Its strengths are its local roots, a history going back to the early 1980s, and having payroll, accounting and tax work handled in one office. Its newer website focuses mostly on tax preparation, though.

Employers with specific payroll needs, such as a certain number of employees, payroll tax filings or a set pay schedule, should check with the office what payroll work it currently takes on before committing.

Otten & Thompson, PLLC is an accounting practice based in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Payroll is one part of its wider range of tax, bookkeeping and advisory work. Its clients include business owners, company executives and self-employed professionals, as well as individuals who need help with personal taxes and planning. For companies comparing payroll providers, the firm is an accounting office that can run payroll while also keeping the books and preparing tax returns. It is not a standalone payroll processor.

Payroll and Compliance Support

The firm lists payroll as a core business service and describes solutions tailored to what each employer actually needs, so owners can stay focused on running their companies. Its business services material stresses the compliance side of having employees.

It asks whether owners are meeting their payroll tax duties to both state and federal agencies, handling sales and use tax correctly, and paying estimated taxes on time. Because the same team prepares business tax returns, payroll records can flow directly into year-end filings and tax planning.

Beyond payroll, the practice offers several related services:

• Payroll handling for small and growing businesses
• Small business accounting and ongoing bookkeeping
• Preparation of cash flow statements
• Business and individual tax return preparation
• Tax planning aimed at legitimate deductions and credits
• Resolution of tax problems and IRS audit representation
• Part-time CFO support
• QuickBooks setup, training and support
• Personal financial planning, estate planning and elder care

Technology and How Clients Work With the Firm

Otten & Thompson works closely with QuickBooks, which it sees as a strong fit for small and mid-sized companies. It helps clients get the software running and learn to use it well. Clients get a secure, password-protected online portal through NetClient, plus a SecureSend option, so they can exchange and store financial documents without relying on ordinary email.

The website also has a tax center with filing deadlines, rate tables, refund tracking, a record retention guide and financial calculators, along with a regular client newsletter.

New clients are invited to start with a no-cost introductory consultation. The firm describes its rates as affordable and says its bookkeeping work covers clients in many industries, but it does not name specific sectors. For businesses with IRS problems, it emphasizes efficiency, reasonable cost and discretion in resolving disputes.

Background and Approach

The firm bases its client service on three stated principles: professionalism, quality and responsiveness. Its messaging pairs personal attention with technical know-how and presents the relationship as long-term, with the firm growing alongside the businesses it supports. The website lists one office, a suite on Garrett Avenue in Apple Valley.

It does not name individual staff members, founding dates or professional credentials, so buyers who want details on the team's qualifications should ask the firm directly. For employers who prefer one local adviser to coordinate payroll, books and taxes together, the practice is an integrated alternative to national payroll platforms.

Overview

Pinkham Tax & Accounting is a certified public accounting practice in Maplewood, Minnesota. It works mainly with businesses, not personal returns. Most of its clients are growing companies with about five to fifty people on staff. The firm's work covers three connected areas: corporate tax planning, bookkeeping and payroll.

For buyers comparing payroll providers, the main difference is that payroll here comes from an accounting firm that also keeps the books and plans the taxes, not from a standalone processing vendor.

Payroll Services

The firm sees payroll as one part of a company's overall finances, not a separate chore. Its payroll offering focuses on paying staff correctly and on schedule every pay period. It also makes sure the payroll records feed cleanly into the general ledger and the tax strategy, which is meant to cut down on mistakes and repeated work.

Clients have a named person to call when questions come up, and the firm makes a point of keeping owners informed about each payroll run. One client review praises a staff member named Pat for quick, accurate payroll work.

• Regular payroll processing for small employers
• Payroll matched to the bookkeeping records
• Payroll aligned with tax planning and compliance
• A named contact for payroll questions
• Advice on staff bonus arrangements and pay planning

Related Accounting and Tax Work

Besides payroll, the practice offers corporate tax planning all year. This looks at entity structure, the timing of transactions and longer-term strategy, so owners can weigh their choices before they become final. Its bookkeeping service focuses on organized, dependable financial records and reports that help owners follow trends and manage cash. The firm says it wants to be involved in major decisions, such as banking and financing, buying equipment or other capital assets, and setting up staff bonuses.

Who They Work With

The firm suits owners who want forward-looking advice, companies whose finances and headcount are getting more complicated as they grow, and teams that care a lot about accuracy and steady communication. It works with in-house accounting staff as well as owners. Each engagement is tailored to the client instead of following a standard package. Reviews say some clients use the firm for both personal and business needs, and they call its pricing reasonable.

Background

Nate Pinkham started the practice in 2014, having begun his accounting career in 2007. His experience includes corporate and individual taxation, a range of accounting software systems, nonprofit organizations, audit, compilation and review engagements, and payroll for smaller businesses. Client reviews also name Matt as part of the team that handles bookkeeping and tax. The firm describes its style as practical and approachable. It stresses detail-oriented work, open communication and long-term relationships built on trust.

Pinpoint Accounting Services, LLC is a small accounting practice in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It works mainly with small businesses and treats payroll as one part of a wider set of bookkeeping, tax and advisory work. For Minnetonka-area employers comparing payroll providers, it is a local, owner-scale alternative to national payroll platforms, with payroll handled by the same accountants who keep the books and prepare the returns.

Who the firm serves

The firm presents itself as focused on helping small companies grow and succeed. It says it works with each client one-on-one to understand their situation before recommending an approach, and then applies its experience to carry that plan out. Directory profiles put the team at between two and nine people.

One listing says the firm has been in business for around sixteen years. Buyers who want to deal with the same small group of advisors over time, rather than a call center, may find this structure appealing.

Payroll and related services

Payroll processing is listed among the firm's core offerings. Because the practice also handles general ledger work and tax compliance, payroll can be run alongside the related filings instead of being split among several vendors. Its published service mix includes:

• Payroll services and payroll processing
• Bookkeeping and write-up work
• Sales tax services
• Tax preparation and planning for businesses and individuals
• Estate and trust tax preparation
• Representation before the IRS
• Audits, reviews and compilations
• Financial statements and financial analysis

Advisory and business support

Beyond compliance work, the firm offers management advisory services and general business consulting. It also helps owners choose a business entity and advises on buying or selling a company. It assists clients in choosing and setting up accounting software, which matters for employers moving payroll and bookkeeping onto a new system. Retirement planning and notary public services round out the list, so an owner can bring several related needs to one office.

Considerations for buyers

Pinpoint Accounting Services is a service-only practice and does not appear to sell its own payroll software. Its value lies in combining payroll with bookkeeping, tax and advisory support through a small local team. Its public listings do not describe specific industries served, team credentials or payroll delivery methods.

Employers that need a large in-house HR platform or multi-state payroll infrastructure should confirm the scope of support directly. Smaller employers in the western Twin Cities who want payroll tied closely to their accounting and tax work may find it a good fit.

The firm's office is in the Saint Paul Midway area along University Avenue, within reach of Minnetonka for in-person meetings.

Overview

Based in Eagan, Minnesota, Preferred Accountability is a compact firm offering accounting and tax services to households and companies throughout Minnesota. When it opened in 2017, its work centered on filing returns. Over the years it has expanded into recurring bookkeeping and running payroll for smaller employers.

Companies weighing payroll options will find a nearby provider with real people doing the work, not just a self-service app. The staff who process pay also handle the firm's accounting and tax filings all year.

Payroll and Business Services

Employers who prefer to hand off pay runs can rely on this team to take that task off their plate. The aim is accurate, punctual wages for workers so proprietors can devote their energy to day-to-day operations. Since the bookkeeping and business returns come out of the same office, payroll data flows directly into quarterly and year-end reporting. Owners deal with fewer outside parties as a result. Services offered to companies cover:

• Running and overseeing payroll for smaller employers
• Maintaining books, covering payables, receivables and the general ledger
• Accounting and cash flow oversight for small companies
• Returns for S corporations, partnerships, LLCs and nonprofit organizations
• Assistance launching new ventures and establishing LLCs
• Filings for estates and trusts

Individual Tax Help

On the personal side, the firm handles returns for salaried workers, freelancers and other self-employed earners, retirees and students. Clients facing trouble with the IRS can also get support. This covers arranging monthly payment agreements, applying for an Offer in Compromise, seeking Innocent Spouse Relief and obtaining a client's records from the agency.

Owners of companies can consolidate both their household and business tax work with a single provider. Pricing is posted openly, as are thorough lists of required paperwork, so people can prepare ahead of a meeting.

Background and Team

Nina founded the practice. Her education includes associate degrees earned at Normandale Community College, plus two bachelor's degrees from Metropolitan State University, one in finance and one in business administration. Her first hands-on experience filing returns came through unpaid service at Prepare + Prosper. She went on to serve as a Tax Site Manager with that organization, overseeing 45 preparers, and afterward launched her own business. Today's staff consists of:

• Nelli, who prepares returns, finished her studies at Metropolitan State with a perfect 4.0 GPA and is now preparing to sit for the IRS Enrolled Agent exam
• Vera, who prepares returns for individuals and small companies and holds business administration degrees from both Metropolitan State and Normandale
• Saveliy, who is pursuing an accounting education and guides clients through the filing process, gathers their paperwork and responds to their inquiries

What Sets Them Apart

According to the firm, Minnesota state authorities have certified it to provide tax and bookkeeping work. Team members complete continuing coursework to stay current on state and federal regulations, GAAP standards and recognized professional norms. Its priorities include precision, clear explanations free of jargon and protecting client privacy, as well as individualized service and reasonable pricing. For employers around Eagan seeking a nearby, involved team to manage pay, recordkeeping and taxes together, this all-in-one model may be worth considering.

Overview

Ramsay & Associates, Ltd. is a certified public accounting firm based in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, working with business owners and individuals. It handles tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll and advisory work in one place.

That makes it a practical choice for small and mid-sized companies that want payroll handled by the same team that keeps their books and files their returns, instead of spreading those jobs across several vendors. A related company, Ramsay Wealth Management, Ltd., covers financial planning topics such as retirement plans, insurance, education funding and investments.

Payroll Services

For employers, the firm runs the entire pay cycle. It computes wages and withholding, pays staff by direct deposit or by paper check, and sends tax deposits to federal and state agencies for the client. The team tracks changing rules at every level of government so that clients face fewer penalty notices and compliance problems.

At year end it produces W-2 forms for employees and 1099 forms for contractors. Payroll records feed directly into the general ledger and tax filings, so the firm coordinates the two to keep wage figures consistent across the books and annual reporting.

Companies can also buy payroll tax return preparation on its own. Businesses that cut paychecks in-house, or give that job to an internal employee, can still hand off their quarterly and annual payroll filings to Ramsay's accountants. For clients who outsource full processing, those returns are part of the same engagement. The firm says its payroll offering is tailored to each employer's needs and that the work is done by experienced accountants.

Bookkeeping, Tax and Advisory Support

Payroll clients can add a wider range of accounting help, including:

• Reconciling bank and credit card accounts, plus general ledger adjustments
• Support with receivables and payables
• Income statements, balance sheets and cash flow analysis
• Depreciation schedules and virtual assistance
• Business tax returns for corporations, LLCs, LLPs, partnerships, estates, trusts and nonprofits
• Tax planning throughout the year and representation in IRS or state audits
• Advice on employee benefits such as health, life and disability coverage, retirement plans and bonus arrangements
• Business planning, valuation and succession planning

Bookkeeping can be done at the client's location, at the firm's own office or remotely. Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors on staff handle software installation, company file and chart of accounts setup, custom forms and reports, troubleshooting by phone or in person, and training for a client's internal team. The firm also supports Sage 50, the product formerly sold as Peachtree.

Background and Approach

The practice is staffed by CPAs, and Brady Ramsay writes its regular blog on tax and estate planning topics. The firm says it starts by listening to clients, collecting the relevant facts and studying their situation before it recommends anything. It also tries to teach owners enough about their own finances to make informed decisions on their own.

New clients can get a free look at their previous two years of tax returns to catch errors or missed opportunities. Existing clients have an online client center and a bill payment portal. Team members attend continuing education and follow quality control standards to keep returns accurate.

Sampair Accurant is the Apple Valley, Minnesota office of Accurant LLC, an accounting, tax and business services firm with offices in several places. The office serves individuals, small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations in the south metro. Payroll is one of its core services.

For a business owner comparing payroll providers, the main appeal is having payroll handled by the same local team that keeps the books and prepares the tax returns, so wage reporting, year-end filings and tax planning stay connected.

Payroll and Related Services

Accurant does not sell payroll software as a standalone product. Payroll is part of a wider set of professional services. Employers can bring their payroll to the Apple Valley office and also get help with the work around it, such as bookkeeping, information returns and business tax preparation. Because the firm also has QuickBooks ProAdvisors, clients who use QuickBooks can get help with setup and ongoing support, which keeps payroll records and the general ledger in line.

• Payroll services for business clients
• Accounting and bookkeeping
• Information returns
• Business and individual tax preparation
• Tax strategy and planning
• Outsourced CFO and controller support
• Services for nonprofit organizations
• Audits and reviews
• QuickBooks ProAdvisor assistance

How the Firm Works With Clients

The firm puts client service first. It aims to give practical advice that fits each client's goals instead of one standard package. The website includes a client resources area where clients can send documents securely, pay their invoice online, and find quick links to IRS refund and amended-return tracking and IRS payment tools.

This lets busy employers share payroll and accounting records without coming into the office. Businesses that need more than payroll processing can use the CFO and controller services for financial oversight and planning.

Background and Locations

The Apple Valley office carries the Sampair name. A professional directory lists a firm called Sampair CPA at the same 147th Street West address and describes it as a full-service practice for individuals and small businesses. The office is now managed by Dan Greenheck, an Enrolled Agent.

It belongs to the Accurant network, which has grown by merging with established local practices. Other branded offices include Heutmaker, Carlson, Ferraro, Gorden, Simmons and Hill Larson Walth. Accurant has announced mergers with Hill, Larson & Walth, PA and with Simmons & Silver CPA, PC, which expanded its services into South Dakota.

What Sets It Apart

Sampair Accurant combines a familiar neighborhood office with the backing of a larger organization. Clients have access to staff and expertise across Accurant's other offices. Employees get national health insurance, a 401(k) with an employer match and training paid for by the company, which helps the firm keep experienced staff.

Accurant also invites owners of accounting practices to join, describing it as a way for senior partners to plan for retirement while their clients gain more services and a wider reach. For employers who want payroll handled alongside bookkeeping, tax compliance and advice from one provider, the Apple Valley office is a full-service local option.

Siddiqui & Basnet LLC is a CPA firm in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It also operates under the name A.J. Siddiqui CPA. The firm started in 1994 and offers accounting, tax and payroll work under one roof. Its main clients are small businesses in Saint Paul, Minneapolis and nearby communities, and it also works with individuals and nonprofit organizations.

For a company comparing payroll providers, the key point is that payroll here is part of a full CPA practice, not a standalone payroll product.

Payroll and related services

The firm describes its payroll offering as solutions fitted to each employer's needs, so that owners can spend less time on administration and more on running the business. Because the same team also keeps the books and prepares business tax returns, payroll records can be tied directly into the general ledger and year-end filings.

The firm also takes on payroll tax problems, along with other IRS matters such as liens, levies, wage garnishments and payment plans. That makes it a possible choice for employers who need to fix past payroll tax issues as well as keep payroll running going forward.

• Payroll processing for small businesses
• Resolution of payroll tax problems with the IRS
• Bookkeeping and small business accounting
• Business and individual tax preparation and tax planning
• QuickBooks setup, tune-ups and ongoing help
• Part-time CFO support and cash flow projections
• Audits, reviews and compilations
• Business valuation, succession planning and forming new businesses

Industries and clients served

The firm says it works with businesses in a range of industries. Its website names assisted living providers, restaurants, hotels, real estate businesses and e-commerce companies. It also serves nonprofits, helping them meet the IRS revenue and expense classification rules that affect tax-exempt status. Beyond compliance work, the firm offers internal control reviews, help preparing for bank financing, strategic planning and forensic accounting.

How the firm works with clients

Clients can work with the firm in person at its office or virtually. A secure, password-protected client portal and a SecureSend tool let clients exchange and store financial documents online. Prospective clients are offered a free initial consultation. The firm says it focuses on individual attention, close working relationships, quick responses to urgent requests and on-time delivery, with the goal of giving clients current and accurate financial data.

Background and what sets it apart

The firm has served the Twin Cities for three decades. One notable feature is language support: staff can work with clients in English, Spanish, Hindi, Somali and Hmong. This can matter to owners who would rather discuss payroll and tax questions in their first language.

The office is on University Avenue West in the Midway area of Saint Paul, near the Raymond Avenue intersection. Employers who want a local accountant to handle payroll, bookkeeping, taxes and IRS issues in one place may want to consider this firm.

Stenseth Schluter Boese & Hance, LLC is a certified public accounting firm in Woodbury, Minnesota. It handles tax, accounting, bookkeeping and payroll work in one practice. Its clients include many kinds of businesses and professionals across the Twin Cities metro, along with individuals who want advice on personal tax and money matters. For companies comparing payroll providers, the firm offers payroll run by the same CPA team that also prepares tax filings and financial reports.

Payroll and Bookkeeping Services

The firm's payroll service covers the whole cycle, from producing employee checks to issuing W-2 forms at year end. Its staff has run payroll for employers with workforces of roughly 100 people and keeps up with changes to payroll rules. Payroll tax reporting is also part of its reporting work, so filings can be lined up with the client's periodic financial statements. Related services include:

• Paycheck printing and W-2 preparation
• Payroll tax report preparation
• Bookkeeping, including recording transactions and reconciling bank statements
• Accounts payable support, such as invoice processing, check printing, disbursement and vendor activity reports, and remote approval of payments
• Online access to financial records

Clients can hire the firm for accounts payable work on its own, combine it with other bookkeeping services, or use it to support their in-house staff.

Help for Employers

Besides running payroll, the firm advises business owners on the wider financial effects of having employees. Topics include unemployment insurance, Social Security taxes, withholding and benefits. It has worked with employers ranging from a handful of staff to more than 100, and clients can bring it any question about their workforce. For new businesses, its coaching service covers choosing an entity type, picking and learning an accounting system, and building a tax plan.

Accounting, Tax and Consulting

The firm's accounting work includes financial analysis to help clients review spending, rebalance budgets and manage cash flow. It also prepares financial statements and reports. On the tax side, it plans and prepares returns for businesses and individuals, with the aim of claiming every deduction available and lowering what clients owe. Its individual consulting helps people compare options and understand the tax effects of major financial decisions.

Approach and Background

The firm says it combines efficient, technology-based systems with in-person meetings where clients have time to explain their concerns. Clients can log in to an online portal, and the website offers resources such as tax due dates, tax rates, a record retention guide, financial calculators and a monthly newsletter.

The site names David Stenseth and Laurel Boese as team members, and the firm belongs to the Minnesota Society of CPAs. With one office in Woodbury, it is a local option for small and mid-sized employers in the east metro who want payroll handled together with their accounting and tax work.

Summit Tax Solutions is a Woodbury, Minnesota firm that combines payroll processing with bookkeeping, tax preparation and business consulting. Rather than operating as a payroll-only bureau, it positions payroll as one part of a broader back-office package. That makes it relevant to small business owners who would like a single local contact to handle employee pay alongside their books and annual filings, instead of coordinating several separate vendors.

Who the firm works with

The practice serves both households and companies. On the business side, its clients include owners who need corporate filings and recurring financial support. On the personal side, it prepares returns for individuals, families and self-employed professionals. The firm states that it accepts clients with W-2 wages, 1099 income and self-employment earnings, and that it works with ITIN holders. That openness may matter to employers and contractors whose workers or owners do not file with a Social Security number.

Payroll and related services

For buyers comparing payroll providers, the key point is that Summit Tax Solutions offers payroll as part of an integrated service line that also covers bookkeeping and tax compliance. Keeping payroll records and the general ledger with the same team can make year-end reporting smoother, because the wage information that feeds W-2 and 1099 forms is already in front of the people preparing the business return. The firm's published service areas include:

• Payroll services for small businesses
• Bookkeeping and record maintenance
• Business and corporate tax filing
• Individual and self-employed tax preparation
• Year-round tax planning and strategic advice
• Audit support and representation
• General business consulting

How it approaches clients

The firm describes its work as tailored to each client rather than one-size-fits-all, and it pairs preparation work with advisory help. Its tax planning offering is framed as strategy guidance, not just form completion. Its audit support service is meant to help clients respond if a tax authority questions a filing.

New clients can start with a complimentary tax review, which gives a business owner a low-commitment way to have their current situation assessed before deciding which services to sign up for.

Background and location

Summit Tax Solutions runs its practice from Woodbury in the eastern Twin Cities metro and markets itself to the surrounding community. The firm reports more than five years in operation. Its individual tax work covers areas such as standard and itemized deductions, investment income reporting, rental property income and self-employment income. That range suggests the team regularly handles owners whose personal and business finances overlap.

For a company weighing payroll options, the main distinction here is breadth rather than specialization. Summit Tax Solutions is best suited to small employers that value having payroll, bookkeeping, tax returns and planning advice under one roof with a local firm. Larger organizations looking for a dedicated payroll software platform or a stand-alone HR and benefits suite should confirm the scope of the payroll offering directly with the firm before committing.

Tax Preparation Consultants is a small tax and accounting practice in Eagan, Minnesota. It works with individuals and small businesses across the southern Twin Cities metro. Tax returns are its main business, but the firm also offers payroll assistance, bookkeeping and tax help for immigrants. A small employer can use it to handle payroll compliance and annual tax filings with one local provider instead of several separate vendors.

Payroll Assistance

The firm calls its payroll work payroll assistance, which points to a hands-on, advisory service for smaller employers rather than a large software platform. According to its website, the payroll support covers these areas:

• Processing year-end payroll taxes
• Preparing payroll tax statements for employers and staff
• Helping businesses meet tax deposit requirements and filing deadlines
• Checking that employees are paid correctly and on schedule
• Completing payroll forms accurately, with attention to common data-entry mistakes

The website also explains what full-service payroll providers in general can handle, such as garnishments, new-hire reporting, multi-level tax filings, time tracking and benefits administration. However, it does not say exactly which of these the firm handles itself. Buyers who need any of those functions should ask about them directly when they first contact the firm.

Related Financial Services

The payroll work ties in with the firm's other services. Its bookkeeping service helps small business owners keep accurate, current financial records so they know where the business stands. Business and individual tax preparation focuses on finding allowable deductions and filing accurately and on time under federal, state and local rules.

The firm also helps immigrants who work in the United States understand and meet their federal income tax obligations. An employer whose workforce includes recent arrivals may find this especially relevant.

Working With Clients

Clients usually start by calling or asking for an appointment through the website's contact form. The firm publishes a checklist of documents to bring to a first meeting, which helps clients prepare. Its resources section also links to the IRS withholding calculator, IRS publications and the IRS refund-status tool.

The withholding calculator can help employees and employers check their tax withholding. The firm says it wants to be part of each client's wider financial team, offering personal service and help with deadlines and IRS requirements.

Service Area and Background

The firm works from a single office in Eagan. It lists Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Bloomington, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eden Prairie, Inver Grove Heights, Mendota Heights, Rosemount, Richfield, Savage, Lakeville and Farmington as communities it serves for all of its services. The website does not give the firm's founding date, staff names or professional credentials. Buyers comparing payroll providers may want to ask about these, along with payroll volume limits and software, during their first conversation.

To The Penny Bookkeeping, Inc. is a small bookkeeping and payroll firm in the east St. Paul metro area. It works mainly with small business owners who run their books in QuickBooks. Instead of offering a standalone payroll platform, it handles payroll as part of a wider bookkeeping relationship. That suits companies that want one advisor looking after both their payroll records and their general ledger.

Payroll Services

Payroll administration is one of the firm's main offerings. Its work includes preparing quarterly payroll returns and producing year-end W-2 forms for employees and 1099 forms for contractors. Because the team works directly inside QuickBooks, it can also set up payroll items in a client's company file and record payroll entries correctly.

When payroll figures don't reconcile, it can trace the problem to its source. Payroll is also part of its recurring maintenance packages, so payroll filings can be handled alongside the rest of the monthly or quarterly bookkeeping.

• Preparation of quarterly payroll returns
• Year-end W-2 and 1099 processing
• Payroll setup and entry within QuickBooks
• Troubleshooting payroll and sales tax issues in existing files
• Training staff on payroll entry in QuickBooks

Bookkeeping and QuickBooks Support

Beyond payroll, the firm sets up new QuickBooks files and cleans up or reviews files that have become disorganized. Its ongoing maintenance covers entering and reconciling bank and credit card activity, tracking loans and assets, and producing financial reports. It also sets up and files sales tax returns. The team handles invoicing and receivables, manages payables, and tracks inventory.

It works with each client's outside accountant so records are ready for tax preparation, and annual reviews are available too. The firm also offers QuickBooks training, from complete beginners learning daily tasks to experienced users who need help with payroll, inventory or sales tax.

Specialties

One specialty is bookkeeping for law firms. The team maintains attorney trust accounts in line with the requirements of the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board. That makes the firm a fit for legal practices that need payroll and trust accounting handled together. Its focus on diagnosing problem accounts, including receivables and payables, also helps businesses that have inherited messy records.

Team and Working Style

Two Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors run the firm, and both are also notaries public. Loretta Dittrich has served small businesses since 2001. Mariana LaFleur joined the profession in 2015. Clients can choose to work with them on-site, off-site or through remote access to their files. The firm aims to return calls within a day and schedules appointments around the client's availability.

For buyers comparing payroll providers, the main draw is personal service from certified QuickBooks specialists who combine payroll compliance with full-cycle bookkeeping.

Valley Accounting & Tax is a Minnesota accounting practice that serves small businesses, nonprofit groups, homeowner associations and individual taxpayers across the southern Twin Cities metro. Alongside its main office in Apple Valley, the firm runs locations in Eagan, Lakeville and New Prague. For companies around Eagan that want payroll handled together with their books and taxes, the firm offers payroll as one piece of a wider set of accounting services instead of selling it as a standalone software product.

Payroll and Related Business Services

Payroll appears among the firm's core business offerings next to bookkeeping and general business accounting. Employers who outsource payroll here can also have the same team handle year-end W-2 and 1099 preparation and filing, sales tax work and business tax returns. The firm also has a dedicated practice for resolving payroll tax problems, alongside help with IRS liens, levies, wage garnishments and payment plans.

• Payroll processing for businesses
• W-2 and 1099 preparation and filing
• Bookkeeping and business accounting
• Payroll tax problem resolution and IRS representation
• Sales tax compliance
• QuickBooks setup, training and file tune-ups
• Part-time CFO or controller support

Beyond Payroll

Besides routine compliance, the firm works on bank financing, business formation and incorporation, strategic planning, general consulting, and help for owners who are buying or selling a company. Nonprofits get specific support, and homeowner associations can hand off full financial accounting, dues collection, accounts payable, annual budgets and tax returns.

On the individual side, services cover tax preparation and planning, IRS audit representation, unfiled returns, back taxes, payment plans, offers in compromise, innocent spouse relief, elder financial care, and support for financial and estate planning.

How the Firm Works With Clients

The firm says its purpose is to give clients dependable, on-time accounting and tax help that makes a real difference to their households or companies. It lists five core values: being knowledgeable, available, deliberate, helpful and successful. Clients can use an online portal and a secure file-transfer tool to exchange documents, and they can pay invoices online.

New clients can ask for a free consultation before committing. The firm also offers QuickBooks services, including setup, training and tune-ups, for businesses that keep their books in that software.

Locations and Availability

The Eagan office on Washington Drive is open on weekdays during tax season and on a reduced schedule for the rest of the year. The Apple Valley office is staffed every weekday all year, so payroll clients can get help outside the Eagan office's hours. With four offices across the south metro and beyond, the firm gives local employers in-person access to one team that can handle payroll, tax filings and bookkeeping.