Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Sauk Rapids, MN

Klimek & Kasella Ltd. is a CPA practice in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, just outside St. Cloud. It operates under a Minnesota firm license, and every accountant on staff keeps an active Minnesota CPA certificate. Most of its clientele falls into a few groups: small business owners, company executives, independent professionals and private individuals.

For area employers, the appeal is straightforward: the team that maintains the books and files the returns can also run payroll, so nothing gets passed between separate vendors.

Payroll and related business services

Alongside everyday small business accounting, payroll ranks among the core offerings. The firm does not operate as a dedicated payroll processor; it treats payroll as one piece of a broader client engagement. Some businesses turn over their entire bookkeeping operation, while others keep most tasks internal and rely on the firm solely for payroll assistance.

Employment tax trouble is also part of the firm's tax resolution work, giving employers who have slipped behind on these obligations a path to get current. Companies that only offer payroll processing typically leave that kind of problem to someone else.

• Help with running payroll for small companies
• Cleanup of employment tax issues and overdue tax balances
• Outsourced bookkeeping and general accounting for small firms
• QuickBooks installation, instruction, periodic reviews and fast-answer assistance
• Fractional CFO work, including cash flow oversight and internal control design
• Tax planning and return preparation for businesses and individuals
• Representation in IRS audits, plus help with installment agreements, liens, levies and garnished wages
• Startup entity formation, business succession planning and accounting for non-profits

QuickBooks expertise

Much of the firm's work centers on QuickBooks. Leeann Klimek's formal certification in the software dates back to 2003, and she has kept that credential current ever since. Services include getting the program installed and configured, teaching staff to use it, and scheduling periodic reviews so owners can draw better insight from their own financial data.

The software itself is available for purchase through the firm as well. When a business processes payroll within QuickBooks, a proper initial setup combined with recurring check-ins helps spot mistakes before they show up on a tax return.

Team and credentials

Both partners' surnames appear in the firm's name. Leeann Klimek brings over twenty years of accounting and tax experience gained in public accounting and in private companies. Her work spans small business bookkeeping and payroll, income tax returns for individuals and business entities, and extensive agricultural accounting and tax work.

She is a member of a statewide public accountants' association and a number of community organizations. Toni Kasella has worked in accounting for more than 15 years, in both CPA firms and private businesses. ACAT has awarded her its Accredited Retirement Advisor credential. Her tax practice includes returns for deceased individuals, estates and trusts.

She serves clients ranging from those who want complete bookkeeping to those who need only payroll help.

How they work with clients

According to the firm, it aims to be friendly and easy to reach, pairing technical skill with a down-to-earth, conversational approach. Prospective clients can schedule a first meeting free of charge. Documents move between the firm and its clients through an encrypted online portal and a file-sharing tool.

Visitors to the firm's site can also find tax deadline calendars, financial calculators, newsletters and planning guides. For employers around St. Cloud, particularly agricultural operations and small businesses, Klimek & Kasella suits those who prefer a single nearby CPA firm covering payroll, bookkeeping, tax compliance and IRS matters.

Based in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, on the opposite bank of the Mississippi River from St. Cloud, Stangl & Jaskowiak CPAs is a licensed accounting practice serving individuals and smaller companies throughout Benton and Stearns counties.

Employers shopping for a payroll partner may find its appeal lies in breadth: wage processing sits alongside bookkeeping, tax work and advisory services under one roof. Rather than juggling separate vendors for paychecks, ledgers and filings, an owner can rely on a single hometown group to manage all three.

Payroll and Business Services

The firm names payroll as one of its central offerings for companies. Testimonials posted by clients point to employees being paid through direct deposit, and one owner credits the staff with keeping paychecks on schedule during a trip away from the business. Several related services complement wage administration:

• Running payroll, with direct deposit available for workers
• Ongoing bookkeeping and general accounting assistance
• Compilation of financial statements
• Guidance on QuickBooks from certified ProAdvisors
• Tax returns for businesses
• Planning support for companies at every phase, from launch to expansion

On the personal side, the practice handles income tax strategy and filing, and it extends wealth and retirement guidance through a related arm known as Premier Advisors. As a result, an entrepreneur can keep household and business money matters with one familiar set of professionals.

Who They Serve

Smaller enterprises in the central part of the state make up the bulk of the client base. Featured success stories describe work for an independent contractor, a manufacturing operation and a builder, and a dedicated section of the firm's online presence outlines the sectors it knows well. Its reach extends beyond Sauk Rapids and St.

Cloud to Sartell, Foley, Pierz, Rice, Royalton and Little Falls. Employers who would rather work with someone familiar with the region than sign up with a nationwide payroll service may see this as a strong fit.

Team and Credentials

A number of certified public accountants lead the work. Leah A. Driggs, CPA, MBA, came aboard in 2003; her undergraduate studies were completed at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and her graduate business degree at St. Cloud State University. Peggy S. Heying, CPA, earned her degree at St. Cloud State.

Her earlier career included time with a public accounting office in the area, along with corporate roles in which she directed a company's finances and oversaw its personnel function, experience that lends itself well to wage and workforce questions. Mark T. Emerson, CPA, has practiced with regional accounting offices since 1992 and became part of this firm in 2010.

Supporting them are Shelley A. Schlichting, who manages accounting work, Denise J. Stang, who prepares returns, and Jodie Zellgert. Many on the staff have tenures stretching well past ten years.

How They Work

Strong client relationships sit at the heart of the firm's stated philosophy. The group positions itself as a collaborator instead of a mere processor of paperwork, emphasizing prompt turnaround, sensible solutions and explanations free of jargon. Invoices can be settled online, and a protected web portal allows files to be shared safely. Owners who value face-to-face attention from a local accounting team, while still enjoying the ease of digital recordkeeping, are likely to appreciate this blend.