Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Wentzville, MO

A+ Payroll & Bookkeeping is a small, owner-led firm based in the greater St. Louis area. It takes over payroll and bookkeeping tasks for small and mid-sized businesses. Most clients are in the metro area and neighboring Missouri counties, and the firm also accepts a limited number of businesses in certain Illinois counties. Its payroll service is aimed at employers with fewer than 50 people on staff who want someone else to handle pay calculations and tax compliance.

Payroll Services

Clients pick the pay rhythm that suits them, whether weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly or monthly. The firm handles hourly, salaried and commission-based workers. It also manages tax obligations, including making deposits and submitting the required federal and Missouri returns. Typical payroll work includes:

• Calculating net pay, tracking overtime and producing pay stubs
• Withholding federal income tax, FICA and FUTA, along with Missouri state tax
• Filing Form 941 each quarter, Form 940 each year and the Missouri MO-941 quarterly return
• Preparing W-2s and delivering them by the end-of-January deadline
• Paying independent contractors and producing their year-end 1099s
• Processing benefit deductions, state unemployment reports and new hire reports
• Direct deposit, with paper checks for employees who have no bank account or prefer them
• Support during workers' compensation audits

Businesses whose earlier payroll records are incomplete or contain errors can have the firm correct the problems and submit amended returns. New payroll clients usually begin within a week or two of an initial consultation. Setup involves registering tax accounts, onboarding employees and configuring direct deposit. One point worth noting is that direct deposit is offered to new clients only after eight pay cycles or two months of service.

Working Style

Clients can pass along hours and pay information by text, email or phone call. The firm advertises availability beyond a conventional office day, with weekday hours running from early morning until late evening. It also sends advance reminders of upcoming tax dates, which helps clients avoid late-payment penalties.

Each client works with the founder personally instead of being routed through a team of staff. Prospective clients complete a brief questionnaire so both sides can judge whether the fit is right before work begins.

Bookkeeping and Software

Payroll and bookkeeping can be bundled, so a single provider looks after employee pay and the company ledger. Bookkeeping tasks include entering transactions, reconciling bank and credit card statements, managing payables and receivables, and recording fixed assets and loans.

The firm also produces monthly or quarterly financial statements, prepares sales tax returns and organizes records for a client's CPA or tax preparer. It works in QuickBooks and provides setup, training and cleanup of disorganized data. Bookkeeping can be handled remotely, on a monthly, quarterly or project basis, which suits seasonal businesses.

Background and Credentials

The company was started by Mary Williams, who serves as CEO and has spent two decades working in payroll and accounting. She is a Level 1 Intuit Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, and the firm is a member of the American Payroll Association, a connection it uses to keep pace with shifting tax rules.

Its distinguishing traits are its small scale, its regional focus, its flexible methods for submitting information and the involvement of an experienced owner. For very small employers who value personal attention over a large self-service payroll platform, that combination may be appealing.