Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Canton, OH

Fireside Tax, Inc. is a locally owned tax, accounting and payroll firm based on the west side of Canton, Ohio. It works mainly with small businesses, independent contractors, individuals and families in Canton, Massillon and the rest of Stark County, and it also takes on payroll clients from elsewhere in Northeast Ohio.

For employers looking at payroll providers, the firm stands out for its flat monthly pricing and for combining payroll with bookkeeping, tax preparation and startup advice under one roof.

Payroll Services

The firm's payroll offering is sold as a flat-fee package. A base monthly rate covers a set number of employees, and the rate goes up in steps as headcount grows, so owners are not hit with a list of add-on charges. Clients who pay for a full year up front get a discount. The package includes:

• Direct deposit for staff
• Federal, Ohio and municipal income tax withholding
• Quarterly federal, state, local and unemployment filings
• Workers' compensation reporting through Ohio BWC
• New hire reporting
• Child support and wage garnishment handling at no added cost to the employer
• Year-end W-2, W-3 and 1099 forms
• Payment of W-2 employees and 1099 contractors on the same system

Payroll runs on Patriot Software or ADP, and staff help each client decide which one fits. Workers can log in to an online portal to view their own pay stubs and W-2s, and employers get online access to their payroll records as well. Optional features include time cards, vacation tracking and retirement deductions. The firm also publishes guidance on hiring, Form W-4, benefits, garnishments, payroll reserves and year-end statements.

Onboarding and Client Experience

New payroll clients start with a meeting to talk through how the business works. They then fill out an onboarding packet, which staff review with them, and provide any payroll history from earlier in the year so returns stay accurate. Each employee completes a new hire packet. Pricing is set during onboarding based on the size of the business.

After that, the firm keeps owners informed about upcoming withdrawals, direct deposit cutoffs and filing deadlines, and it recommends setting calendar reminders for payroll dates.

Related Services

Besides payroll, Fireside Tax offers flat-fee monthly accounting packages. These include bookkeeping, usually in QuickBooks Online, along with bank and credit card reconciliations, financial statements and the related tax returns. It also prepares individual, business, estate, trust and nonprofit returns, handles Ohio state and city taxes including RITA, can file sales tax and 1099s on their own, and helps owners form LLCs and set up new businesses.

Background

Timothy P. Singo founded the firm in 2004. It began as a freelance paralegal practice focused on probate, and the tax work tied to estates soon became its main business. Tim later earned an accounting degree. The firm added payroll, bookkeeping and full accounting services in 2012.

It worked out of Canton Centre Mall and then a location near Central Catholic High School before moving into its current Tuscarawas Street West office in 2024. Today the team includes several accountants plus seasonal preparers.

Under its "Fireside Forever" approach, the firm is built around a team instead of one person, so clients are not left stranded if an individual accountant retires.

Harris, Miller & Finkelstein CPAs, LLP is a certified public accounting firm based on Cleveland Avenue NW in Canton, Ohio. Licensed in Ohio, the firm works with business owners, executives, independent professionals and individuals. Outsourced payroll is one part of a wider practice that also covers bookkeeping, tax work and financial advisory engagements. For a small employer comparing providers, this means payroll is handled by the same accountants who can also manage the company's books and tax returns.

Payroll Options

The firm recognizes that employers differ in how much of the payroll function they want to hand off, so it offers two main processing arrangements. Its full-service option covers the entire cycle. Checks are laser printed on blank stock that meets Federal Reserve micro-encoding standards.

The service also includes federal and state tax reporting, EFTPS deposits, and tracking of vacation, sick and personal day accruals. For companies that already write their own checks, an after-the-fact service takes manually prepared records and enters them into the firm's system. That data then supports the required tax filings and reports.

• Monthly, quarterly and annual payroll tax reports
• Year-end W-2, W-3 and 1099 forms
• Preparation and filing of mandatory new hire reports
• Ongoing upkeep of payroll records
• Optional union, certified payroll and workers' compensation reports

Specialized Reporting and Compliance Support

Beyond routine processing, the firm prepares many of the special filings that government agencies request from employers. This includes help with workers' compensation audits, Social Security audits and child support audits. It also responds to unemployment claims, handles 1099 and 1096 processing, and helps with federal and state registration paperwork.

Employers who have fallen behind on payroll tax obligations can turn to the firm's tax resolution practice. The firm treats overdue payroll taxes as a serious matter because the IRS pursues this type of debt aggressively. It recommends that business owners have a professional representative rather than face the agency alone.

Its related resolution services address liens, levies, wage garnishment, seizures, payment plans and offers in compromise.

Broader Accounting Services

Payroll clients can add other business services as needed. These include small business accounting, QuickBooks setup, training and tune-ups, cash flow management, help with bank financing, and business valuation. The firm also offers strategic and succession planning, new business formation, internal controls reviews, and reviews and compilations.

Its part-time CFO engagement gives growing companies a financial manager without a full-time hire. That role covers budgeting, profitability analysis, cash management, financial controls and work with bankers and other advisors. The firm also serves non-profit organizations, and individuals can get tax preparation, personal financial planning, estate planning and elder care services.

The team is led by CPAs Kevin D. Harris, Stephen P. Miller and Belinda Holderfield, who work with a staff of support professionals. Pricing for payroll is quoted individually after the firm learns about a company's size and requirements. Prospective clients can arrange a complimentary initial consultation to discuss their needs. The firm also publishes a monthly newsletter, runs a secure client portal and file transfer tool, and provides online calculators and tax due date resources.

R.J. Wilson & Co., CPA, Inc. is an accounting practice in Canton, Ohio, licensed in the state and built around small organizations. Payroll is one piece of a wider menu of accounting and tax work. For employers weighing their payroll options, the firm offers a CPA-led alternative to standalone payroll vendors. The team that handles payroll can also look after a client's books, tax filings and financial reporting.

Who the firm serves

Small businesses account for most of the practice's clients, from solo entrepreneurs to organizations with around 25 employees. The firm holds that an organization's size shapes its accounting needs more than its line of work does. Its expertise is therefore built around the concerns smaller employers tend to share. Current clients come from sectors such as:

• Retail
• Manufacturing
• Medical and dental practices
• Other small business fields, along with individuals and not-for-profit organizations

Payroll and related services

For payroll, the firm sees that employees of client businesses are paid accurately. It also helps employers meet their obligations to government agencies and other bodies tied to payroll. Since payroll connects to so much else, clients can pair it with other services:

• Payroll services
• Bookkeeping, including receivables and payables, with reports delivered on a schedule the client sets
• Tax planning and return preparation
• Customized financial statements
• Auditing and attest engagements
• Consulting on financial planning and risk management
• Estate planning
• QuickBooks training from Certified ProAdvisors

A resources page points clients toward agencies that matter to local employers, among them the Canton and North Canton income tax offices, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

How it works with clients

The firm adjusts to each client's preferred way of working. A growing number of clients deal with it digitally, mostly by phone and email. When necessary, staff can open a client's electronic accounting data to update entries, resolve problems or offer advice. Those who prefer face-to-face contact can meet with the team at the Canton office.

New clients begin with a free first consultation. Basic questions are part of the regular service, while longer, more involved consultations may carry an extra charge. Responsiveness is a stated priority, and the firm says many newcomers left previous accountants because they could not get attention. A client portal and online payment link are also offered.

Background and credentials

Ronald Wilson started the firm in 1993 after he and several associates left other firms, and it has since operated for over thirty years. His son Ryan joined part-time in 2002 while in college, later came on full time, and now serves as president.

Ryan studied accounting at Kent State University and completed a master's in taxation at the University of Akron. He is both a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Valuation Analyst, and he belongs to the state CPA society, the national CPA institute and a national valuation analysts' association.

In the community, he is treasurer of the Rotary Club of Plain Township and its foundation. On taxes, the firm says it looks for every legitimate way to lower a client's burden while operating strictly within the law.