For many small businesses, payroll may be handled in-house. And yet, the laws and regulations surrounding employee compensation and benefits can challenge owners and back office staff to stay efficient and compliant. Payroll ties directly into individual and company tax reporting as well as employee benefit compliance. If and when companies choose payroll outsourcing, they must weigh the potential benefits against the ability of the payroll provider to deliver a high level of customer service and communication. Companies and industries differ on how they structure payroll and benefits. Laws and regulations also vary state by state. Consulting on payroll structure, schedules, regulatory changes and reporting, therefore, should be part of the relationship while still being cost effective for the company. It’s helpful to start this discussion with your CPA.
What to Ask your CPA about Payroll Outsourcing
Some CPA firms offer payroll administration as part of basic or strategic 
accounting services. The level of administration and services vary widely. The potential benefit of having your CPA firm handle payroll administration, however, is that the team understands the world of taxes and accounting. They can streamline payroll reporting, deposits and filing schedules into the audit or tax deadlines they already handle for the business.
However, not every CPA firm offers payroll administration. Due to its complexity, it’s also important that the firm has a staff of professionals dedicated to this area of your business. If, in fact, the firm offers a focused niche in payroll administration and consulting, there are several benefits to the arrangement:
- Expanded resources to monitor new compliance issues
- Reduced overhead costs (assuming a packaged engagement with other services)
- Multi-state payroll experience
- Corrected instances of overpayment or underpayment
- Managed filing and payment schedules with IRS, state and local tax authorities
- Limited client exposure to potential penalties
- Consulting on software options and efficient payroll structures
- Streamlined communication with other tax, audit and business needs
At Cornwell Jackson, we offer payroll administration and consulting services to our clients. We have invested in software and training for a team dedicated to this service, including certification as a CPP through the American Payroll Association.
The need was evident after too many instances of misclassification 1099 errors as well as W2 mistakes at tax time. We also noted mistakes in HSA and life insurance reporting and general improper reporting of cash and non-cash benefits. Our clients were paying for payroll administration, and then paying our firm to fix mistakes. We realized that our experience could help reduce or prevent problems before they even happen — and reduce our clients’ expenses.
After investigating the value our firm could provide in this area, we learned about many differences between payroll providers. When discussing payroll administration with your CPA firm or an outsourced service, there are several questions you should ask:
- How much experience does the provider have in payroll administration — and is there a dedicated team?
- Will the team walk you through data collection and set-up or are you on your own?
- Who is your go-to contact to ask questions about liabilities or deadlines?
- Is the provider NACHA compliant for ACH direct deposits?
- Can you arrange for payroll tax payments on a schedule that supports cash flow along with compliance?
This last question is an important business consideration that most companies don’t know about. Some payroll services withdraw all funds from the business account for payroll transfers and taxes all at once, even if taxes aren’t due for a few weeks. If your receivables come in the first week of the month and payroll taxes are due on the 15th of the month, you can schedule payments in a way that supports cash flow while still being compliant. In addition, payroll services may not provide guidance on industry-specific issues like auto dealer comps or law firm shareholder bonuses, for example. Business owners must carefully consider the level of expertise a provider has in your industry.
Payroll is the most up-to-date KPI in a business — and the most expensive. Business owners we talked to are more than happy to find ways to save money in this area. Are you ready to consider an alternative to your current system of payroll administration? Call the payroll team at Cornwell Jackson.
Continue Reading: Outsourced Payroll Onboarding: Build in time for transition and results
Scott Bates, CPA, is a partner in the audit practice and leads the firm’s business services practice, which includes a dedicated team for outsourced accounting, bookkeeping and payroll services. He provides consulting to clients in healthcare, real estate, auto, transportation, technology, service, dealerships and manufacturing and distribution. Contact Scott at scott.bates@cornwelljackson.com or 972-202-8000.
Blog originally published April 18, 2016. Updated on March 20, 2018.
