Updated 10/26/2026
If you do your small business's payroll with software, you know that it offers the necessary features to comply with regulations, but it can fall short because it lacks the intuition that only a trained payroll specialist can provide.
In fact, there are many downsides to doing your own payroll. So what's the alternative? Outsourcing! At CSI Accounting & Payroll, we've worked with small businesses for 60 years and know firsthand how useful outsourcing your payroll can be.
In this article, we'll talk about the benefits:
Payroll mistakes are common, and even a simple one can result in expensive penalties.
For example, many small businesses find it impossible to stay on top of the numerous, complicated tax code changes. Consider how Minnesota had different cities (now the whole state) expanding to include the Sick and Safe Time ordinance.
Outsourced payroll professionals are much less likely to make errors than an in-house employee, as they’re trained specifically in compliance issues.
Read more about what makes a payroll specialist an expert and what protection they offer.
Running a business is hard enough without adding payroll to the pile. Many small business owners find it a better use of their time to focus on activities related to the main goals of the business.
A payroll service still requires some time for you to send over your payroll details, but it takes a lot less of your time.
When deciding whether or not you're going to run your own payroll, you need to consider:
Let's dig into that last bullet point in the next section.
Payroll is one of the largest expenses for small businesses. If it isn’t done correctly, it can also be your biggest struggle.
You save time and money by outsourcing if you aren’t confident in your skills or can't conduct payroll in-house.
Let's cover the three ways that you can conduct payroll in-house:
We already mentioned that, as the owner, your time is valued at more than what you would pay a payroll service. Plus, payroll is simple... until it isn't. If you encounter an error, the hours spent on payroll can increase dramatically.
You need to outsource if this equation is true:
Value of your time as owner * Number of hours spent on payroll > Fee of a payroll service
Otherwise, you're wasting money.
Many small businesses won't have a dedicated payroll employee, but rather, an administrative employee who does payroll on the side. This is because they think, "The employee is here anyway."
Don't get us wrong... in some situations with small and simple payroll, this is an acceptable option!
However, if the employee who does payroll does not specialize in it, this is a pretty important task to have a non-professional handle. It only takes one upset employee to get your business in trouble.
Now, let's compare the costs of hiring your own in-house specialist to do payroll, as opposed to a payroll service. A payroll service is almost always much more affordable!
This is especially true if you consider these costs of hiring in-house:
Payroll services are designed to help you stay in compliance with all of the policies and regulations involved with payroll, taxes, and IRS reporting. If you are concerned about compliance or if your small business has been penalized in the past for payroll mistakes, it may be time to hire professional payroll services.
Payroll providers are known to benefit small businesses by offering better compliance and accuracy, saved time, and cost-effective services.
Wondering how you can outsource payroll with CSI Accounting & Payroll? We guarantee payroll tax compliance and handle the details, including new hire reporting, quarterly and year-end local, state, and federal tax filings, and more. Click the button below to schedule a call:
Not ready to talk? That's okay! In the meantime, we encourage you to use our pricing estimator: