Southern Payroll & Bookkeeping provides payroll, bookkeeping and Xero consulting to small and mid-sized businesses in Knoxville and across Knox County. We’re based in Chattanooga, and we serve clients in more than 30 states, with payroll compliance in all 50. You get one team for payroll, books and business advice, a one-business-day callback and no annual contracts.
Doing business in Knoxville
Knoxville businesses range from healthcare practices and professional service firms to manufacturers and companies serving the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge research corridor. Many grow from a handful of employees to dozens quickly. We set up payroll and bookkeeping that scale with you, so adding staff or a second location doesn’t mean starting over.
Payroll, bookkeeping and Xero support for Knoxville businesses
Payroll and HR support
We run full-service payroll for Knoxville employers: direct deposit, federal and Tennessee payroll taxes, quarterly and year-end filings, W-2s and 1099s. We also help with onboarding, PTO tracking and HR compliance questions. See our payroll and HR services.
Monthly bookkeeping and reporting
We reconcile your bank and credit card accounts, categorize transactions and deliver monthly financial statements you can read and act on. Tennessee businesses also file the state franchise and excise tax and, for most, the business tax on gross receipts. We keep your books organized so your CPA has clean numbers for those returns. See our bookkeeping services.
Xero and QuickBooks consulting
As certified Xero, QuickBooks and Gusto partners, we set up new accounting systems, migrate you from desktop software, connect payroll and apps, and train your team. If your current setup is a mess, we clean it up first. See our Xero consulting.
Business advisory
When you need more than clean books, our business advisory team provides cash flow forecasting, budgeting and fractional CFO support for Knoxville owners making bigger decisions.
Tennessee payroll rules we handle for you
- No state income tax on wages. Tennessee doesn’t tax wages, so there’s no state withholding. Federal withholding, Social Security and Medicare still apply on every paycheck.
- Tennessee unemployment insurance. We register new employers with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, file the quarterly wage and premium reports, and keep your assigned rate current.
- New-hire reporting. Every new employee is reported to the state on time, as Tennessee requires.
- Multi-state employees. Staff who live in Georgia or Alabama but work in Tennessee, or remote employees in other states, are set up with the right state withholding from the first paycheck.
How we work with Knoxville clients
- Fully remote, fully secure. Documents move through secure portals and cloud accounting, and meetings happen by video or phone, so working with us from Knoxville is as easy as working with a local firm.
- One team that knows you. The same people handle your payroll and books, so you’re not explaining your business to someone new every month.
- One-business-day callback. Questions get answered quickly, by a person.
- No annual contracts. Add or change services as the business changes.
Questions from Knoxville business owners
Can you take over payroll mid-year for a Knoxville business?
Yes. We bring over year-to-date wages and tax payments so W-2s and quarterly filings stay accurate, then run your next payroll on the new system.
Is Southern Payroll & Bookkeeping based in Knoxville?
Our office is at 1007 Spring Creek Rd in Chattanooga, TN. We serve Knoxville businesses remotely, the same way we serve clients in more than 30 states.
Get started in Knoxville
Book a free consultation and we’ll review your current payroll and bookkeeping setup and tell you what we’d change. Call (423) 207-2497, email info@southernpb.com or book a time online.