You'll have to factor in local and federal tax regulations, retirement planning and quarterly financial reporting. These responsibilities can seem overwhelming without the right assistance.



Here you'll find several different options to make payroll a breeze: accountants, payroll software or payroll services.

New businesses are advised to "Hire an accountant," which is very sound advice if you're looking for peace of mind. A salaried accountant could provide tremendous payroll services but could also set you back $50,000-$80,000 annually, which isn't feasible for smaller companies.

Sometimes your best bet is to hire a consultant for $100-200/month to cover book keeping. Ask around to find a personal accountant who is reliable. The last thing you want is late tax returns or penalties due to an accounting error.

You can hire a company like H&R Block to cover your tax filings, but they won't be able to provide you with retirement planning services.

To save time, medium to large sized companies choose to outsource payroll services and retirement planning to a company. ADP and Paychex 401k plans and services are ranked among the best in the nation.

There's always a danger in using one of these service providers with over 543,000 clients, that you may be the one to slip between the cracks. Some clients report poor customer service, false promises, late deposits and hefty penalties.

Yet in general, you can sleep sounder by not having to spend all of your time micro-managing payroll and taxes.

Quickbooks Assisted Payroll costs half the amount of payroll services, around $59/month on average. Instead of waiting by the phone or fax machine, you can enter data into your computer immediately and have information updated in real time.

You may choose to print your own paychecks or directly deposit funds into employee bank accounts. Similar to outsourcing, Quickbooks will cover state and federal tax filings as well, taking a huge load off your shoulders. With just the click of a mouse button, you can have W2's printed right in the office.

With Quickbooks or other payroll software, you will have maximum control over your financial pay-outs so you can feel comfortable knowing all your employees and tax agencies will be satisfied.

To help with your retirement planning needs, Quickbooks Retirement Solutions is easy-to-navigate software with clear-cut employee retirement plan options.

The importance of payroll services should not be taken lightly. Whether you're assessing your business retirement plan options, filing your taxes or simply paying your workers, payroll services are a vital part of every business.

A good accountant can keep you out of lawsuits and jail, keep your employees happy and give you the peace of mind you need to run a successful business.