Payroll & Bookkeeping in Athens, TX

Running a business in Athens is hard enough without payroll deadlines and messy books pulling you away from the work you actually do. At McMullen Tax Service, we handle the numbers behind your business, from paychecks and quarterly filings to monthly bookkeeping and QuickBooks cleanup, so your records are accurate, your filings are on time, and your tax return is built on books you can trust. As an Enrolled Agent, federally licensed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, we understand how payroll and bookkeeping decisions show up on your tax return, because tax is what we do every day.

What We Do

Good payroll and bookkeeping start with a system that fits your business. We set up or take over your payroll, keep your books current, and make sure every required filing goes out on schedule. Because the same person who manages your payroll understands the tax side, issues get caught early, before they turn into IRS notices, penalties, or a stressful scramble at filing time.

For Henderson County’s mix of small businesses, farms, contractors, and churches, we tailor the setup to how you actually operate. Seasonal workers, crews paid by the job, ministers with dual tax status, and owner-operators all require different handling. We get it right from the start and explain every step in plain language.

Is Your Payroll Set Up Correctly?

Payroll mistakes are easy to make and expensive to fix. A quick review often finds problems you didn’t know you had, and it is far cheaper to correct them now than after the IRS sends a letter.

Whether your workers are classified correctly as employees or independent contractors
Quarterly Form 941 and annual Form 940 filings, prepared and submitted on time
Federal and state tax deposits made on the right schedule for your payroll size
W-2s and 1099s prepared, reviewed, and filed before the January deadlines
Proper handling of owner pay, especially for S-corporation owners
A clear record of every payroll filing, so you always know where you stand

Bookkeeping That Keeps You Ready

Clean books do more than make tax time easier. They show you how your business is really performing, support loan applications, and protect you if the IRS ever asks questions. We keep your records organized throughout the year rather than rebuilding them in a rush each spring.

Monthly bookkeeping and bank reconciliation so errors are caught while they are easy to trace
QuickBooks cleanup, catch-up work, and migration from other systems
A chart of accounts built around your business, not a generic template
Categorization that supports the deductions you are entitled to claim
Year-end books that are tax-ready and audit-ready

Why Payroll and Tax Belong Together

When payroll, bookkeeping, and tax preparation are handled by different people, details fall through the cracks. A wrong classification, a missed deposit, or a miscategorized expense often doesn’t surface until it becomes a penalty or an amended return. Keeping everything under one roof means the numbers flow cleanly from your paychecks, to your books, to your return, and you have one person to call when a question comes up.

Special Situations We Handle

Church and ministry payroll, including housing allowance and dual-status clergy pay
Farm and agricultural payroll with seasonal or part-time workers
Contractors and tradespeople who pay crews by the job
Accountable plans so business reimbursements stay tax-free
Catch-up work when filings have fallen behind

Process & Pricing

We start with a conversation about your business, then review your current payroll setup, books, and recent filings. From there we walk you through what we found, what needs attention, and what we recommend, in plain terms and before any work begins. Pricing is quoted up front based on the size and complexity of your business. Advisory deposits of $100 for individuals and $200 for businesses are credited toward your project if you move forward.

Why Athens Trusts McMullen

Our license as an Enrolled Agent comes from the federal government and is valid in all 50 states, and tax is all we do. Because we also represent taxpayers before the IRS, we know exactly what the agency looks for in payroll filings and books, and we build yours to hold up. You work directly with the person handling your account, not a call center, and you get specific answers instead of boilerplate.

Free Estimation

Talk to the Tax Doctor Before You Sign

Don't wait for a penalty notice to find out something is wrong. Based in Palestine and serving Athens and all of East Texas (and beyond), McMullen Tax Service will review your payroll and books, fix what needs fixing, and keep everything running on schedule. Call or email today to schedule your payroll and bookkeeping review.

Get Started Today

Send us a message with the form below, or call our Athens team today.