Author: Jason Pleakis

State and Local Tax Issues Businesses Should Consider

Taxes

State and local tax issues are a big part of a company’s tax liability. In fact, they are so impactful that a lot of companies actively decide to relocate to states that are regarded as low-tax states by the Tax Foundation, such as Florida, Nevada and North Carolina. That said, businesses that choose to operate […]

Is This Your Situation: Considering HR Outsourcing

Outsourced HR services are designed to streamline functions, reduce expenses and help meet your firm’s operational goals. You may hire a third party to oversee some or all of your HR functions, including payroll processing, employee benefits administration and talent acquisition. Outsourcing is a partnership between your company and the outsourcing firm — sharing business […]

Employment Probation Is Stale and Out of Date

Employment probation out of date

In theory, a brief probation period allows both employee and employer to familiarize themselves with each other and learn the ground rules. Many newbies resign before their first 90 days have elapsed. How can you work around this? What’s in a name? Probation began in the days of union dominance as a measure to protect […]

The Many Wonders of Direct Deposit

How direct deposits work

Are you unsure about how to set up direct deposit for your employees or contract workers? Though it may seem daunting at first, especially if you’re not familiar with the process, direct deposits can be set up rather quickly. Let’s start by defining direct deposit. In essence, a direct deposit is an electronic payment of […]

New Form I-9 Released

New I9 Form Release

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has made changes to Form I-9: On Aug. 1, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (PDF, 899.28 KB). Among the improvements to the form is a checkbox employers enrolled in E-Verify can use to indicate they remotely examined identity and employment […]

A New Look at SECURE Act 2.0 Issues

SECURE Act

The SECURE Act 2.0 has a new provision that speaks to the nature of auto-enrollment for new 401(k) plans. All eligible hires will be required to enroll at a pretax rate of 3% at the minimum. Furthermore, the mandatory enrollment will come with an auto-escalation of 1% annually, but this is only effective until the […]

Things To Put in Your Job Offer Letter

Things to put in your job offer letter

The specifics of what to include in a job offer letter will vary based on the company, the expectations for the role and details regarding the candidate. That said, it can still help to read about suggestions regarding what you should put in your job offer letter. Below are a handful of elements that can […]

How to Recognize a Scam

Recognizing Online Scams

Nearly everyone has received an email, text or phone call that sounds legitimate but is a scam. Scammers have gotten quite sophisticated, and even savvy individuals have been taken in. As reported in the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, more than $10 billion in losses from online scams were reported to the FBI in 2022, the […]

Is This Your Situation: Figuring Out Your Business Taxes

Figuring out business taxes

The type of business will determine the type of taxes that will be required to be remitted. Income Taxes You know this tax — it gives the government a share of your net income. Generally, all businesses must file an annual income tax return. The forms that the business will be required to file will […]

Another Disruption: Pay Transparency

Pay Transparency

Pay transparency has been in the news a lot lately. Still, many are unclear about what pay transparency actually means, how far it goes or what the results of pay transparency legislation will be. There are good reasons for this. For starters, the laws on pay transparency are generally intended to address gender and other […]

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Emily Gooding

Payroll Specialist

Emily is graduating in May with a BA in Business Administration from Lander University. She has gained valuable experience as a payroll intern for BMW. We are so excited to have her on the team and  to see her excel in her role as a Payroll Specialist.

Madison Capps​

Payroll Specialist

Madison received a BS in Psychology from Southern Illinois University in 2019. Since then, she has been working as a supervisor at Starbucks and earning her second degree, a BA in Administration and Accounting, from USC Aiken in the fall. She will be joining us as a Payroll Specialist and a valuable addition to our Paysmart team.

Kristen Wilby

Payroll Specialist

Before moving to South Carolina with her husband, Kristen worked as a Sales & Marketing Specialist for Premium King in Feasterville, PA, where she gained valuable experience in strengthening the brand and generating new business. Kristen also brings to our team several years of professional experience as an Executive Assistant and as an Office Manager, where she was first introduced to payroll. Kristen’s knowledge and her innate ability to establish genuine relationships contribute greatly to the team as we continue to grow and serve our clients.

Meg Whitaker

Payroll Specialist

Meg brings nearly twenty years of professional experience to the team. Most recently, she worked as a Payroll & Benefits Specialist in Centennial, Colorado. She and her husband recently moved back to the Carolinas for his job, and we were fortunate to find her! Before Colorado, Meg worked at CPI Security Systems in Charlotte, NC, for twelve years as a Billing Coordinator and Senior Administrative Assistant. She also gained three years of experience as an HR Assistant for a law firm in Fayetteville, NC. Her expertise significantly adds to our team and benefits our clients as we continue to grow!

Rachel McClaran, EA

Advisor

As an Enrolled Agent with more than 15 years of experience, Rachel works closely with her business and individual clients to give them the tax and accounting support they need. Outside of the office, she enjoys traveling and spending time on the water with her husband and their two children. Rachel is an active member of the Junior League of Greenville, Inc.

Hina Rogers

Payroll Specialist

Hina joined the Paysmart team in August 2022. She grew up in Portland, Oregon, before moving to Greenville, SC. She earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education. After college, she represented her alma mater as an enrollment counselor in the Southeast and Western states. She enjoys traveling, road trips, cooking, and quality time with her family. Hina looks forward to serving your company’s needs! 

Sharon Quantrille

Payroll Specialist

Sharon has spent several years in the accounting industry and has completed courses to hone her skills as a Payroll Specialist. Her background as an educator, professional musician, and Human Resources Generalist has contributed to her communication skills, commitment to professionalism, and organizational skills that make her a tremendous benefit to her Paysmart clients and colleagues. A graduate of Bob Jones University with a B.S. degree in Music Education, a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and a Human Resources Generalist Certificate, Sharon spends her free time gardening, hiking, playing the piano, and spending time with her four adult children.

Haleigh Bates

Payroll Specialist

Haleigh joined our team in May of 2022 as a payroll specialist. Haleigh has over eight years of experience helping personal and small business clients with their financial needs. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Georgia Southern University. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children, Caden, Addie, and Mason.  She likes to go hiking, spend time at the beach, and volunteer at her church in the children’s ministry. 

Courtney Rossello

Payroll Tax Manager

Courtney joined the team at Paysmart Payroll Services in September 2020.  She was raised in Simpsonville, SC, and graduated from Clemson University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a concentration in public administration.  Courtney began her payroll career in 2011 and currently works in the payroll tax department at Paysmart.  She strives to make every client feel comfortable knowing their payroll taxes and tax returns are handled accurately and efficiently.  Courtney is also a volunteer Treasurer for a local middle school in Greenville County.  In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering with special needs children, road trips, and spending time with her two daughters. 

Emily Hargrave

Senior Payroll Specialist

Emily received her bachelor’s degree in music from West Coast Baptist College. Since her college days, Emily has gained nearly 18 years of experience in office operations and project management. Emily joined Paysmart in 2017 and enjoys using her skills to support clients and the Paysmart team.

 At heart, Emily is a small-town country girl from the Midwest but is happy now to call the Upstate home, where she doesn’t have to endure harsh winters. Emily’s favorite ways to spend her free time are reading a good book, challenging herself with puzzles, and doing her best not to kill the plants in her garden.

Julie Shull

Client Success Specialist

Julie is the Client Success Specialist for Paysmart Payroll.  She joined the team as a Payroll Specialist in March of 2020. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from NC State University and earned an MBA from Gardner-Webb University while playing on the GWU women’s tennis team. After starting her career with Wilson Sporting Goods as a Financial Analyst, she took a few years off to raise twin boys until she began working for Greenville County Schools in 2014.  Julie enjoys spending time with her family and outdoor activities.

Brad Detandt

Payroll Administrator

A graduate of Northland International University with a BA in Counseling, Brad Detandt leads the day-to-day operations of the Paysmart team. He is eager to grow the firm’s client portfolio. He brings a diverse employment background in retail, manufacturing, nonprofit ministries, and business development, with
a specialized focus on team development and process improvement. Brad’s professional – and personal – mission is to “Be Great. Serve!” Brad enjoys spontaneous activities and weekend trips to state parks with his wife Miranda and his three children.

Stephen C. Stokes

CPA | President

Stephen has more than 14 years’ experience working with individuals and businesses to meet their tax, accounting, and payroll needs. He has been the managing partner of Paysmart Payroll Services since January 2009. He is a licensed certified public accountant in South Carolina and Georgia. Stephen is also a member of the South Carolina Association of CPAs, the Georgia Society of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs, and the Professional Association of Small Business Accountants. He has a bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University and a master’s degree from Georgia State University. Stephen was born and raised near Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Greenville, South Carolina, several years ago. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Tiffani, and daughters, Madeline and Julianna. He is actively involved in his church and enjoys reading, sports, and other outdoor activities.