Free Payroll Tool
See what your payroll provider really charges
Most providers hide per-run and add-on fees. Audit your real cost per employee in about 30 seconds, free.
Run the Payroll Fee Auditor →Blog · Payroll Management · Agency
Marketing & PR Agencies: How to Switch Payroll Providers (2026)
Switching payroll providers at a marketing agency means moving year-to-date wages and taxes per employee, every pay code for 1099 vs W-2 freelancer classification, project-based bonuses and multi-state remote teams, the exemption records for account managers and copywriters, and the retained records the law requires. BEG: $25 per employee per month in your existing platform or $45 on isolved, live in 3 to 5 days.
What has to migrate from a marketing agency
Year-to-date gross, taxes and deductions per employee so the W-2 is one form at year end; every pay code, 1099 vs W-2 freelancer classification, project-based bonuses, multi-state remote teams and billable vs internal payroll allocation, rebuilt with the same taxability; each state's withholding and unemployment account numbers and rates; garnishment orders with balances; direct deposit authorizations; and the exemption documentation for account managers and copywriters.
Advertising and Related Services (NAICS 5418) and Specialized Design Services (5414) are on OSHA's partially exempt industry list, so agencies in those codes do not keep OSHA 300 logs unless OSHA or BLS asks in writing. Fatalities, in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and eye losses must still be reported.
Timing the cutover
A quarter boundary is the cleanest cutover because the old provider files a final 941 for its quarter and the new one starts fresh, with no Schedule D reconciliation. Mid-quarter switches work but require the outgoing provider's tax filings to be reconciled before the first new run. Live payroll on BEG is 3 to 5 business days from signing; the migration of marketing agency pay codes is done before that first run, not after.
The rules behind this page, with sources
General information, not legal advice. Every rule below was read on the agency page linked next to it.
- Advertising and Related Services (NAICS 5418) and Specialized Design Services (5414) are on OSHA's partially exempt industry list, so agencies in those codes do not keep OSHA 300 logs unless OSHA or BLS asks in writing. Fatalities, in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and eye losses must still be reported. [OSHA 29 CFR 1904 Subpart B, Appendix A]
Read the full guide to how to switch payroll providers, and the rest of the marketing agency payroll library.
Managed Payroll, Handled.
BEG manages payroll at $25-$45 per employee per month, all-inclusive. Get an instant cost comparison for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time for a marketing agency to switch payroll providers?
At a quarter boundary, ideally January 1 so the W-2 year is clean. Mid-quarter is workable with a reconciliation of the outgoing provider's deposits and filings first.
What marketing agency data is most often lost in a switch?
The pay code configuration for 1099 vs W-2 freelancer classification and project-based bonuses and the exemption records for account managers and copywriters. Year-to-date figures usually move; the industry-specific setup is what gets rebuilt wrong.
What does managed payroll cost for a marketing agency?
$25 per employee per month inside your existing platform or $45 on BEG's isolved HCM, all-inclusive, with a $500 monthly minimum. 1099 vs W-2 freelancer classification, project-based bonuses and multi-state remote teams are configured at setup, not billed as add-ons.
Related Resources
Anthony leads payroll solutions at Business Executive Group, a national managed payroll firm serving businesses across industries including Marketing & PR Agencies. BEG manages payroll at $25-$45 PEPM, all-inclusive, with deep expertise in compliance, multi-state filing, and industry-specific payroll requirements. Get instant pricing at beghr.com.
Authoritative source: U.S. Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division
From the blog