About Elizabeth
My superhero skill? Making payroll make sense.
I can explain tax to people in a way they actually understand. I can also tell you that you owe taxes without making you cry, but that’s just a bonus skill.
My story
As a seasoned Certified Public Accountant, licensed in the State of Minnesota since 2003, I’ve spent more than two decades gathering experience and unraveling the complexities of taxes.
My journey began at a mid-sized regional firm in the Minneapolis suburbs, where I started as a bookkeeper while studying for the CPA exam. That’s where I first learned the basics, then the intricacies, of payroll. Over the years I worked across accounting, business and individual tax.
In 2010 I launched Elizabeth Bystrom CPA, Ltd., a boutique tax and accounting firm serving small businesses and individuals.
Why payroll?
Payroll affects everyone. It’s the heartbeat of any business with employees, yet it’s often the most misunderstood part of it. I’ve watched a seemingly simple payroll task lead to costly mistakes, because the common belief is that something done that often must be easy. It isn’t.
Nobody really likes payroll, except for that whole getting-paid part. But anyone involved in accounting, tax or finance needs at least a working familiarity with it. That’s where I come in.
For several years I created and presented a payroll webinar series that broke the topic into manageable, surprisingly enjoyable pieces. Today I bring that same approach to team trainings, conference sessions and one-on-one consulting.
Payroll: less mystery, more mastery.