# Bookkeeping, Tax Preparation Support and Virtual CFO Services for St. Louis Businesses

Canonical: https://finbryn.com/us/locations/st-louis

Remote service for St. Louis businesses, contracted in the United States.

Finbryn provides remote bookkeeping, tax preparation support and virtual CFO work for St. Louis businesses, with books kept in QuickBooks Online or Xero and built around Missouri and City of St. Louis rules. As of October 8, 2026, the City Collector of Revenue charges a 1% earnings tax on business earnings, reported on Form E-234 and due April 15 for calendar-year filers.

The City of St. Louis levies its own earnings tax on businesses. It became law in 1954, and city voters renewed it again in April 2026, as state law requires every five years. Employers also pay a 0.5% payroll expense tax, on a calendar of its own. Then there's the map. The City of St. Louis sits apart from St. Louis County, and the metro crosses the Mississippi River into Illinois. A short drive can change the sales tax rate, the forms and sometimes the state.

The business base is varied. Healthcare and bioscience organizations, brewers and food producers, river, rail and trucking operators, financial services and insurance firms, construction trades and a deep nonprofit sector all keep books here. They share one trait: the city wants its own return from each of them.

Finbryn has no St. Louis office and no local staff. It's a remote service, contracted in the United States, and the sections below cover the rules that change how a St. Louis ledger is built.

## The city's 1% earnings tax on businesses

The City of St. Louis charges businesses an earnings tax of 1% of the business's earnings. It reaches businesses located in the city and nonresident businesses that perform work or business activity there. A company with a physical location in the city but no employees still owes it, and nonprofits are exempt once they file a copy of their federal or state certificate with Form E-9. The airport doesn't count: Lambert International is outside the city's geographic boundaries, so a business located only there owes neither the earnings tax nor the payroll expense tax (Collector of Revenue, checked October 8, 2026).

The return is Form E-234, built on a three-factor formula of gross receipts, property including inventory, and payroll. Any one of the three in the city creates a filing duty, even for a business based elsewhere. Calendar-year returns are due April 15, or October 15 with an approved Form E-8 extension. An Annual Business 1099 Report (Form E-6 or Schedule G) is due March 1.

Voters kept the tax on April 7, 2026. Proposition E passed with 84.70% voting yes in the Board of Election Commissioners' final official results. The practical lesson for the books: record city-sourced receipts, property and payroll separately all year, and the three E-234 factors come straight off the ledger.

## Payroll: city withholding, the payroll expense tax and Missouri wage rules

Employers with people working in the city withhold the 1% earnings tax from gross earnings and file Form W-10. A resident employer withholds on all employees, wherever they work. Separately, the employer pays the Payroll Expense Tax of 0.5% of gross compensation for work in the city, filed on Form P-10. Both are quarterly: April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31, with the W-3 reconciliation and W-2 data due January 31. Late payments draw a penalty of 5% for each month or part of a month, up to 25%, plus interest at 1% a month.

State rules matter too. Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour for 2026, and under HB 567 it will no longer be adjusted for inflation. The same law repealed the earned paid sick time mandate as of August 28, 2025, though employers may still offer it. Per the state labor department, retail and service employers with annual gross income under $500,000 aren't required to pay the state minimum wage, though federal rules can still apply. The ledger needs a clear split between wages, city withholding and the employer's payroll expense tax.

## Business property: the April 1 list

The City Assessor requires personal property assessment lists by April 1 each year under state law, and business assets are part of that. A list not filed by April 1 is assessed at 10% above its value as a penalty. If April 1 falls on a weekend, the deadline moves to the next business day.

That date makes the fixed asset register a spring deliverable, not a year-end afterthought. The register has to show what the business owns, what was bought or disposed of during the year, and cost by class, in a form the assessor's list can be built from. Missouri's own corporate income tax is 4% for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, and most corporate returns are due the 15th day of the fourth month after year end (Missouri Department of Revenue). Missouri LLCs file no annual report with the Secretary of State, so no state renewal fee sits on their calendar.

## Sales tax in the city and across the river

Missouri's state rate is 4.225%, and local layers decide the rest. The Department of Revenue's rate table for October through December 2026 lists a base rate of 9.679% in the City of St. Louis, against 7.738% in unincorporated St. Louis County. Special districts add more in some places, so the lookup runs by address. These are base rates for the places on this page:

| Place | County | Base rate, October to December 2026 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| St. Louis (city) | St. Louis city | 9.679% |
| Kirkwood | St. Louis County | 9.738% |
| Brentwood | St. Louis County | 9.738% |
| Clayton | St. Louis County | 9.488% |
| Creve Coeur | St. Louis County | 8.988% |
| Chesterfield | St. Louis County | 8.738% |
| Ballwin | St. Louis County | 8.738% |
| St. Charles | St. Charles County | 7.95% |
| O'Fallon | St. Charles County | 7.95% |

Belleville in St. Clair County and Edwardsville in Madison County are on the Illinois side, where the Illinois Department of Revenue sets the rates. A seller with sales on both sides of the river keeps Missouri and Illinois liabilities in separate accounts, each tied to its own return.

## The Illinois side of the metro

The St. Louis metro takes in Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois, and plenty of businesses straddle the river. Illinois taxes corporations at 7% of net income, with a separate Personal Property Replacement Tax of 2.5% for corporations and 1.5% for partnerships and S corporations, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue. Individuals pay 4.95%.

Employees who live in one state and work in the other raise withholding questions in both, so payroll needs each person's home and work address on file, and the credentialed preparer settles credits on the personal return. That's an area where payroll setup mistakes pile up quietly. Our [Chicago page](/us/locations/chicago) covers Illinois taxes in more detail, and the same ledger discipline applies here: one liability account per jurisdiction, with a calendar for each.

## What each St. Louis industry needs from the books

Healthcare and bioscience organizations in the Central West End and Clayton need research grants and clinical revenue kept apart from patient revenue, with restricted funds tracked by source. Brewers and food producers carry production inventory, packaging and co-packer billing, and their margin shows up in yield. River, rail and trucking operators moving freight along the Mississippi corridor need per-load costing, fuel tracking and equipment schedules.

Financial services and insurance firms need books that hold up under a regulator's or an investor's questions. Construction and trades firms need job costing and retainage tracking. Nonprofits, which are exempt from the city earnings tax once they file Form E-9, still need fund accounting and Form 990 support; see our [nonprofit guide](/us/guides/nonprofit-accounting-form-990-guide).

## Deadlines and registrations for a St. Louis business

| Item | Agency | Timing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Business 1099 Report (Form E-6 or Schedule G) | City Collector of Revenue | March 1 |
| Business earnings tax return, Form E-234 | City Collector of Revenue | April 15 (calendar year); October 15 with Form E-8 |
| Withholding and payroll expense tax returns, Forms W-10 and P-10 | City Collector of Revenue | April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31 |
| W-3 reconciliation and W-2 data | City Collector of Revenue | January 31 |
| Personal property assessment list | City Assessor | April 1; 10% penalty if late |
| Corporate income tax return | Missouri Department of Revenue | 15th day of the 4th month after year end |
| S corporation and partnership returns | IRS | March 15, 2027 |
| C corporation and individual returns | IRS | April 15, 2027 |

Federal dates come from IRS Publication 509. The city's March 1 report comes before any federal return, which catches businesses that only watch federal dates.

## Hiring in St. Louis compared with working with Finbryn

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 estimates count 9,950 jobs in the bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerk group (occupation code 43-3031) in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro, at a mean annual wage of $53,400 and a median of $49,970. Accountants and auditors number 13,610 jobs at a mean of $86,560. Financial managers, the nearest group to a controller or part-time CFO, number 7,190 jobs at a mean of $172,850.

Those are wages only. Add payroll tax, the city's payroll expense tax, benefits, software and the recruiting cycle, and the real cost runs higher. A Finbryn plan is a fixed monthly fee and works remotely. If you need someone in the building to handle paper and walk-ins, hire that person, and let a plan carry the books around them.

## How a St. Louis engagement runs, and what it costs

Documents travel through a secure client portal, and bank and card feeds connect into QuickBooks Online or Xero. The file stays in your name, and there's no St. Louis office to visit.

Essentials is $249 a month for up to $50,000 in monthly expenses. Growth is $549 a month up to $150,000. The [pricing page](/us/pricing) lists the rest. Tax work is preparation support: schedules and workpapers are prepared for review and signature by the credentialed preparer, who signs and files the return, and the [about page](/us/about) names the people. Start on the [contact page](/us/contact) with recent statements and a note on which city and state forms apply to you. The first close comes back reconciled, with an open-items list. For another central metro, see [Dallas](/us/locations/dallas), or open the [locations hub](/us/locations).

## Areas we serve

Businesses we support remotely in and around St. Louis, grouped by county.

- St. Louis County: Clayton, Kirkwood, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Brentwood, Ballwin
- St. Charles County: St. Charles, O'Fallon
- St. Clair County: Belleville
- Madison County: Edwardsville

## By the numbers

| Figure | What it means | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1% | City of St. Louis earnings tax on business earnings; the employer payroll expense tax is a separate 0.5% | [stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/collector/earnings-tax/business-earnings-tax-info.cfm](https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/collector/earnings-tax/business-earnings-tax-info.cfm) (2026-10-08) |
| 9.679% vs 7.738% | Base combined sales tax rate in the City of St. Louis against unincorporated St. Louis County, October through December 2026 | [dor.mo.gov/pdf/rates/2026/october2026.pdf](https://dor.mo.gov/pdf/rates/2026/october2026.pdf) (2026-10-08) |
| April 1 | City of St. Louis deadline for personal property assessment lists; a late list is assessed at 10% above value | [stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/assessor/personal-property/penalty-for-late-filing.cfm](https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/assessor/personal-property/penalty-for-late-filing.cfm) (2026-10-08) |
| $15.00 | Missouri minimum wage per hour for 2026, no longer adjusted annually for inflation under HB 567 | [labor.mo.gov/dls/minimum-wage](https://labor.mo.gov/dls/minimum-wage) (2026-10-08) |
| 4% | Missouri corporation income tax rate for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020 | [dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/corporation-income](https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/corporation-income/) (2026-10-08) |
| $53,400 | Mean annual wage in the bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerk group (occupation code 43-3031), St. Louis, MO-IL metro, BLS May 2025 estimates | [bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcma.htm](https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcma.htm) (2026-10-08) |

## Services for St. Louis businesses

- [Monthly bookkeeping](https://finbryn.com/us/services/bookkeeping/monthly-bookkeeping)

- [Fixed asset register](https://finbryn.com/us/services/bookkeeping/fixed-asset-register)

- [Full-service outsourced accounting](https://finbryn.com/us/services/accounting-services/full-service-outsourced-accounting)

- [S corporation tax preparation support](https://finbryn.com/us/services/tax-preparation-support/form-1120s-s-corporation)

- [Sales tax and nexus support](https://finbryn.com/us/services/tax-preparation-support/sales-tax-filings-nexus)

- [US payroll coordination: Gusto, ADP, Rippling and Deel](https://finbryn.com/us/services/payroll-support/us-payroll-gusto-adp-rippling-deel)

- [Fractional CFO](https://finbryn.com/us/services/virtual-cfo-advisory/fractional-cfo)

- [Month-end close](https://finbryn.com/us/services/month-end-close-reporting/month-end-close)

- [1099 vendor tracking](https://finbryn.com/us/services/accounts-payable-receivable/1099-vendor-tracking)

## Industries we work with in St. Louis

- [Medical and dental practices](https://finbryn.com/us/industries/medical-dental)

- [Nonprofits](https://finbryn.com/us/industries/nonprofits)

- [Trucking and logistics](https://finbryn.com/us/industries/trucking-logistics)

- [Construction and job costing](https://finbryn.com/us/industries/construction-job-costing)

- [Manufacturing](https://finbryn.com/us/industries/manufacturing)

- [Childcare centers](https://finbryn.com/us/industries/childcare-centers)

## Frequently asked questions: St. Louis

**Q: Does Finbryn have an office in St. Louis?**

A: No. Finbryn works remotely for St. Louis businesses and, as of October 8, 2026, has no St. Louis address or local staff. The work is contracted in the United States through Northlane Solutions Inc, a Delaware company.

**Q: Does my business owe the St. Louis earnings tax if it is based in Clayton?**

A: It can. The Collector of Revenue says nonresident businesses that perform work or business activity in the city are taxed at 1%, and the E-234 return tests three factors: gross receipts, property and payroll. Any one factor in the city creates a filing duty (checked October 8, 2026). We track those factors so the preparer has them at hand.

**Q: What are Forms W-10 and P-10, and when are they due?**

A: W-10 remits the 1% city earnings tax withheld from pay, and P-10 remits the employer's 0.5% payroll expense tax. Both are quarterly, due April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31, per the Collector of Revenue. We book each as a separate liability and tie it to payroll reports.

**Q: Which sales tax rate applies in the City of St. Louis?**

A: The Missouri Department of Revenue's table for October through December 2026 lists a base rate of 9.679% in the city, against 7.738% in unincorporated St. Louis County and 7.95% in St. Charles. Special districts can add to it, so the rate is confirmed by address.

**Q: When is the personal property list due in the City of St. Louis?**

A: By April 1 each year. A list not filed by then is assessed at 10% above its value, according to the City Assessor's page checked October 8, 2026. We keep the fixed asset register in a form the list can be built from.

**Q: Does a Missouri LLC file an annual report?**

A: No. The Missouri Secretary of State says limited liability companies don't file an annual report (checked October 8, 2026), unlike corporations, which file annual registration reports. Federal and city returns still apply.

**Q: What does Missouri's minimum wage and sick leave law mean for payroll?**

A: The minimum wage is $15.00 an hour for 2026 and no longer adjusts for inflation under HB 567. The earned paid sick time mandate was repealed as of August 28, 2025, so any sick pay is now an employer choice. The Missouri labor department lists both changes.

**Q: Who signs the returns, and when are they due?**

A: Finbryn prepares the schedules and workpapers. A credentialed preparer reviews, signs and files the return, and the about page names the people. For 2026, S corporation and partnership returns are due March 15, 2027, and C corporation and individual returns April 15, 2027.

**Q: How does the cost compare with hiring a bookkeeper in St. Louis?**

A: BLS May 2025 data puts the mean wage in the metro's bookkeeping clerk group at $53,400 before payroll tax, benefits and software. Finbryn's Essentials plan is $249 a month and Growth is $549, and a plan can cover a gap in place of a full-time hire.

## Other cities we serve

- [Atlanta](https://finbryn.com/us/locations/atlanta)
- [Washington DC](https://finbryn.com/us/locations/washington-dc)
- [Tampa](https://finbryn.com/us/locations/tampa)

## Sources

1. [City of St. Louis Collector of Revenue: Business earnings tax information](https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/collector/earnings-tax/business-earnings-tax-info.cfm) (2026-10-08)
2. [City of St. Louis Collector of Revenue: Employer withholding and payroll expense tax information](https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/collector/earnings-tax/payroll-tax-info.cfm) (2026-10-08)
3. [City of St. Louis Assessor: Penalty for late filing, personal property assessments](https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/assessor/personal-property/penalty-for-late-filing.cfm) (2026-10-08)
4. [City of St. Louis: Earnings tax ordinance submitting the continuation question to voters](https://stlouis-mo.gov/government/city-laws/ordinances/ordinance.cfm?ord=72067) (2026-10-08)
5. [St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louis voters decide to keep 1% earnings tax for another 5 years](https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2026-04-07/st-louis-voters-pass-earnings-tax) (2026-10-08)
6. [Missouri Department of Revenue: Sales and use tax rate tables, October to December 2026](https://dor.mo.gov/pdf/rates/2026/october2026.pdf) (2026-10-08)
7. [Missouri Department of Revenue: Corporation income tax](https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/corporation-income/) (2026-10-08)
8. [Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations: Minimum wage](https://labor.mo.gov/dls/minimum-wage) (2026-10-08)
9. [Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations: Minimum wage increases to $15.00 per hour for 2026](https://labor.mo.gov/news/press-releases/minimum-wage-increases-1500-hour-2026) (2026-10-08)
10. [Missouri Secretary of State: Business FAQs](https://www.sos.mo.gov/business/faqs) (2026-10-08)
11. [Illinois Department of Revenue: Income tax rates](https://tax.illinois.gov/research/taxrates/income.html) (2026-10-08)
12. [BLS: May 2025 metropolitan area occupational employment and wage estimates](https://www.bls.gov/oes/2025/may/oessrcma.htm) (2026-10-08)
13. [IRS Publication 509, Tax Calendars](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p509) (2026-10-08)
14. [St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners: April 7, 2026 final official summary](https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/board-election-commissioners/documents/upload/Apr26-Final-Official-Summary.pdf) (2026-10-08)

Reviewed October 2026

## Contact
- Phone: +1 (312) 313-7376
- Email: hello@finbryn.com
- Booking page: https://finbryn.com/us/book