Cuyahoga County General Accounting Department manages fund certification, vendor payments, payroll processing, 1099/W-2 preparation, and financial reporting under Ohio Revised Code requirements.
Location
Cuyahoga County, OH
Availability
Online 24/7
Service Type
Government Service
The Cuyahoga County General Accounting Department serves as the financial backbone of county government, operating under the authority of the Fiscal Officer and governed by the Ohio Revised Code. This department ensures the lawful and accurate handling of all county funds, from certifying that money is available before expenditures are made to processing the final payments to vendors and employees.
County government involves complex financial operations affecting hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The General Accounting Department provides the internal controls and processing functions that keep these operations running smoothly and in compliance with state law.
Ohio law places specific responsibilities on the County Auditor (now Fiscal Officer) regarding the certification, accounting, and disbursement of public funds. The General Accounting Department fulfills these statutory duties while also serving the practical needs of county departments, employees, and vendors.
The General Accounting Department performs several essential functions that affect everyone who does business with or works for Cuyahoga County.
Before any county department can spend money, the General Accounting Department must certify that funds are available and properly appropriated. This certification process prevents departments from overspending their budgets and ensures that the county can meet its financial obligations. Every purchase order, contract, and expenditure requires certification before it can proceed.
The certification process involves verifying that funds exist in the appropriate account, confirming that the expenditure fits within the appropriation category, ensuring that sufficient balance remains after the expenditure, and documenting the certification for audit purposes.
The department processes approximately 240,000 vendor checks annually, paying for everything from office supplies to major construction contracts. The accounts payable function includes receiving and verifying invoices from vendors, matching invoices to purchase orders and receiving documents, processing payments according to county policies and state law, maintaining vendor records and tax documentation, responding to vendor inquiries about payment status, and handling payment disputes and adjustments.
Cuyahoga County employs thousands of workers across dozens of departments. The General Accounting Department ensures they all get paid accurately and on time, processing approximately 255,000 paychecks and direct deposits annually. Payroll responsibilities include processing biweekly payroll for all county employees, calculating and withholding taxes at federal, state, and local levels, processing employee benefit deductions, managing direct deposit and payroll distribution, coordinating with department timekeepers on hours and attendance, handling payroll adjustments and corrections, and ensuring compliance with wage and hour laws.
The General Accounting Department handles significant tax reporting obligations for both vendors and employees.
Any vendor who receives payments totaling $600 or more during the calendar year for services, rents, or other reportable payments must receive a Form 1099. The department issues 1099-MISC for rents, prizes, and other miscellaneous payments, 1099-NEC for nonemployee compensation (independent contractors), and other 1099 variants as required.
The 1099 process involves maintaining accurate vendor tax identification information, tracking payments throughout the year, issuing 1099 forms to vendors by January 31, filing 1099 information with the IRS, and handling backup withholding when required.
Every employee receives a W-2 form showing their total wages and tax withholdings for the year. The department prepares and distributes W-2 forms to all employees by January 31, files W-2 data with the Social Security Administration, reconciles W-2 totals with quarterly tax deposits, handles W-2c corrections when errors are discovered, and responds to employee questions about W-2 information.
Managing payroll taxes for a large employer involves coordinating with multiple federal, state, and local agencies. The General Accounting Department handles complex tax compliance requirements.
Federal payroll taxes include income tax withholding based on employee W-4 elections, Social Security tax (FICA) at 6.2% of wages up to the annual limit, Medicare tax at 1.45% of all wages (plus additional Medicare tax for high earners), employer matching contributions for Social Security and Medicare, and quarterly Form 941 filing and reconciliation.
State-level compliance includes Ohio income tax withholding based on state tax tables, state unemployment tax (SUTA) payments, annual state tax reconciliation, and coordination with Ohio Department of Taxation.
Cuyahoga County employees live in many different municipalities, each with its own income tax rate and requirements. The department withholds municipal income taxes for approximately 38 cities and 19 villages, files with Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA) and Central Collection Agency (CCA) as appropriate, handles credits for taxes paid to other municipalities, and responds to municipal tax inquiries and audits.
Most county employees participate in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS), while law enforcement officers may participate in the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund (OP&F). The department processes both employee and employer contributions to these retirement systems, files required reports with retirement boards, handles service credit purchases and adjustments, and coordinates with retirement systems on benefit calculations.
The General Accounting Department produces numerous reports required by state and federal agencies and used by county management for decision-making.
Ohio law mandates various financial reports including annual audited financial statements submitted to the State Auditor, Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) documenting the county's complete financial position, quarterly reports to Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and emergency management financial documentation.
Cuyahoga County has earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) 24 times. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievement in governmental accounting and financial reporting, demonstrating the department's commitment to transparency, accuracy, and best practices in public finance.
Federal grant programs require specific financial reporting. The department prepares Health and Human Services audit reports, federal grant compliance documentation, single audit reports as required, and IRS reconciliation documents.
Strong internal controls are essential for protecting public funds and ensuring accurate financial records. The General Accounting Department maintains rigorous controls including separation of duties between those who authorize, execute, and record transactions, regular reconciliation of all accounts, comprehensive documentation and audit trails, compliance reviews for adherence to Ohio Revised Code and county policies, coordination with internal auditors and the State Auditor, and fraud prevention and detection measures.
Beyond the core functions, the General Accounting Department handles various specialized tasks.
When the county withholds funds from employee wages for court-ordered purposes, those funds must be properly distributed. The department processes and distributes attorney fee withholdings, manages wage garnishments and levies, handles child support withholding and distribution, and coordinates with courts and agencies on withholding orders.
Various county agencies and affiliated organizations require specialized financial reports. The department provides financial reporting for the Public Defender's Office, Juvenile Court financial data, Mental Health Board reports, Board of Health financial statements, Soil and Water Conservation District reports, and other specialized financial information.
For questions about vendor payments, contact the Accounts Payable section. For payroll inquiries, contact the Payroll section. For tax forms (1099, W-2), contact the appropriate section during tax season (January-February is busiest). The department operates during regular county business hours and can be reached through the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer's main phone line.
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