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Independent bookkeeping & advisory firm · Serving U.S. businesses remotely
TechBrot
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Texas · Houston to El Paso · All 254 Counties

QuickBooks ProAdvisor-led bookkeeping for Texas businesses.

Professional bookkeeping, QuickBooks setup and cleanup, payroll, and tax compliance — delivered by TechBrot, serving Texas businesses remotely. Real local tax fluency, every close reviewed before it reaches you, and a fixed-fee written scope before any work begins.

Start with a discovery call Get the free file review

Bookkeeping & advisory · Texas businesses · all 254 counties · Fixed-fee · written scope in 3 days

How Texas books tie outledger view
Cash Jan · reconciled · illustrative
DEBIT CREDIT OpeningDepositsCard salesVendor billsRentClosing 22,110.0053,100.0013,480.0031,900.0029,360.0027,430.00 88,690.00 88,690.00

Certifications

Current certifications held by TechBrot’s founder: Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce Certification — verification on request. Intuit’s ProAdvisor program becomes Intuit ProPartner Accountants in early 2027; the certifications continue.

  • Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 badge (exam-based, issued by Intuit)
  • Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 1 badge (exam-based, issued by Intuit)
  • QuickBooks Workforce Certification badge (exam-based, issued by Intuit)
§Texas at a glance

The state by the numbers.

A short read on the operational profile that shapes how accounting is done in Texas — from the Houston and DFW metros to West Texas and everywhere in between.

254
Counties — the most of any U.S. state, from the Houston and DFW metros to West Texas, each within Texas’s single-rate sales-tax framework
$0
State personal income tax — Texas levies none; the trade-off is the franchise (margin) tax on business entities and a heavier reliance on sales tax
$2.65M
Franchise tax no-tax-due threshold for 2026 — entities at or below owe $0 margin tax but must still file a Public/Ownership Information Report
8.25%
Maximum combined sales tax — 6.25% state + up to 2% local; Texas uses origin-based sourcing for in-state sellers
80%
Share of a SaaS/data-processing sale that is taxable in Texas — a state-specific rule that catches software and tech firms off guard
$500K
Sales-tax economic nexus threshold — gross Texas sales over the trailing 12 months; among the highest in the nation, sales-only (no transaction count)
§In brief

TechBrot in Texas, in brief.

TechBrot delivers QuickBooks ProAdvisor services, Texas bookkeeping, QuickBooks setup, cleanup, migration, Texas sales tax compliance, and fractional CFO engagements to Texas businesses across all 254 counties — from Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Austin to San Antonio, El Paso, and the Permian Basin. The full Texas summary is below.

TX rates verified against the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

§ProAdvisor certifications

Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor credentials

Active certifications: Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 · QuickBooks Workforce Certification. Intuit’s public ProAdvisor directory lists active ProAdvisors for verification.
Level 2 Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2Workforce QuickBooks Workforce Certification

2

client reviews on Clutch

2×

QuickBooks ProAdvisor certifications — Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce Certification

254

Texas counties served — Houston and DFW metros to West Texas

TechBrot in Texas, summarized.

TechBrot delivers QuickBooks ProAdvisor services, Texas bookkeeping, QuickBooks setup, cleanup, migration, Texas sales tax compliance, and fractional CFO engagements to Texas businesses across all 254 counties — from Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Austin to San Antonio, El Paso, and the Permian Basin. Texas has no state personal income tax, but its franchise (margin) tax applies to most entities above the $2.65M no-tax-due threshold, SaaS and data-processing services are taxable at 80% of sales price, sales tax uses origin-based sourcing at up to 8.25%, and the economy concentrates in energy, construction, real estate, technology, healthcare, and professional services — making the Texas operational context substantively different from every other state. Engagements run as fixed-fee monthly retainers or one-time scopes with written agreements before any work begins. Direct service by TechBrot, remotely, in your own QuickBooks file — your named TechBrot bookkeeper, one written scope. Honest scope: we do not file the Texas franchise tax report or federal returns — we coordinate with your CPA or EA.
§Quick answers

TechBrot in Texas, in five questions.

What changes in QuickBooks when a Texas business sells in several states?

Once a Texas business sells into other states, QuickBooks needs a nexus and taxability setup it did not need before: customer locations, product taxability by state, and a separate liability account for each state you owe. We configure that in your own file and keep the reconciled schedules your tax professional files from — we do not file sales-tax returns.

How does a Texas engagement start, and what does it cost?

A free 30-minute discovery call, then a written fixed-fee scope within 3 business days. The published ranges for every service are on the pricing page; the written scope sets your exact fee within them, and nothing outside it is billed without a re-quote you approve in writing. No hourly billing.

What does monthly bookkeeping look like for a Texas business?

A monthly close in your own QuickBooks file: transactions categorised, every account reconciled, payroll and sales-tax liabilities tied out, and statements you can read by a fixed date each month — with year-end files handed to your CPA at no extra cost. Same reviewer every month, one written fixed fee.

Which records does a Texas business need reconciled before its CPA files?

Every bank and credit-card account reconciled through year-end, payroll liabilities tied to the filed forms, sales tax collected tied to what was remitted, and a clean balance sheet — owner draws, loans and fixed assets where they belong. That is the handoff we prepare; your CPA files from it.

Which Texas industries have their own TechBrot page?

Oil, Gas & Energy Services, Construction & Contractors and Technology & Professional Services — each with a section on the Texas page describing what changes in the QuickBooks file: job costing, payouts and fees, inventory, or trust and liability accounts. The engagement itself is the same written fixed-fee scope.

§Texas accounting glossary

The Texas terms that matter for QuickBooks & bookkeeping.

Short, specific, definitional. These are the terms that come up in nearly every Texas engagement — and the ones Texas owners ask about most.

Texas Franchise (Margin) Tax
A privilege tax on a business entity’s taxable margin — not its income or profit. Applies to LLCs, S-corps, partnerships, and out-of-state entities with Texas nexus, regardless of federal pass-through status. For 2026, entities at or below $2.65M annualized total revenue owe $0 but still file a Public or Ownership Information Report. The standard rate is 0.75% (0.375% for retail/wholesale).
Taxable Margin — Four Methods
How franchise tax is calculated above the threshold. Margin is the lowest of: 70% of total revenue; total revenue minus cost of goods sold; total revenue minus compensation (capped at $480,000 per person for 2026); or total revenue minus a flat $1,000,000. Taxable margin can never exceed 70% of total revenue. Choosing the wrong method overstates the bill — QuickBooks must track COGS and compensation cleanly to support each calculation.
No State Income Tax
Texas levies no personal state income tax. Payroll still requires federal withholding, Social Security/Medicare, and Texas unemployment tax (SUTA via the Texas Workforce Commission) — but no state income-tax withholding line. The trade-off for no income tax is the franchise tax and a heavier reliance on sales tax. A common point of confusion for businesses relocating from income-tax states.
SaaS & Data-Processing — 80% Taxable
Texas treats Software-as-a-Service and data-processing services as taxable at 80% of the sales price (20% is exempt). This state-specific rule catches software, tech, and information-services firms off guard — most states either fully tax or fully exempt SaaS. QuickBooks must apply the correct partial-taxability rate, or invoices will misstate sales tax collected.
Origin-Based Sourcing
Texas sources in-state sales by the seller’s location, not the buyer’s — unusual among large states, which mostly use destination sourcing. An in-state Texas seller charges the combined rate at its own business address for orders shipped within Texas. Remote/out-of-state sellers use the destination address. QuickBooks tax setup differs accordingly; misconfiguring this is a frequent source of under-collection.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
The state’s primary tax authority — administers the franchise tax, sales and use tax, and employer-related filings, and conducts audits. Texas has no separate state department of revenue and no city income tax, so nearly all Texas state tax matters route through the Comptroller. Most Texas tax notices originate here.
PIR / OIR (Information Reports)
Public Information Report (Form 05-102) and Ownership Information Report (Form 05-167). Even entities below the $2.65M no-tax-due threshold — owing $0 franchise tax — must file one of these annually by May 15. Corporations, LLCs, LPs, and financial institutions file the PIR; other entity types file the OIR. Missing this filing risks loss of good standing, a frequent oversight for small Texas LLCs.
TX Economic Nexus (sales tax)
Texas requires sales-tax collection from remote sellers exceeding $500,000 in gross Texas sales over the preceding 12 calendar months — a sales-only threshold (no transaction count), among the highest in the nation. The figure includes taxable, nontaxable, and marketplace sales. Storing inventory in a Texas fulfillment center also creates physical nexus. Relevant for any national e-commerce or SaaS business selling into Texas.

Always confirm current rates and thresholds against the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

§Service coverage

What we deliver in Texas.

One operating standard, delivered remotely statewide. Engagements are scoped to the work required, where you are in the state, and your industry.

01 · TechBrot delivers directly

Direct service by TechBrot.

Texas engagements — bookkeeping, QuickBooks work, payroll, and sales tax compliance — are delivered by TechBrot, with the firm’s full infrastructure. Every engagement has a named TechBrot bookkeeper, controller or advisor, introduced once you sign, and every close is reviewed before it reaches you.

  • Monthly bookkeeping & close
  • QuickBooks setup, cleanup, migration, and reconciliation
  • QuickBooks Online, Desktop, Enterprise, Payroll
  • Texas payroll — federal withholding + TWC unemployment (no state income tax)
  • Texas sales tax compliance — origin-based, SaaS 80% taxability
  • Franchise-tax margin workpapers (COGS / compensation methods)
  • Remote delivery, secure, encrypted access
Browse Texas services →

For franchise tax filing, audit representation, and Comptroller matters, we coordinate with your existing Texas CPA or EA.

§Why Texas is different

What makes Texas accounting different.

Texas’s tax structure, industry concentration, and operational profile create accounting requirements that don’t look like any other state. Generic out-of-state bookkeeping — or bookkeepers unfamiliar with the franchise tax and SaaS rules — misses what matters most.

No Income Tax, But...

The franchise tax replaces it.

Texas has no personal state income tax — but the franchise (margin) tax applies to most business entities above $2.65M revenue, at 0.75% (0.375% retail/wholesale) of taxable margin. It hits LLCs and S-corps regardless of federal pass-through status.

QuickBooks must track COGS and compensation cleanly so the lowest-margin method can be applied. Businesses relocating from income-tax states routinely misjudge this.

SaaS & Tech Taxability

Software is taxed at 80% in Texas.

Texas taxes SaaS and data-processing services at 80% of the sales price — neither fully exempt nor fully taxed. Austin and Dallas software firms are the most affected, and most out-of-state bookkeepers get it wrong.

QuickBooks needs the correct partial-taxability configuration per product line, or invoices misstate collected tax.

Sales Tax Sourcing

Origin-based — up to 8.25%.

Unlike most large states, Texas uses origin-based sourcing for in-state sellers — the rate follows the seller’s location, not the customer’s. The combined rate maxes at 8.25% (6.25% state + up to 2% local).

Remote sellers use destination sourcing and face the $500K economic nexus threshold. Mixed in-state/remote operations need careful QuickBooks tax setup.

Industry Profile

Energy, construction, tech, healthcare — at scale.

Texas’s economy spans energy and oil-and-gas services (Houston, Permian Basin), construction, real estate, technology (Austin), and healthcare — plus major logistics and manufacturing across DFW and San Antonio.

Each vertical has distinct QuickBooks needs: oilfield-services cost tracking and AFE accounting, job costing and WIP for construction, ASC 606 and 80% SaaS taxability for tech, payer reconciliation for healthcare.

Texas operational context informs every TechBrot engagement in the state. The diagnostic call identifies which factors apply to your business.

§What the engagement fixes

What a Texas engagement fixes.

SaaS sales tax

SaaS sales-tax over-collection corrected under the 80% rule
Engagement type · SaaS sales-tax

Month-end close

Close cycle shortened after a QuickBooks rebuild
Engagement type · energy-services rebuild

Franchise tax

Franchise-tax margin reduced via the COGS method
Engagement type · contractor margin

Good standing

Missed Information Reports filed and good standing restored
Engagement type · GC compliance

The engagement types TechBrot handles in this state, and what each one puts right in the books. Not client results.

§Beyond bookkeeping

Automation handles the data entry. We handle the judgment.

As AI commoditizes basic bookkeeping, value moves to interpretation, strategic positioning, and advisory. Texas is the fastest-growing major economy in the country, with heavy relocation, capital formation, and energy-cycle volatility to navigate. For Texas businesses ready for that conversation, TechBrot offers fractional CFO engagements — forecasting, board reporting, capital-event readiness, KPI design, and Texas franchise-tax-position planning in coordination with your CPA. By application. Best fit: $1M–$50M Texas businesses where the books need to inform strategy, not just compliance.
Get the free file review

Fractional CFO (Texas)

§Texas industries we serve

Industry-specific accounting for Texas’s economy.

Texas’s industry mix is unlike any other state. Our engagements concentrate in the sectors that drive Texas’s economy — each with its own QuickBooks configuration, tax treatment, and compliance requirements.

01

Oil, Gas & Energy Services

Houston and Permian Basin operators and oilfield-services firms — AFE tracking, well- and job-level cost accounting, equipment capitalization, joint-interest billing, and franchise-tax COGS isolation.

02

Construction & Contractors

Texas general and specialty contractors — job costing, WIP schedules, AIA billing, retainage tracking, equipment costing, and bonding-ready financials across the DFW, Houston, and Austin building markets.

03

Technology & Professional Services

Austin and Dallas software, SaaS, and consulting firms — 80% SaaS sales-tax taxability, ASC 606 revenue recognition, deferred revenue, and franchise-tax margin planning for high-growth entities.

04

Restaurants & Hospitality

Texas multi-location operators — POS reconciliation, tipped-employee payroll, mixed-beverage tax handling, food vs. alcohol sales tax, and weekly close cadence.

05

Healthcare Practices

Texas medical, dental, and specialty practices — insurance payer reconciliation, HIPAA-aware data handling, multi-provider payroll, and franchise-tax margin for PLLCs and practice groups.

06

Real Estate & Property

Texas investors, brokerages, and property managers — multi-entity ledgers, trust/earnest-money accounting, 1031 exchange documentation, and per-property profitability across Texas’s high-growth metros.

Industries not listed — e-commerce, manufacturing, logistics, nonprofit — are served via our global industry coverage. Local-intent pages exist only where Texas creates genuinely distinct requirements.

§Services for Texas businesses

Find the right service for your Texas business.

Each Texas service is delivered by TechBrot today, with fixed-fee scopes, delivery cadence, and engagement details set in writing before any work begins.

Service 01

Texas Bookkeeping Services

Recurring fixed-fee monthly close for Texas businesses. Bank reconciliation, sales tax sub-reconciliation, franchise-tax margin tracking, monthly statements, year-end CPA handoff. National service overview →

Starting $400/mo · Recurring monthly

Discuss TX bookkeeping →
Service 02

Texas QuickBooks ProAdvisor

The umbrella engagement — QuickBooks ProAdvisor, bookkeeper, and accounting expert for Texas businesses. Covers QBO, Desktop, Enterprise and Payroll (Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce Certification) for every Texas industry type. QuickBooks national overview →

From discovery call · Recurring or project

Discuss TX ProAdvisor →
Service 03

Texas QuickBooks Cleanup

QuickBooks files with structural problems — SaaS 80% taxability misconfigured, origin-based rates wrong, franchise-tax margin unsupported, unreconciled accounts. National cleanup overview →

Starting $1,200 · One-time, written scope

Discuss TX cleanup →
Service 04

Texas QuickBooks Setup

Professional QuickBooks implementation for Texas businesses — chart of accounts for your industry, origin-based sales tax + 80% SaaS configuration, job costing for construction and energy services. National setup overview →

Starting $750 · One-time, 2–4 weeks

Discuss TX setup →
Service 05

Texas Sales Tax Compliance

Origin-based rate configuration, 80% SaaS/data-processing taxability, mixed-beverage handling, economic nexus for out-of-state sellers into Texas. We keep the sales-tax records, reconciliations and schedules your tax professional needs to file; we do not file returns. National overview →

Starting $250/mo · Recurring + nexus review

Discuss TX sales tax →
Service 06

Texas Franchise Tax Support

Franchise-tax-ready margin workpapers — all four methods compared, COGS and compensation isolated, PIR/OIR filing support coordinated with your CPA. Bookkeeping side of the May 15 franchise filing.

on a written scope · Annual + monthly support

Discuss TX franchise tax →

Every Texas service above is delivered by TechBrot today — one engagement, one written scope. Start with a Texas discovery call →

§The full Texas ecosystem

Every Texas page in one place.

Texas is more than one page — it covers every service, industry, city, and tax topic Texas business owners search for. Every item below is delivered today within the direct Texas engagement; dedicated pages publish on a rolling cadence.

Cluster 02

Texas QuickBooks spokes

TX-specific QuickBooks ProAdvisor engagements — each scoped within the direct-service model.

Every Texas page above is live — follow the link for the full detail, or start with a discovery call →.

§Texas pricing

Fixed-fee starting ranges for Texas engagements.

Every Texas engagement is quoted as a fixed fee against a written scope before any work begins — no hourly billing. Final scope and fee are delivered in writing within 3 business days of the discovery call.

Indicative fixed-fee starting ranges for Texas QuickBooks and bookkeeping engagements.
EngagementStarting rangeCadenceTexas notes
Monthly bookkeeping$400–$2,500+/moRecurring monthlySales tax sub-reconciliation + franchise-tax margin tracking
QuickBooks cleanup$1,200–$15,000+One-timeSaaS 80% misconfig + origin-based rate corrections are common
Catch-up bookkeeping$2,000–$20,000+One-timeScoped by months behind, volume, and industry complexity
QuickBooks setup$750–$5,000+One-time, 2–4 wksOrigin-based sales tax + 80% SaaS config; job costing for construction/energy
Desktop → Online migration$2,500–$10,000+One-time, 3–8 wksHouston energy and large contractors often on Enterprise
Payroll management$150–$800+/moRecurring monthlyFederal withholding + TWC unemployment; no state income tax line
Sales tax compliance$250–$1,500+/mo + $500–$3,000 nexus reviewRecurring monthlyOrigin-based · SaaS 80% taxability · $500K economic nexus
Franchise tax supportFixed fee, scoped in writingAnnual + supportAll four margin methods compared; PIR/OIR by May 15 with your CPA

Indicative starting ranges. Final fees scale with transaction volume, employee count, metro vs. rural complexity, industry specifics, and multi-state exposure. Get a written Texas scope →

§Cities & metros

Serving Texas businesses statewide.

TechBrot serves Texas businesses across all 254 counties. Below are the 8 primary metros, plus a representative sample of the counties served. Dedicated city pages publish on a rolling cadence.

Top Texas cities — each has a dedicated city page

Houston — Harris County
San Antonio — Bexar County
Dallas — Dallas County
Austin — Travis County
Fort Worth — Tarrant County
El Paso — El Paso County
Arlington — Tarrant County
Plano — Collin County
Corpus Christi — Nueces County
Lubbock — Lubbock County
Laredo — Webb County
Killeen — Bell County

Texas counties served — representative sample

Harris (Houston), Dallas, Tarrant (Fort Worth/Arlington), Bexar (San Antonio), Travis (Austin), Collin (Plano), Denton, Fort Bend, El Paso, Hidalgo, Montgomery, Williamson, Cameron, Nueces (Corpus Christi), Bell, Brazoria, Galveston, Lubbock, Webb (Laredo), McLennan (Waco), Jefferson (Beaumont), Smith (Tyler), Ellis, Hays, Comal, Guadalupe, Brazos, Midland, Ector (Odessa), Taylor (Abilene), Wichita, Grayson, Johnson, Parker, Kaufman, Rockwall, Hunt, Victoria, Angelina, Gregg, Bowie, Potter (Amarillo), Randall, Tom Green (San Angelo), Coryell, Walker, Orange, Hardin, Liberty, Waller — among all 254 Texas counties.

Don’t see your city? All 254 Texas counties are served via remote engagement delivery. Start with a discovery call →

§Talk to a QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Two ways to start a Texas engagement.

Both paths go to the same QuickBooks ProAdvisor. Pick the one that fits how you work.

By TechBrot

Bookkeeping & advisory · direct delivery

Led by a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor — Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce Certification

Reconciling, cleaning, and rebuilding books across construction, energy services, and professional services — the work behind every Texas engagement.

Option 01

Call directly.

If we miss you, a QuickBooks ProAdvisor returns your call within one business day. Best for behind-on-the-books situations or Texas franchise-tax and sales-tax compliance urgencies.

Call (877) 751-5575
  • Callback within one business day
  • Free, no pitch

Send a short discovery brief.

Six fields. We respond by the next business day with a path forward — a scoping call or, if not a fit, a referral. Includes a free QuickBooks file review — we’ll identify the top 3 issues in your file before any engagement begins.

Only used to schedule the call — never for marketing.

Callback within one business day; written fixed-fee scope within 3 business days of the first call. No hourly billing.

§Why Texas businesses choose TechBrot

What separates us from generic remote bookkeeping.

Texas has no shortage of bookkeeping options. What TechBrot brings: actual Texas operational depth — franchise/margin tax, origin-based sales tax, 80% SaaS taxability, oil-and-gas cost accounting — real QuickBooks ProAdvisor credentials, and a structurally accountable engagement model.

01

Texas operational depth

Franchise-tax margin optimization, origin-based sales tax, 80% SaaS taxability, oilfield-services and AFE cost accounting, construction job costing and WIP. Operational specifics, not generic remote support.
02

Bookkeeping & advisory

Current QuickBooks certifications in Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce Certification. Intuit’s public ProAdvisor directory lists active ProAdvisors for verification.
03

Fixed-fee, written scope

Every engagement starts with a written scope and a fixed fee before any work begins. No hourly billing. No surprise invoices. No scope creep — even for complex Texas engagements.
04

Sophisticated buyer, honest delivery

Texas buyers know the difference between genuine expertise and a keyword swap.

Automation handles the data entry. We handle the judgment — and the Texas details that automation misses.

§What clients say

Client reviews.

Independently collected on Clutch — real engagements, unedited. 2 client reviews on Clutch. See all reviews on Clutch →

“They took something that felt overwhelming to me as a first-year business owner and made it simple.”

Reviewed and corrected QuickBooks records — reconciling transactions and organizing the chart of accounts. Books went from disorganized to fully reconciled, delivered on time, with a responsive, nonjudgmental approach.

Client review · Food & Beverage · Clutch engagement

“What stood out the most was TechBrot Inc’s attention to detail.”

Credit card reconciliation and financial cleanup — reviewing transaction categorization and improving bookkeeping structure. Significantly improved reporting accuracy and performance visibility, with clear communication throughout.

Client review · Business services · Clutch engagement

§How we compare

TechBrot vs. the alternatives for Texas businesses.

An honest read on where TechBrot fits and where it doesn’t. Most Texas businesses end up using TechBrot and a local Texas CPA together — TechBrot handles the QuickBooks operations; the CPA handles the franchise tax filing and tax strategy.

TechBrot vs. local Texas CPA vs. national remote bookkeeping for Texas businesses.
DimensionTechBrotLocal Texas CPANational remote bookkeeping
QuickBooks ProAdvisor depthIntuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce CertificationVaries; many Texas CPAs don’t certifyGenerally limited to QBO basics
Files Texas franchise tax reportNo (coordinates with your CPA)Yes — their primary serviceNo
Franchise-tax margin workpapersAll four methods comparedUsually; varies by firmOften not handled
SaaS 80% taxability configCorrect partial-taxability per productVaries; not their primary focusOften full or zero rate — misconfigured
Origin-based sales tax setupCorrect sourcing by seller locationUsually; depends on firm experienceRarely configured correctly
Oil-and-gas / job costingAFE & job-level cost trackingIf they specialize in energy/constructionGenerally not handled
Fixed-fee, written scopeAlways, before work beginsOften hourlyFixed-fee but limited scope
Comptroller / IRS representationNo (your CPA / EA handles)Yes — licensed CPAs / EAsNo
Works in your QuickBooks fileYes — your file, your dataUsuallyOften proprietary tooling

The honest read: for the franchise tax report, federal returns, and IRS/Comptroller representation, use a licensed Texas CPA or EA. For QuickBooks operations, bookkeeping, origin-based sales tax, SaaS 80% taxability, and franchise-tax margin workpapers — TechBrot is built for that. Most Texas clients use both.

We handle the QuickBooks operations; your Texas CPA handles the franchise tax report and Comptroller representation.

§Authority sources & verification

Verify everything on this page.

Texas tax rates, thresholds, and program details change. The sources below are authoritative; confirm any specific figure or rule before relying on it.

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Authoritative source for the Texas franchise (margin) tax, sales and use tax rates, economic nexus rules, and Comptroller audit procedures.

Texas Franchise Tax — Comptroller

Authoritative source for franchise tax rates, the no-tax-due threshold, margin calculation methods, and PIR/OIR filing requirements.

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)

Authoritative source for Texas unemployment tax (SUTA), employer registration, and state payroll-related reporting requirements.

Texas Secretary of State

Authoritative source for Texas entity formation, registered-agent requirements, and good-standing status tied to franchise tax compliance.

QuickBooks ProAdvisor Directory

Authoritative source for verifying active QuickBooks ProAdvisor certifications.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Authoritative source for federal employment tax (Form 941), Form 1099 reporting, and IRS representation requirements.

§Texas FAQ

Texas QuickBooks & accounting questions.

Does TechBrot serve Texas businesses?
Yes. TechBrot delivers bookkeeping, QuickBooks ProAdvisor services, payroll management, sales tax compliance, and fractional CFO coordination to Texas businesses statewide — directly, remotely, in each client’s own QuickBooks file. All 254 Texas counties covered, including Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, and every metro and rural county in between.
Does Texas have a state income tax?
No. Texas has no state personal income tax. Instead, most business entities pay the franchise (margin) tax, and the state relies heavily on sales tax. Payroll still requires federal withholding and Texas unemployment tax (TWC), but there’s no state income-tax withholding line. Businesses relocating from income-tax states often misjudge the franchise-tax trade-off.
What is the Texas franchise (margin) tax and do I owe it?
The franchise tax is a privilege tax on a business entity’s taxable margin — not profit. It applies to LLCs, S-corps, partnerships, and out-of-state entities with Texas nexus, regardless of federal pass-through status. For 2026, if your annualized total revenue is at or below $2.65 million you owe $0 — but you must still file a Public or Ownership Information Report by May 15. Above the threshold, the rate is 0.75% (0.375% retail/wholesale) of margin.
Is SaaS taxable in Texas?
Yes — partially. Texas taxes SaaS and data-processing services at 80% of the sales price (20% is exempt). This is unusual; most states either fully tax or fully exempt SaaS. Austin and Dallas software firms are most affected. QuickBooks must apply the correct partial-taxability rate per product line, or invoices will misstate sales tax.
What’s the Texas sales tax rate, and how does origin-based sourcing work?
The state rate is 6.25%, plus local rates up to 2%, for a maximum combined 8.25%. For in-state sellers, Texas uses origin-based sourcing — the rate follows the seller’s location, not the customer’s (unusual among large states). Remote/out-of-state sellers use the destination address and face the $500K economic nexus threshold. QuickBooks tax setup differs accordingly.
What QuickBooks versions does TechBrot support for Texas businesses?
All current versions: QuickBooks Online, Desktop, Enterprise and Payroll — led by TechBrot’s founder (Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce Certification). QBO Advanced dominates among Austin and Dallas tech and professional-services firms. Enterprise is common among Houston energy-services companies, large contractors, and manufacturers. Still on Desktop? Migration is worth discussing.
Does TechBrot file the Texas franchise tax report?
No. TechBrot is a bookkeeping and advisory firm — we do not file the Texas franchise tax report or federal returns, and do not represent clients before the Texas Comptroller. We deliver clean, CPA-ready bookkeeping including franchise-tax-ready margin workpapers (all four methods, COGS and compensation isolated), and coordinate with your CPA or EA who files. The standard model: TechBrot handles QuickBooks operations; your Texas CPA handles filing.
How does a Texas engagement start, and how fast can we begin?
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. We review your Texas operational context (metro, industry, multi-state exposure, franchise-tax position), recommend the right engagement structure, and deliver a written fixed-fee scope within 3 business days. Emergencies go to the front of the queue.
Do I still have to file if I owe $0 franchise tax?
Yes. Even below the $2.65M no-tax-due threshold — owing $0 — Texas entities must file a Public Information Report (Form 05-102) or Ownership Information Report (Form 05-167) annually by May 15. Missing it risks loss of good standing, a frequent and costly oversight for small Texas LLCs. We keep the records filing-ready and coordinate the deadline with your CPA.
Do oil-and-gas and energy-services firms have special QuickBooks requirements?
Yes — primarily AFE (Authorization for Expenditure) tracking, well- and job-level cost accounting, joint-interest billing, and clean separation of direct field costs to support the franchise-tax COGS margin method. Houston and Permian Basin operators need this structure in QuickBooks Enterprise. Getting it right is the core of every Texas energy engagement.
How much does Texas bookkeeping or QuickBooks work cost?
Fixed fees against a written scope — no hourly billing. Starting ranges: monthly bookkeeping $400–$2,500+/mo; QuickBooks cleanup $1,200–$15,000+; bookkeeping cleanup $1,500–$15,000+; catch-up $2,000–$20,000+; QuickBooks setup $750–$5,000+; Desktop to Online migration $2,500–$10,000+; payroll $150–$800+/mo; sales tax $250–$1,500+/mo; franchise tax support scoped as a fixed fee in writing; fractional CFO $3,000–$8,000+/mo.
Can I use my Texas CPA for taxes and TechBrot for bookkeeping?
Yes — that’s the standard model. TechBrot handles operational bookkeeping, QuickBooks configuration, and Texas-specific compliance (origin-based sales tax, SaaS 80% taxability, franchise-tax margin workpapers); your Texas CPA handles the franchise tax report, federal returns, and Comptroller/IRS representation. Year-end CPA handoff is included in every recurring Texas engagement.
§Page review & standards

Maintained by TechBrot.

The content on this page is maintained by TechBrot Inc., a Delaware-incorporated bookkeeping and advisory firm. Texas–specific statutory references, tax rates, and operational context reflect direct operational knowledge and are reviewed against current Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts guidance.

Where Texas tax rates or regulatory thresholds are subject to revision (the franchise-tax no-tax-due threshold, margin-method caps, sales-tax rates), this page is updated as changes take effect.

Entity

TechBrot Inc. · Delaware C-Corporation

Certifications

Led by a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor — Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce Certification

Texas practice

All 254 counties served · Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, Permian Basin · Industries: oil & gas/energy, construction, technology/SaaS, restaurant, healthcare, real estate

Editorial policy

TX statutory references reviewed against the Texas Comptroller primary source · Rate changes propagated within 30 days · Composite scenarios anonymized · No fabricated stats, reviews, or credentials

Published: 2026-06-15Updated: 2026-10-13

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