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HAR Financial Services vs Synova Group

Synova targets the same clients we do. The difference is twenty years of operating history and the volume behind it. Here is a direct comparison, including where they may be the better choice for you.

20 years

In practice in Minneapolis since 2006

240

Payroll clients migrated with zero missed payrolls

$1M+

Secured for clients in grants and loans

600+

Businesses served across Minnesota and Wisconsin

The short version

Synova Group markets accounting services to Minnesota group homes and disability care providers, covering budgeting, payroll accounting, compliance reporting, Medicaid billing support and audit preparation. Their positioning sits directly alongside our own work with DHS-licensed operators.

Where we differ: Synova targets the same clients we do. The difference is twenty years of operating history and the volume behind it.

Side by side

How the two firms compare

Every entry below reflects what each firm publicly states about its own services. Where a firm does not publish a figure or list a service, we have said so rather than guessed.

HAR Financial Services

Synova Group

Founded

HAR Financial Services 2006

Synova Group Not published

Years in practice

HAR Financial Services 20

Synova Group Not published

Clients served

HAR Financial Services 600+

Synova Group Not published

Payroll clients

HAR Financial Services 240

Synova Group Not published

Team size

HAR Financial Services 12

Synova Group Not published

Physical office

HAR Financial Services Minneapolis, Park Ave S

Synova Group Minnesota

IRS Authorized E-File Provider

HAR Financial Services Yes, active EFIN

Synova Group Not stated

BBB accredited

HAR Financial Services Yes

Synova Group Not stated

Documented migration of 240 payroll clients

HAR Financial Services Yes, zero missed payrolls

Synova Group Not published

Grant and loan applications

HAR Financial Services $1,000,000+ secured

Synova Group Not a stated service line

Entity formation and Secretary of State filing

HAR Financial Services Yes

Synova Group Not a stated service line

Tax filing

HAR Financial Services Yes, direct e-file

Synova Group Not a stated service line

In depth

What actually separates us

Track record is the difference

We opened in 2006. In the twenty years since, we have grown to roughly 600 clients, 240 of them on payroll, working from a real office in Minneapolis with a team of twelve.

When you hand a firm your payroll, you are handing them the thing that most directly affects whether your staff show up next week. That decision should rest on operating history, not on positioning.

The migration nobody wants to test

Our payroll processor announced it was shutting down. Two hundred and forty clients were exposed at once.

We rebuilt every account on a new platform, transferred the data, verified compliance for each client and completed the whole migration without a single missed payroll or compliance gap.

Most firms will never face a test like that. We passed it. That is the standard we would ask you to hold any provider to before trusting them with payroll for a group home where staffing is already the hardest part of the operation.

Beyond accounting for the sector

Serving group homes well means more than bookkeeping and billing support.

It means DWRS rate worksheet reconciliation against real payroll data. Reevaluation documentation prepared ahead of the deadline. 245D and 245A policy drafting. NETStudy 2.0 background study compliance and personnel file audits. Corrective action plans. DHS survey preparation. Complaint and investigation response.

It also means entity formation when you open a second site, EIN and state tax ID setup, and grant applications when funding opens. We have secured over a million dollars for clients doing exactly that.

Filing your returns, not just keeping your books

We are an IRS Authorized E-File Provider with an active EFIN, a member of the National Association of Tax Professionals, a member firm of the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers, and BBB accredited.

That means your bookkeeping, payroll and tax filing sit with one firm that carries the credentials to do all three. You are not handing a package of books to a separate preparer every spring and hoping the two agree.

Why providers stay

Our average client relationship runs about five years. Reviews from clients of eight years and longer describe the same things: fast responses, plain explanations, accuracy, and a team that treats the business as though the outcome matters.

One client put it simply after several years of working with us. Their payroll, IRS matters and state payments were handled accurately, issues got resolved quickly, and the whole arrangement prevented costly mistakes in their business.

240

Payroll clients migrated. Zero missed payrolls.

When our payroll processor announced it was shutting down, every one of our 240 payroll clients was at risk at once. We rebuilt every account on a new platform, transferred the data and verified compliance client by client, on a hard deadline. Nobody missed a paycheck. Nobody had a compliance gap. If you are worried about what happens to your books during a transition, that is the standard we hold ourselves to.

Being straight with you

Where Synova may be the better choice

Synova has identified the right market. Minnesota group homes and disability care providers are underserved by generalist accountants, and any firm taking that seriously is doing something useful for the sector.

We would rather tell you this now than have you find out three months in. If that describes your situation, they are worth a conversation. If it does not, we would like the chance to earn the work.

The problems people bring us

Why business owners call in the first place

After twenty years the patterns are consistent. Almost every client who moves to us arrives with some combination of the following.

An accountant who takes days to answer a simple question

Not a complicated question. A simple one. And the answer arrives Thursday, after the decision has already been made without it.

Books they do not trust

The statements balance, but the owner could not defend a single line to a lender or an auditor, and quietly suspects some of it is wrong.

Months or years of backlog

Nothing reconciled since spring. Sometimes since the year before. We currently do catch-up bookkeeping free as part of onboarding, because arguing about how it happened helps nobody.

Tax bills that arrive as surprises

No planning, no warning, no advance conversation. Deductions missed because nobody was looking for them during the year, only after it ended.

Reports that explain nothing

Templated output that reports what happened without telling you what it means or what to do about it.

A firm that did not understand their industry

This is the most expensive one. A bookkeeper who has never seen a DWRS rate worksheet, does not know what 245D requires, and finds out during your audit.

Constant turnover at the firm

Re-explaining your business to a new person every eighteen months, forever. Most of our team works from our Minneapolis office, and clients keep the same point of contact.

In their words

What clients say after several years

Their team handles payroll, IRS matters and state payments with accuracy and professionalism. When issues come up they move fast and provide clear solutions. This support saved me time and prevented costly mistakes in my business.

Client of eight years

Their bookkeeping and tax filing are flawless, but their CFO reports are the real game-changer for my business strategy. If you want a team that is knowledgeable, clear and professional, look no further.

Client since company founding

They take the time to explain everything clearly and ensure that all financial matters are handled accurately and on time. They are organised, trustworthy, and truly care about helping businesses stay compliant and financially healthy.

Payroll, bookkeeping and tax client

Questions

HAR Financial Services vs Synova Group

How long has HAR been serving group homes and care providers?

We have been in practice since 2006 and DHS-licensed providers are a core part of our client base, supported by 240 active payroll clients and a team of twelve.

Do you handle Medicaid billing?

We support the financial side including cost record reconciliation, DWRS rate worksheet review and rate appeal support. Billing workflow support is part of our provider service.

Can you file our business taxes as well as keep the books?

Yes. We are an IRS Authorized E-File Provider with an active EFIN, so bookkeeping, payroll and filing all sit with the same firm.

What happens if we need to open a second site?

We handle entity formation, Secretary of State filing, EIN and state tax ID setup, unemployment insurance registration and DHS licensing coordination.