FAQs
The bookkeeping questions we get every week
If yours isn't here, email it. We'll answer it, and probably add it.
My books are two years behind. Is that too far gone?
No. It's the most common way clients arrive. Cleanup is quoted separately from the monthly fee, as a flat amount once we've seen the file, so you know the cost before you commit to anything.
Do you file my taxes?
We don't. We prepare the books your CPA needs and work directly with them at year end. If you don't have one, we'll introduce you to someone who fits your business.
What software do you use?
QuickBooks Online, plus whatever you already run for payroll and payments. If you're on spreadsheets or a system we can't support, migration is part of the cleanup.
Bookkeeper, controller, CFO — what's the difference?
The bookkeeper records what happened. The controller is accountable for whether the record is right, and owns the close. The CFO decides what to do about it: cash forecasting, pricing, hiring, borrowing. Each one assumes the layer below it is solid, which is why almost nobody should start at the top.
Am I locked into a contract?
Month to month after the cleanup. Thirty days' notice, and we hand back a clean file and full access. Nothing about your data is held hostage.
How much does it cost?
Monthly bookkeeping starts at $750, payroll and AP/AR at $450, fractional controller at $1,000, and fractional CFO at $1,500. Cleanup is a separate flat quote after we've seen the file.
How long does a cleanup take?
Thirty days from handoff to a close you trust is the typical path. If the file is further gone, we'll say so in the review and quote the work before it starts.
What do I need to get started?
Read-only access to QuickBooks Online, or a willingness to move. That's enough for the free review. If we work together, we take it from there.
Do I have to leave my CPA?
No. We work alongside your CPA, not instead of them. We prepare the books they need and talk to them at year end.
Do you only work with San Diego businesses?
We're based in San Diego and meet local clients in person. Everyone else we work with remotely. The close, the file, and the service are the same either way.
When do the books actually close?
By the 10th of the following month. Statements land in your inbox, and we get on a short call if anything in the numbers deserves your attention.
What do I get from the free review?
A 30-minute look at your real file and a written list of what's wrong and what it costs to fix. You keep the findings whether or not you hire us.
Still have a question?
Email it or book a review. We'll answer it, and probably add it.