Bookkeeping Services for US Businesses

Outsourced bookkeeping built for tax-ready books

Good bookkeeping is more than data entry. It is the foundation for your tax return, your lender conversations and every decision you make about cash. Our outsourced bookkeeping service gives US small businesses, startups and foreign-owned US companies a monthly close they can rely on, with every set of books reviewed by a second accountant before it reaches you.

Who this service is for

• Owners who are behind on their books or tired of doing them at night
• Startups and online sellers who need clear margins by product or channel
• Non-US founders who own a US LLC or corporation and need records that support annual filings such as Form 5472
• Businesses switching from spreadsheets to QuickBooks Online or Xero
• Companies preparing for a loan, due diligence or fundraising

What a monthly close looks like

Each month we reconcile bank, credit card and loan accounts, categorize every transaction, review accounts payable and receivable, and prepare a profit and loss statement, balance sheet and cash-flow report. We flag anything unusual and explain it in plain language so the numbers are useful, not just accurate.

What affects your monthly fee

Pricing is fixed and quoted in writing after a free call. It depends mainly on monthly transaction volume, the number of accounts, whether payroll or sales tax data is included, and the condition of your existing records. If past months need clean-up, that is scoped separately so you always know what you are paying for.

Software we support

We work in QuickBooks Online and Xero, and can integrate marketplace, payment and payroll tools. Not sure which to use? Read our comparison of QuickBooks Online vs Xero.

What our bookkeeping service includes

Our bookkeeping service covers the full monthly cycle. We categorize transactions from your bank accounts, credit cards and payment processors, reconcile each account to its statement, review the results for errors and prepare financial statements you can read without an accounting background. Each month closes against a published calendar, so you know when to expect reports.

We work in QuickBooks Online and Xero, and we can migrate or clean up an existing file. If your records are behind, we start with a catch-up project, correct the opening balances and then move you to a regular monthly rhythm. See how the two platforms compare in QuickBooks vs Xero.

Reports you receive every month

The profit and loss statement shows revenue, costs and net profit for the period. The balance sheet lists assets, liabilities and equity. The cash flow report explains why cash went up or down. We add short notes on unusual items, so the numbers lead to decisions instead of questions.

These reports also support tax filing. Clean monthly books reduce year-end work, help us plan quarterly estimated taxes and give lenders and investors confidence in your figures.

Bookkeeping for ecommerce, foreign-owned and service businesses

Online sellers need marketplace fees, refunds, inventory and sales tax tracked separately. Our ecommerce bookkeeping approach handles those details. Foreign-owned US companies need clear separation of owner funds, loans and income to support Form 5472, which we explain in the Form 5472 guide.

Consultants, agencies and professional practices need project and client profitability, contractor payments and owner compensation recorded consistently. We set up categories that match how you run the business, not a generic template.

Signs you need professional bookkeeping

Common signs include unreconciled accounts, personal and business spending mixed together, late tax filings, surprise tax bills, no clear view of profit, or hours lost each month on data entry. Another sign is growth: when you add employees, a second entity or outside investors, informal records stop being enough.

Compare doing it in-house with outsourcing in our outsourced bookkeeping guide, then request a free consultation for a fixed monthly quote.

How our monthly close works

Reliable books come from a repeatable close, not from occasional clean-up. Each month we follow the same sequence so errors are caught early and the numbers can be trusted.

• Bank and credit card feeds are imported and every transaction is categorized to your chart of accounts.
• Every bank, card and loan account is reconciled to its statement, and differences are explained.
• Accounts receivable and payable are reviewed for items that are overdue or entered twice.
• Payroll, sales tax and contractor payments are matched to the ledger.
• Owner contributions, draws or distributions are separated from business activity.
• Reports are generated, reviewed by a second accountant and delivered with notes.

Our monthly bookkeeping checklist lists these steps in full, so you can compare it with your current process.

Setting up the chart of accounts and accounting method

A chart of accounts is the list of categories that sorts every dollar. A generic chart hides useful detail, while an overbuilt one creates data-entry errors. We design the chart around your revenue streams, cost structure and tax forms, so reports answer real questions and map cleanly to the return.

We also help you choose between cash and accrual accounting. Cash basis records income and expenses when money moves and is simple for many small businesses. Accrual basis records them when earned or incurred, which gives a truer view of profit for businesses with inventory, subscriptions, large receivables or outside investors. The right method depends on size, tax rules and who reads your reports.

Catch-up, clean-up and cutover projects

Many clients arrive with records that are months behind or built on mistakes. We handle this in stages: first we gather statements and source documents, then we rebuild or correct each account, and finally we reconcile back to a clean opening balance. This work often reveals missed deductions, duplicate entries and uncategorized transactions that were distorting profit.

If you are switching from spreadsheets or another system, we plan a cutover date, move opening balances and run both sets of records for a short overlap to confirm they match. You then move to the normal monthly cycle without losing history.

Bookkeeping that supports tax, payroll and compliance

Bookkeeping is where tax work begins. Clean categories make deductions easy to support, mileage and asset records are ready when needed, and the profit figure used for estimated tax payments is current. When your books feed tax preparation, there is no separate reconstruction at year end.

Contractor tracking is a good example. We collect Forms W-9 when you onboard a vendor, track payments through the year and prepare 1099-NEC reporting in time for the January filing date. For employees, our payroll service posts wages, withholdings and employer taxes to the ledger automatically, so liabilities always match what is owed.

Sales tax needs similar care. Sellers with economic nexus in several states need transactions tagged by state and product type, and returns that tie to the books. We set this up within the ledger so that filing is a report, not a research project.

Inventory, fixed assets and loans

Businesses that sell products need cost of goods sold recorded correctly, or margins will be wrong. We track purchases, freight, returns and inventory adjustments, and reconcile marketplace and payment processor payouts so fees and refunds are visible. Our ecommerce bookkeeping page explains how this works for online sellers.

We also keep a fixed asset register for equipment, vehicles and software, with depreciation schedules that match your tax treatment. Loans and credit lines are recorded with the principal and interest split, so the balance sheet shows what you owe and the profit and loss shows the cost of borrowing.

KPIs and management reporting

Beyond the standard statements, we can report the measures that matter in your business, such as gross margin by product or client, monthly recurring revenue, cash runway, days to collect receivables and payroll as a percentage of revenue. Budgets and forecasts can be added when you are ready, and our CFO advisory team can build them with you.

The goal is to turn bookkeeping into a decision tool. When you can see which clients are profitable and how much cash you will have in three months, pricing, hiring and spending choices become easier.

Security, access and handover

We use encrypted document sharing, role-based access and multi-factor authentication where platforms support it. You retain ownership of your accounting file, and we can add or remove access at any time. If you ever leave, we hand over a complete, reconciled file with supporting schedules.

Bookkeeping FAQs

What does bookkeeping cost? Pricing depends on monthly transaction volume, the number of accounts and entities, and whether payroll or sales tax is included. We quote a fixed monthly fee after reviewing your records.

Do I need accrual accounting? Not always. Many small service businesses use cash basis, while inventory-based and investor-backed businesses often need accrual. We recommend what fits and explain the tax consequences.

Can you work in my existing QuickBooks or Xero file? Yes. We review the file, clean it and take over the monthly work. See QuickBooks vs Xero if you are choosing a platform.

Is outsourcing better than hiring in-house? For many small businesses, yes, because you gain a team with review and backup instead of one person. Read our outsourced bookkeeping guide for the comparison, then contact us for a fixed-fee proposal.

Bookkeeping for different business models

Service and consulting firms need accurate revenue recognition, project profitability and contractor tracking. SaaS and subscription companies need deferred revenue, billing platform reconciliation and metrics such as monthly recurring revenue. Real estate investors need property-level books, depreciation and clear separation of owner funds. Ecommerce sellers need inventory, marketplace fees and sales tax by state. Professional practices need client trust funds, practice revenue and payroll recorded separately. We set up the ledger to match your model, not a generic template.

Integrations we connect

Books are more accurate when data flows in automatically. We connect bank and card feeds, payment processors, ecommerce platforms, expense tools and payroll providers to QuickBooks Online or Xero, set rules for recurring transactions and review the exceptions each month. Fewer manual entries means fewer errors and faster closes.

Receipts and document management

Every transaction should have support. We set up a simple receipt capture process, store invoices and statements in organized folders and flag items without documentation before they become a tax problem. If you are ever audited, supporting records are the difference between an easy review and a difficult one.

Year-end close

At year end we complete adjusting entries, confirm loan and asset balances, review accounts receivable and payable, produce final statements and deliver a tax package for the preparer. A well-run close in January saves weeks in March and April and gives you a reliable base for next year's budget.

What affects the cost of bookkeeping

Bookkeeping fees are driven by how much work the books require, not by the size of the business alone. The main factors are monthly transaction volume, the number of bank, card and loan accounts, the number of entities, whether inventory or multiple currencies are involved, and how clean the existing records are. Adding payroll, sales tax or management reporting changes the scope. A fixed fee agreed in advance means you know the cost each month, and we revisit it only when scope really changes.

Getting started

Onboarding takes a few steps. We ask for access to your accounting file or bank statements, review the last twelve months, list any issues and agree a scope. After a catch-up, you move to the monthly cycle with a close calendar. Most clients receive their first set of reports within weeks of signing. To begin, request a free consultation or explore our tax preparation and payroll services.