Business Accounting & Cleanup
For businesses whose books are behind, unreliable, or not ready for tax planning, lending, or monthly reporting.
If the books are entered but the numbers still do not make sense, the problem is not just bookkeeping. The accounting system needs to be cleaned up, reviewed, and brought to a reliable starting point.
When the books are unclear, everything gets harder.
Unreliable books create tax surprises, weak financial reports, delayed decisions, and unnecessary stress. Many businesses have records that are entered or reconciled, but still not reliable enough for tax preparation, lending, monthly reporting, or understanding the business.
Common signs include:
The balance sheet does not make sense
Bank, credit card, loan, payroll, or equity accounts do not tie out
QuickBooks Online or Xero bank feeds make the books look current, but the numbers still do not tie out
Old balances remain on the books because no one knows what they are
Reports do not clearly show profitability, cash flow, or tax exposure
Bookkeeping is behind, inconsistent, or handled differently each month
Tax planning happens too late because the records are not clean
You do not trust the numbers enough to make decisions from them
For businesses that have outgrown casual bookkeeping.
This work is best for owner-operated businesses that need more than basic transaction entry. We work with businesses that want clean records, reliable reporting, and tax work built on the actual financial reality of the business.
Typical fit:
Owner-operated service businesses
Professional Service firms
Contractors and trade businesses
Businesses with meaningful revenue and growing complexity
Businesses preparing for lending, licensing, growth, or better tax planning
Owners who want a more professional monthly accounting process
You do not need perfect books to start. But you do need to be willing to clean them up.
What we cleanup
Cleanup depends on the condition of your records and the purpose of the work. The goal is to bring the books to a reliable starting point for tax preparation, financial reporting, lending, licensing, or monthly accounting.
Cleanup may include:
Reviewing the chart of accounts
Reconciling bank and credit card accounts
Cleaning up accounts receivable and accounts payable
Reviewing loans, credit cards, and long-term liabilities
Correcting payroll-related accounts, including Gusto or other payroll activity
Reviewing fixed assets and depreciation
Quickbooks Online and Xero records that need to be reconciled, reviewed, or adjusted before they can be trusted
Cleaning up owner draws, distributions, contributions and equity accounts
Identifying tax-sensitive issues before year-end or return preparation
Creating financial reports that are reliable enough to use
The goal is not cosmetic cleanup. The goal is to make the numbers reliable enough to use.
Cleanup comes before monthly reporting.
Monthly accounting only works if the starting point is reliable. If your books have balance sheet problems, unreconciled accounts, incorrect loans, or old cleanup issues, those need to be addressed before ongoing reporting can be useful.
Once the books are cleaned up, we can establish a monthly accounting rhythm so records stay current and reports are available when they matter.
That monthly rhythm may include:
Monthly reconciliations
Payroll and Gusto cooridnation
Review of QuickBooks or Xero bank feeds, rules, and recurring transaction coding
Loan and balance sheet review
Financial statement review
Cleanup of recurring accounting issues
Tax planning coordination
Follow-up on unusual transactions
Reports that help the owner understand the business
How We Work
We use a defined process so scope, records needed, timing, and next steps are clear before work begins.
1. Clarify the situation
We start by understanding your business, accounting system, deadlines, and what the books need to support.
3. Define the engagement
We define the cleanup scope, records needed, timing, price, and next steps before work begins.
2. Review the records
We review the accounting file, trial balance, prior tax return, balance sheet accounts, and key records to identify what needs to be fixed.
4. Build around clean records
Once the books are cleaned up, we can use them for tax preparation, financial statements, lending, monthly reporting, or ongoing accounting.
Cleanup is quoted before work begins
Cleanup work depends on the condition of the books, the number of accounts involved, the period being cleaned up, and the purpose of the work.
Light cleanup may be limited to a few reconciliations or year-end adjustments. More involved cleanup may require balance sheet review, loan reconciliation, payroll cleanup, fixed asset review, or reconstruction of prior activity.
Before cleanup begins, we define the scope, pricing, records needed, and expected timeline.
Typical cleanup projects may range from:
Light cleanup: starting around $750–$1,500
Moderate cleanup: often $1,500–$3,500
Larger or multi-period cleanup: quoted after review
Cleanup is separate from tax preparation and monthly accounting unless specifically included in the engagement.
Good Fit / Not a Fit
We work best with clients who want clean records, a defined process, and professional follow-through.
Good Fit
You may be a good fit if:
Your business has meaningful revenue or growing complexity.
You want accurate records, not just cheap bookkeeping.
You are willing to provide complete records and answer questions.
You understand that cleanup and onboarding are real work.
You want tax planning and reporting built on reliable numbers.
You value a defined monthly process.
Not a Fit
We are usually not the right fit if:
You are looking for the lowest-cost bookkeeper.
You want a quick cleanup without providing complete records.
You expect monthly reporting before cleanup issues are resolved.
You want unlimited support without a defined engagement.
You are not willing to follow a process.
You only want help after everything is already urgent.
Request a Cleanup Assessment
Tell us about your business, accounting system, and what you need the books to support. If it looks like a fit, we’ll follow up with clear next steps. Cleanup work is quoted before it begins based on the condition of the records, the period involved, and the purpose of the cleanup.