Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does a bookkeeper do?
We track the ins and outs of your business! We track what money came in and what money was spent and present it each month in an easy to understand report. This will quickly paint a picture of your revenues, expenses and profit throughout the year to enable you to better plan for the future and understand your cash flow. Over time, you will feel confident when it comes to looking at your finances, leaving you empowered to make the best decisions in your business.
Why should I hire a bookkeeper?
Let’s start with answering a few other questions first. Is doing the books yourself annoying and is it something you dread? Are you unsure of how to present your financial information for your taxes at the end of the year? Do you wish you could be spending your time doing anything else in your business? If the answer to any of those is yes, then you know why you should hire a bookkeeper. Hiring someone else to take over these tasks frees you up to be doing something you actually enjoy.
Should I hire someone local or in my own state?
For most businesses, it doesn’t really matter. If you don’t have any paper files that need processing, then you’re free to hire anyone no matter where they are. Even if you do conduct some business on paper, these types of things can easily be taken a photo of, scanned, and emailed to your bookkeeper. If you feel more comfortable having someone local, then of course do that, but this is also a service that can be done from almost anywhere virtually.
Are you fully remote, if so, how does that work?
Yes! I plan to remain a remote virtual worker for the foreseeable future. I like the flexibility it gives me by being able to work anywhere as long as I have a secure wifi connection. All communication with my clients is over the phone, via Zoom/Google Meet, and email.
What qualifications do you have?
I have 8 years of experience working in the accounting industry which includes 4 years as an auditor, 2 years in consulting helping to research and advise on complex accounting issues, and then 2 years working in financial reporting for a leading non-profit hospital. Those experiences taught me the accounting knowledge I have now and how to figure things out even when I don’t yet know something. I am confident that there’s nothing I cannot handle when it comes to being your bookkeeper. I am also a CPA (certified public accountant) and have an understanding of allowable expense deductions for tax purposes which is useful when it comes time to filing your taxes each year. I am also a Certified ProAdvisor with QuickBooks Online.
Do you also provide tax preparation?
Through my business, I do not, BUT I also work part-time for an excellent tax professional with over 20 years of experience in tax preparation who is also a CPA. I’d be happy to refer you if you’re interested, just send me an email to let me know or you can also use the form on my contact page and let me know you’re interested in tax planning. See the link below at the bottom of this page or the button on the top right corner of this page that says “Contact Me”.
What software do you use?
I work exclusively with QuickBooks Online (QBO). There are various subscription options based on the needs of your business and you will be responsible for paying the QBO subscription fee in addition to the cost of my services which will require I have access to your QuickBooks account. I am a Certified ProAdvisor with QuickBooks Online.
What if I don’t have a QuickBooks account yet?
Not to worry! If you’ve never used QuickBooks before, I will happily help with the initial set-up, which is one of the services I provide. We will go over which QBO subscription is the best fit for you, get your business bank and credit card accounts linked, and I’ll take it from there. There most likely will be questions and transactions that I will need further clarification on as to what they relate to so there’s usually more back and forth during this initial phase while I learn the ins and outs of your specific business. There will be less questions the longer we work together.