Questions we get asked most

The one whose accountants know your software, close your books by a fixed date and publish their prices. SF Business Solutions works in QuickBooks Online and Xero, closes the books between the 5th and 15th of the following month depending on when documents arrive, and starts at $250 a month, so you can compare us directly.

Yes. The work is done remotely in your QuickBooks Online or Xero file, using bank feeds and the documents you upload.

Price alone doesn't tell you. Check that every account is reconciled monthly, that reports arrive on a fixed date and that the staff are certified in your software.

When you are more than a month behind, when the books take more than a few hours a month, or when someone asks for financial statements you can't produce.

No, if the books are in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero subscription. We join as your accountant user and pick up from the last reconciled month.

Categorizing transactions, reconciling every bank and card account, booking month-end adjustments and sending a profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow statement once the month is closed.

Early enough that the numbers are still useful. We close between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when your documents arrive.

Yes, both. The team holds QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Xero Advisor and Xero Payroll certifications.

Yes. We record gross sales, fees and refunds separately and match every payout to the deposit in your bank.

Everything a normal business needs, plus officer payroll, shareholder distributions tracked separately and a balance sheet that ties to the 1120-S.

Yes. Each company gets its own books, and we reconcile what they owe each other every month.

Cleanup starts at $250. The final price depends on how far behind the books are and how many transactions they hold.

It depends on how many months are behind, how many transactions each has and how quickly we get statements. The first step is sending us the statements.

Download every bank and card statement for those two years and send them to us. We rebuild the books month by month, then prepare and file the returns, oldest first, and file an extension if a current deadline is close.

Yes. Send us the statements and any reports Bench provides, and we rebuild and reconcile the missing months in QuickBooks Online or Xero.

Yes. Tell us the filing deadline when you send your statements. If it is close, we can file an extension while the books are cleaned up, then prepare and file the return.

Yes. We check every opening balance against your statements and correct what the conversion carried over.

Someone outside the business enters your bills, schedules them by due date and prepares payments, so nothing is paid late or twice.

We prepare the payments and you approve them before each payment run.

Yes. We send reminders when invoices pass their due date and show you who still owes what in a monthly aging report.

It depends on how many bills you pay each month. It can be added to monthly bookkeeping, which starts at $250 a month.

We can. We request a W-9 when a vendor is added and track payments by payee, so 1099s are ready before the January 31 deadline.

Matching every transaction on your bank statement to the books and explaining any difference, so the book balance equals the bank balance.

Every month, as soon as each statement closes. Waiting longer makes errors harder to trace.

Stripe pays out sales minus fees and refunds, often several days at once. Each payout has to be split back into sales, fees and refunds.

Yes. Every card is reconciled to its statement each month, alongside the bank accounts.

Yes. We match what each company owes the others every month, so both sets of books agree.

Usually an outside bookkeeping firm or an in-house accountant. We prepare them each month once the books are closed.

An outside team reconciles your accounts, books month-end adjustments and locks the period, then sends your statements. We finish between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when your documents arrive.

Prepared statements carry no report. Compiled and reviewed statements are formal engagements by an independent CPA firm; a review gives limited assurance.

A profit and loss statement, a balance sheet and a cash flow statement.

Yes. We clean up and close the books so your statements agree with your tax returns before the lender sees them.

We can. We run each pay run, file federal payroll taxes and Texas unemployment tax, and record payroll in your books.

Neither has a state income tax to withhold, but employers in both still pay state unemployment tax.

Payroll software usually charges a base fee plus a fee per employee, and the service to run it is on top. Ask us for a quote based on your headcount and pay schedule.

Yes. We record each Gusto payroll in your books and reconcile it to the bank and the payroll reports.

We make sure quarterly Form 941, annual Form 940, state filings and W-2s are prepared and filed on schedule.

Yes. We trace the error, correct the books and prepare amended filings such as Form 941-X.

We do. We keep the books and prepare and file the return, so the return is built on reconciled numbers.

We rebuild the books for the missing years, then prepare and file the returns oldest first. Don't wait for the IRS to contact you.

We can prepare and file it, if the books are ready or can be cleaned up in time. Extended S corporation and partnership returns are due September 15, C corporations October 15.

We pull and reconcile the records the notice asks about. If formal representation is needed, that must be a CPA, enrolled agent or attorney, and we work with yours.

It depends mostly on the state of the books. Clean, closed books make it quick; unreconciled books need a cleanup first.

We track year-to-date profit each month so your estimates, due April 15, June 15, September 15 and January 15, match how the year is going.

No. We prepare the books, schedules and records the auditor needs. Audits themselves are available through our professional CPA partner firms.

We can. We build and support the schedules on your auditor's request list, from bank reconciliations to fixed asset rollforwards.

Close and reconcile every account first, clear suspense balances and make receivables and payables agree with their aging reports.

We reconcile payroll to the plan's contribution records and prepare the payroll data the plan auditor asks for.

We pull sales by state, reconcile them to the returns filed and organize exemption certificates for the auditor.

We can. We build both from your reconciled books and update the forecast as each month closes.

A rolling 13-week forecast. It is short enough to be accurate and long enough to see a cash crunch coming.

It is usually a monthly retainer based on how much time and scope you need, rather than an hourly rate.

We can, with a linked profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow built from your real numbers and stated assumptions.

We help plan: budgets, 13-week cash flow forecasts and multi-year models, compared with actual results each month.

Our name for a dedicated accountant: one person from our team who works only on your books, in your systems.

A full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month, with no recruiting, benefits or payroll taxes on top.

Yes. They work in your QuickBooks Online or Xero file and your other tools with their own login, so every change is traceable.

Our team is distributed across the US and internationally. Your accountant works in your systems remotely.

It is the same model, aimed at businesses. CPA and accounting firms work with us at $12–$15 an hour; see our offshore staff page.

We do white-label bookkeeping, prepare tax returns and workpapers for your review, run month-end close for your clients, and supply dedicated accountants who work for your firm.

Our B2B rate is $12–$15 an hour, and a full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month.

A clear notice period, written confidentiality terms, who owns the work papers, and how client data is returned or deleted when the engagement ends. Ask us for our written terms before you move any clients.

Yes. Start with a few clients, review the work closely for the first months, and move more once it closes on time.

No. We are a bookkeeping firm. Our team includes one licensed CPA, and audits are available through our professional CPA partner firms.

We bill CPA firms $12–$15 an hour, so each client costs what its books take. You set your own fee to the client.

They will not see our name. You should still tell them in your engagement letter that a third-party provider helps with the work, as the AICPA Code expects.

Yes, both. You add us as a user on each client file and can remove that access at any time.

Tell us how many clients you have and which software they are in, and we will plan the handover with you. Moving clients in stages is usually safer than all at once.

Often, yes. It frees your hours for tax and advisory work, and you pay only for the hours the work takes.

Providers quote either per return or by the hour. For CPA firms our B2B rate is $12–$15 an hour; send us your return types and counts and we will estimate the hours.

Yes, that is how we work. We prepare, your reviewer checks and signs.

Yes. Anyone who prepares or helps prepare federal returns for pay needs a PTIN, wherever they are located.

Yes. Section 7216 requires the taxpayer's signed consent before tax return information goes to a preparer outside the United States.

Yes. We take a batch of extended returns, work them in deadline order, and return them for your review.

The main ones are data security, consent under Section 7216 and quality. Firms manage them with signed consents, controlled access to their own systems, and keeping review in-house.

With SF Business Solutions, a full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month. A dedicated accountant billed by the hour is $12–$15 an hour for B2B partnerships.

Many do, at least for part of the day. Overlap depends on the provider, so get it in writing before you sign.

Yes, senior staff can be placed too. Most firms add a reviewer after one or two staff accountants have settled in.

Staffing gives you a person you direct; outsourcing gives you finished work the provider manages. Staffing suits steady volume, outsourcing suits uneven volume.

SF Business Solutions is a US bookkeeping firm, SF Business Solutions LLC, with business addresses in Florida and Texas. Our team is distributed across the US and internationally.

SF Business Solutions does. We close your clients' books to your checklist and deliver the package to your reviewers in your firm's name.

Usually between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when each client's documents and feeds come in.

Yes. We work to your checklist, or adapt ours to match how your firm reviews.

Yes. We do the bookkeeping and close behind your CAS offering, so you can price and sell it before you hire.

Yes. The AICPA Code expects you to tell clients, preferably in writing, before sharing their confidential information with a third-party provider.

Yes. Section 7216 requires the taxpayer's signed consent before tax return information is disclosed to a preparer outside the United States.

Invite them as their own accountant user with the permissions they need, turn on multi-factor authentication, and remove the user when the work ends. Never share your login.

A written agreement covering confidentiality, who may access data, how it is stored and returned, and what happens at the end of the engagement.

Ask each provider for its current SOC 2 Type II report and read the exceptions. If a provider has none, ask which controls it uses instead and get them in writing.

Outsourcing is usually cheaper until you need someone full time. The median US bookkeeping clerk earned $50,670 in May 2025 before taxes and benefits.

Most small businesses need a bookkeeper every month and a CPA or enrolled agent for taxes and advice. SF Business Solutions does both jobs: we keep the books and prepare and file the return.

Doing it yourself works for very simple books. Once it takes more than a few hours a month, a bookkeeper usually costs less than your time and a later cleanup.

A freelancer is flexible and often cheaper; a firm gives you a team and cover when someone is away. Choose based on how much risk a missed month carries for you.

It can be. Quality depends on training, review and process; ask any provider who reviews the work and how client data is protected.

White-label suits many similar bookkeeping clients and little management time. A dedicated accountant suits steady, mixed work you want to direct yourself.

Outsourcing buys finished work managed by the provider; staffing buys a person your team directs.

Published market prices run from about $1,200 to $3,500 a month depending on seniority. We charge CPA firms $12–$15 an hour for a dedicated accountant, and a full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month.

The Fino Partners and SF Business Solutions both serve US CPA firms. Compare review process, hours of overlap, data protection and written pricing.

It depends on your needs: Pilot for startups, Bookkeeper360 for weekly books, or a firm like SF Business Solutions that works in your own QuickBooks or Xero file.

Yes. After its December 2024 shutdown, Bench was acquired by Employer.com and, as of September 2026, is taking customers again.

Botkeeper announced its closure in February 2026. White-label bookkeeping providers, including SF Business Solutions, do the same work with people under your firm's name.

Pilot focuses on startups and sells tax and CFO services; Bookkeeper360 offers monthly and weekly plans from $399 and $599 a month with US-based support.

Bookkeeper360, Pilot, QuickBooks Live and firms like SF Business Solutions. Compare what is included, who does the work and whether billing is monthly.

It is convenient if you only need bookkeeping inside QuickBooks. A firm adds payroll, cleanup and tax work, works in Xero too, and publishes its prices.

As of September 2026, Intuit does not list QuickBooks Live prices on its page; it quotes after a free consultation.

Pilot Essentials at $99 a month, Bench from $199 a month, and firms like SF Business Solutions from $250 a month.

Yes. You add the firm as an accountant user and keep ownership of the file.

As of September 2026, published ranges run from about $150 to $500 per client per month (Madras Accountancy's 2026 guide) up to $300 to $800 (Steph's Books), depending on transaction volume and complexity.

Usually 30 to 50% over the partner's rate, according to both Steph's Books and Corient. On a $500 partner cost billed at $700, that is $2,400 a year per client.

Per-client pricing is predictable; hourly pricing is cheaper for small or clean clients and fairer when volume swings. Many firms charge their own clients a fixed monthly fee and pay their partner by the hour.

It depends on who does the work today. Offshore rates of $10 to $25 an hour compare with $40 to $75 for US-based providers, and the median US bookkeeping clerk earned $50,670 a year in May 2025 before benefits and overhead.

Add up what the work costs you now (staff time at a loaded hourly cost, software and review) and compare it with the partner's price plus your own review time. Multiply the difference by the clients you move; the hours you free up for advisory work come on top.

$12–$15 an hour for white-label bookkeeping, tax-season prep and dedicated staff, and a full-time accountant from $1,500 a month.

On published prices as of September 2026, hourly offshore rates sit at the low end: Madras Accountancy lists $12 to $20 an hour and SF Business Solutions charges $12–$15 an hour. The cheapest option for your firm depends on how many hours your clients actually need.

Among others: Madras Accountancy, The Fino Partners, SF Business Solutions, Steph's Books, Corient Business Solutions and TOA Global. In each case the work goes out under your firm's name.

One that bills by the hour, so you can start with a single client and grow. Test the provider on one or two clients for a month or two before moving more.

Read its reviews on independent sites such as Clutch or Upwork, then ask for references from other CPA firms that use it. The Journal of Accountancy recommends checking references and samples of work.

No. It is a bookkeeping firm whose team includes one licensed CPA. Audits are available through our professional CPA partner firms.

Most bookkeeping providers work in both; confirm it with each. SF Business Solutions holds QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Xero Advisor and Xero Payroll certifications.

They deal only with your firm and see only your name. You should still tell them, preferably in writing, that a third-party provider helps with the work, as the AICPA Code expects; an engagement letter clause usually does it.

To a white-label bookkeeping provider that works inside your clients' QuickBooks Online or Xero files. Our guide to the best white-label providers compares six, including SF Business Solutions.

Hire if you have steady volume and want someone in-house; the median bookkeeping clerk earns $50,670 a year before benefits. Use a partner if your volume swings or you want to grow without adding headcount.

Yes. The provider closes the month and your firm reviews and signs off. SF Business Solutions closes between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when documents arrive.

A white-label partner can, in stages. Start with a few clean clients, agree your review checklist, then move the rest in groups. SF Business Solutions does this at $12–$15 an hour.

Your firm does. The client engages you, pays you and hears only from you; the provider works for your firm.

Yes, and most firms do exactly that. The provider prepares the return and workpapers; your firm reviews, discusses it with the client and signs.

Yes, if they are paid to prepare or help prepare federal returns. The IRS says anyone who does so for compensation must have a valid PTIN; the 2026 fee is $18.75.

Send the preparation of routine returns to an outside preparer for the season and keep review in-house. Book the capacity before January, and collect any Section 7216 consents you need for offshore work up front.

An outsourced preparer can take the preparation while you review. Extended 1040 and 1120 returns are due October 15, 2026; extended 1065 and 1120-S returns were due September 15, 2026. SF Business Solutions takes this work at $12–$15 an hour.

Pricing is per return, per hour or per seasonal preparer, and per-return quotes vary with complexity. SF Business Solutions charges CPA firms $12–$15 an hour.

Yes. A provider can prepare the returns and the reconciliations behind them while your firm keeps responsibility for the filings. Agree who submits each return and who holds the state portal logins.

Yes. If the preparer receiving the tax return information is outside the United States, the taxpayer must sign a Section 7216 consent, in the wording set by Revenue Procedure 2013-14, before you share it.

No. The IRS says disclosure to another US-based preparer who assists in preparing the return does not require the taxpayer's prior consent.

As long as the consent says. If it states no expiration period, it is effective for one year from the date the taxpayer signed it.

Only if both firms maintain adequate data protection safeguards as defined in Revenue Procedure 2013-14, section 5.07. A consent alone is not enough for SSNs.

Yes, if they are paid to prepare or help prepare federal returns. The IRS requires a valid PTIN for anyone who does so for compensation; the 2026 fee is $18.75.

The AICPA Code expects you to tell clients, preferably in writing, before their confidential information goes to a third-party provider. For offshore tax work, Section 7216 also requires their signed consent.

Who does the work and whether they stay on your account, which software they use, where client data lives and who can see it, how they handle Section 7216 consent, what their review looks like, and whether you can start with a few clients.

No written confidentiality terms, shared logins, prices hidden behind a long sales process, no answer on Section 7216 consent, and a different person on your work every month.

A clear scope and turnaround, pricing and how it can change, a workable notice period, confidentiality terms, ownership of work product, and how your data is returned or deleted at the end.

Terms vary by provider, so ask. Either way, start with two or three clients for a month or two before moving more.

Most do, but confirm it with each provider. SF Business Solutions is certified in both: QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and Advanced, and Xero Advisor and Payroll.

Yes. The firm remains responsible for the services it delivers to clients and cannot outsource that responsibility, so plan your review of the provider's work.

On published prices as of September 2026, hourly rates start around $12 an hour at both Madras Accountancy and SF Business Solutions ($12–$15 an hour for B2B work). Full-time staff start at $1,400 a month at Madras and $1,500 a month at SF Business Solutions.

Yes. Several providers bill by the hour or let you start with one person. Start with a defined batch of work and keep the review in-house until the quality is proven.

Ask each provider which shift the accountant will work before you sign. Madras Accountancy says its team works US Eastern or Central time on request, and TOA Global describes 24/7 operations; get the agreed hours in writing.

Yes. The IRS says anyone who prepares or assists in preparing federal tax returns for compensation must have a valid PTIN, wherever they are located.

It is a reason to check the sources. Every fact about another firm links to that firm's own page, and our own drawbacks are listed alongside theirs.

No country is best on its own. Pick the provider with the right US tax and GAAP experience, published pricing and security evidence, then confirm the working hours suit your team.

It can be. Pakistan has a large pool of ICAP-qualified accountants and is 9 to 10 hours ahead of US Eastern time; judge the individual provider on US experience, security and references.

Yes, some providers run teams there. Malaysia is 12 to 13 hours ahead of US Eastern, the same as the Philippines, so work sent at the end of your day can be done overnight.

Many providers offer shifts that overlap the US day. It means night work for the accountant, so agree the hours in writing and expect it to matter to staff retention.

No. Any disclosure of tax return information to a preparer outside the US needs the taxpayer's signed consent, and Social Security numbers need extra consent and safeguards on both sides.

It is a dedicated accountant or team that works only on your firm's clients, while the provider handles hiring, payroll and replacement. You direct the work; the provider manages the people.

With staffing, you direct a dedicated person's work. With outsourcing, the provider delivers a finished job and you review the result.

White-label is better for a varying number of clients and a firm without a manager to spare. A dedicated staff member is better when there is a full week of steady work and someone to direct it.

Define the work, interview the actual person, run a short paid test, give them their own logins, and review everything for the first few months. For tax work, collect Section 7216 consent first.

Yes. Many firms start with outsourced batches of work and move to a dedicated person once the volume is steady.

Published prices start at about $1,400 to $1,500 a month and reach about $3,500 for senior roles such as a financial controller. At SF Business Solutions, a full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month.

Published rates run from about $12 to $20 an hour as of September 2026. SF Business Solutions charges CPA firms $12–$15 an hour.

Compare like for like: the median US accountant wage was $83,680 a year in May 2025, before benefits, while published offshore full-time prices run about $1,400 to $3,500 a month. Your saving depends on seniority and how much review you keep in-house.

Multiply the hours you hand over by the provider's rate, add your team's review time, and compare the total with the fees for that work or the cost of hiring locally.

Hourly is better below roughly 100 hours a month of steady work. Above that, a full-time person usually costs less per hour and gives you continuity.

The common ones are extra review time in the first months, software licences and documenting your processes. Ask each provider about setup fees and minimum terms.

The better ones give each person individual logins with multi-factor authentication, work inside the client's own systems, use managed and encrypted devices, and back this with written terms or a SOC 2 report. Ask for the evidence, not the promise.

Some providers say so on their websites; for example, Madras Accountancy shows a SOC 2 badge and MYCPE ONE describes SOC 2–compliant environments. Ask any provider for the report itself, and note that SF Business Solutions does not publish one.

Get the client's consent before sharing confidential information, or have a contract that keeps it confidential. The firm stays responsible for the work and must supervise and review it.

A written agreement that covers who can access data, how it is protected, breach notification, and return or deletion at the end. The FTC Safeguards Rule expects your contracts to spell out security expectations.

Invite them as their own user rather than sharing a password, give the lowest access that does the job, turn on multi-factor authentication, and remove access when the work ends.

Yes. Section 7216 requires the taxpayer's signed consent before tax return information goes to a preparer outside the US, with extra rules for Social Security numbers.

Close-management software such as Double, offshore staff, a white-label bookkeeping partner, or hiring in-house. Choose software if you want tools, and people or a partner if you want finished work.

Accounting Today reported on February 9, 2026 that Botkeeper had announced its shutdown over the preceding weekend.

Close-management tools such as Double (formerly Keeper) automate transaction coding and client communication. You still need people to reconcile, adjust and review.

As of September 2026, SF Business Solutions bills CPA firms $12–$15 an hour, and Madras Accountancy publishes $150 to $500 per client a month.

Go client by client: document each client's rules and chart of accounts, move the simplest clients first, and check the first close in detail before moving the rest.

Software if your team has time to do and review the work and only needs faster coding. People or a white-label partner if you need whole clients' months closed without adding hours to your team.

Both publish prices and serve US CPA firms. Madras focuses on CPA firms with India-based staff and shows SOC 2 and ISO 27001 badges; SF Business Solutions is a US firm that also serves small businesses directly and has one licensed CPA on the team.

On published hourly rates they overlap: SF Business Solutions charges firms $12–$15 an hour and Madras $12 to $20. For full-time staff, Madras starts at $1,400 a month and SF Business Solutions at $1,500.

Other providers include SF Business Solutions, The Fino Partners, MYCPE ONE, TOA Global and QX Accounting Services. See our comparison of offshore accounting staffing firms for prices and drawbacks.

No. It is a bookkeeping firm whose team includes one licensed CPA. Audits are available through our professional CPA partner firms.

It does not publish one. Ask for its written answers on access, devices and confidentiality before sharing client data.

Yes. Give each a small batch of comparable clients for a month or two and compare review time and corrections. Madras Accountancy suggests a 90-day pilot with 3 to 5 clients.

Among the options above, Pilot's AI-led Essentials plan is the lowest published price at $99 a month. For a plan with a human bookkeeper, Bench starts at $199 and SF Business Solutions at $250.

Pick a human-led plan that includes payroll entries and reconciles every account monthly, then check it works in your software. Bench Core, Xendoo Essential, Bookkeeper360 and SF Business Solutions all fit; compare the quote for your transaction volume.

Every option on this list works remotely through cloud accounting software and bank feeds. You share read-only feeds and documents; nobody needs to visit your office.

For simple books with few transaction types it can be. Once you have payroll, loans, inventory or accrual adjustments, a person reviewing the books catches errors software misses.

If the books are in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero file, yes. If they live on a provider's own platform, ask for a full export of the general ledger and statements before you sign.

Because it is a real option in this price range. We ordered the list by published price, not in our favor, and gave our own drawback alongside everyone else's.

Usually several hundred dollars a month, depending on transaction volume and the number of accounts. Xendoo's tier for up to $75,000 in monthly expenses starts at $695; SF Business Solutions starts at $250 and quotes on volume.

Bench Grow starts at $199 a month, Pilot Essentials at $99 (AI-led), and SF Business Solutions at $250 with a human bookkeeper. Very high transaction counts will push any of these up.

Some do. Bookkeeper360 lists onboarding from $1,000 per project, and Bench charges $1,200 onboarding for its hourly QuickBooks bookkeeper. Always ask before comparing monthly prices.

Most set tiers by transaction count or total monthly expenses. Ask what counts as a transaction, what happens if you cross a tier mid-year, and whether the price is reviewed monthly or yearly.

Bench bundles bookkeeping and annual tax filing from $599 a month. Xendoo lists business tax returns from $1,245 a year on top of bookkeeping. SF Business Solutions prepares and files the return too, and quotes tax preparation separately.

Monthly bookkeeping from $250 a month, cleanup from $250, a full-time accountant from $1,500 a month, and $12–$15 an hour for CPA firms and other B2B partners.

The latest BLS data puts the median wage at $24.36 an hour (May 2025). Firms charge more: Bench bills $55 an hour for a certified QuickBooks bookkeeper.

The rate covers payroll taxes, benefits, training, software, review and backup staff. An employee's wage covers none of that.

About $10 to $25 an hour, according to one provider's published 2026 guide, against $40 to $75 for US-based bookkeepers.

Monthly is usually better for routine books because the cost is fixed. Hourly suits one-off projects such as a cleanup or a software fix.

For CPA firms and other B2B partners, yes: $12–$15 an hour. Small businesses pay a monthly fee, from $250 a month.

Yes. The BLS lists a median of $54,890 a year in construction against $45,830 in retail trade (May 2025), because construction books involve job costing and more complex payroll.

Per hour, yes: about $10 to $25 offshore against $40 to $75 onshore, per one provider's 2026 guide. For a small business, compare monthly plan prices rather than hourly rates.

It can be. Safety comes from how access and data are handled: your own software file, read-only bank feeds, removable logins and written confidentiality terms.

Not if the books stay in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero account. You add the bookkeeper as a user and can remove them at any time.

Your online banking password. Bank data should come through read-only feeds connected to your accounting software.

It varies by provider. Ask who will work on your books, what US training they have, and who reviews their work.

No. It is a US company, SF Business Solutions LLC. Our team is distributed across the US and internationally.

Categorizing transactions, reconciling every account, recording payroll and journal entries, closing the month and sending a profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow statement.

The profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow statement, plus accounts receivable and payable aging if you invoice or pay on terms, and the reconciliation reports.

Within two to three weeks of month-end is reasonable. SF Business Solutions closes between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when your documents arrive.

Any monthly bookkeeping service should. Reconciling every bank, card and loan account to its statement is a core part of the monthly close, not an add-on.

Many do, including SF Business Solutions. Accrual books need adjusting entries each month, so the quote may be higher than for cash-basis books.

Usually just answers to questions about unknown transactions, plus receipts, loan statements and anything the bank feed does not show, such as cash payments.

Check that they work in your software, close on a stated schedule and keep the books in your own file. Then compare written quotes and third-party reviews.

Who does the work, when the month closes, what is included, how catch-up is priced, how bank data is handled and what happens to your books if you leave.

Use Intuit's Find an Accountant directory at quickbooks.intuit.com/find-an-accountant, which lets you search certified ProAdvisors by location and specialty.

No. Bookkeeping is recording and reconciling transactions. A CPA is useful for tax work and assurance, and it helps if one is available to your bookkeeper.

QuickBooks Online Certified ProAdvisor, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Xero Advisor and Xero Payroll. The team also includes one licensed CPA.

A freelancer can be cheaper for simple books. A firm gives you backup when someone is away and a second person to check the work. The deciding question is who covers your books when your bookkeeper cannot.

When the books take more than a few hours a month, fall behind, or someone outside the business needs reliable statements. For many businesses that is from the first year of steady revenue.

Pros: time back, a set schedule, trained review and flexible cost. Cons: less daily control, sharing data with a firm, and a learning period while the bookkeeper gets to know your business.

For most small businesses, outsourcing. A median bookkeeping clerk costs $50,670 a year in salary alone, while published monthly plans start from $199 to $400 a month.

Yes. Common splits are outsourcing reconciliations and the monthly close while you keep invoicing, or outsourcing payroll entries only.

Yes, but the past months usually need a cleanup first. At SF Business Solutions cleanup starts at $250, depending on how far behind the books are.

If the books are current, the first monthly close can usually cover the month after you sign. If they are behind, the cleanup comes first, and its length depends on how many months are missing.

Keep the books in your own accounting file, export statements, the general ledger and reconciliation reports before cancelling, and hand the new bookkeeper access to the same file.

Bench announced a shutdown on December 27, 2024, filed for bankruptcy in Canada on January 9, 2025, and was bought by Employer.com, which kept the service running.

One that keeps the books in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero file, with published pricing and a stated close date. See our comparison of Bench alternatives for the options side by side.

At least three years for most records under IRS guidance, four for employment tax records, and up to seven in some cases.

Yes. That is cleanup work: reviewing past months, correcting categories and reconciling accounts back to where they last agreed with the bank.

Yes. Give them the new contact and the cut-over date, so they know who to ask about the books. If the new firm will also prepare and file the return, as SF Business Solutions does, tell them that too.

Not every month. Most small businesses need a bookkeeper monthly and someone for tax returns and planning: a CPA, an enrolled agent, or a firm like SF Business Solutions that does both. You need a CPA firm specifically when a lender or investor asks for an audit or review.

Yes, if the firm also prepares returns. A bookkeeper prepares the books your return is built from, and SF Business Solutions prepares and files the return as well; for representation before the IRS you want a CPA, enrolled agent or attorney.

No. An enrolled agent is licensed by the IRS and specializes in tax; a CPA is licensed by a state and can also perform audits. Both have unlimited IRS representation rights.

No. We are a bookkeeping and accounting firm. Our team includes one licensed CPA, and audits are available through our professional CPA partner firms.

The BLS median for employed bookkeeping clerks is $24.36 an hour as of May 2025. Outsourced monthly bookkeeping with SF Business Solutions starts at $250 a month.

No, not on its own. The IRS limits unlimited representation to enrolled agents, CPAs and attorneys. Your bookkeeper's job is to have the records ready for them.

The basics take a few hours. The hard part is bookkeeping judgment: categories, reconciliations and adjustments, which is what most owners get wrong.

For a small business with one or two accounts, often a few hours a month when kept current. It grows fast with payroll, inventory and more accounts, and it doubles when you fall behind.

It suits owners who want Intuit to do the work inside QuickBooks. Compare its quote with a firm's published price and ask whether payroll and the tax return are included.

Yes. QuickBooks Online plans include accountant users, so a bookkeeper works in your file and you keep ownership of it.

They compound. A cleanup fixes them; with SF Business Solutions, cleanup starts at $250 and the final price depends on how far behind the books are.

Simple Start fits one user and basic invoicing; Essentials adds bills and three users; Plus adds inventory and projects; Advanced is for larger teams. Check Intuit's current list before you buy.

It can be. Check reviews, keep the books in your own QuickBooks or Xero file and never share banking passwords. SF Business Solutions' own reviews come from clients who hired us through Upwork.

Not necessarily. Most bookkeeping now happens in cloud software either way; judge on responsiveness, a clear close date and whether you own the file.

If the books are in your own QuickBooks or Xero file, a new bookkeeper can pick them up, sometimes after a cleanup. If they were in the freelancer's software, you may need to rebuild them.

Freelancers set their own rates. As a reference point, the BLS median for employed bookkeeping clerks is $24.36 an hour as of May 2025.

You should. Insist that your books live in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero subscription, with the bookkeeper added as a user.

Yes. The new firm reviews where the books stand, fixes what is behind and takes over the monthly close from the next month.

Yes. Even a single-member LLC should have its own bank account and books, so profit is clear and the liability protection holds up.

Usually, yes. The IRS expects owner-employees to be paid reasonable compensation as wages before taking distributions.

Pay in line with the services the owner actually performs for the company. The IRS looks at those services and how much of the income they generate.

By the 15th day of the third month after year-end: March 16, 2026 for calendar-year S corporations. Form 7004 extends the filing deadline by six months.

Yes. We reconcile the year, tie payroll to the 941s and W-2s, separate distributions, then prepare and file the return from the finished books. Cleanup starts at $250.

One that keeps the books in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero file and reconciles monthly. With SF Business Solutions that starts at $250 a month.

It can do much of the routine categorizing and matching. It still needs a person for judgment calls, adjustments and checking the result before it goes into your tax return.

On repeat transactions, often yes. On loans, owner transactions, accruals and payroll entries, errors are common unless someone reviews them.

Yes. Our bookkeepers categorize, reconcile and close your books in QuickBooks Online or Xero, using the software's own bank feeds and rules to speed up routine work.

AI-first plans start lower, around $99 a month at Pilot as of September 2026. Human bookkeeping with SF Business Solutions starts at $250 a month; compare what each includes and who checks the work.

If they are in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero file, nothing is lost and a new bookkeeper can continue. If they are in the provider's platform, export everything now.

Some do and some rotate. Ask who will work on your books each month and who covers when they are away.

The conversion itself is quick. The time goes into cleaning up the Desktop file first and checking balances afterwards, which depends on how current the books are.

Most transactions and lists convert, but some settings, templates and reports do not. Check Intuit's list for your Desktop version before you start.

Before. A conversion copies mistakes, and fixing them in one system is faster than fixing them in two.

The one that keeps the features you use in Desktop, especially inventory and job costing. As of September 2026 plans run from $38 to $340 a month.

A bookkeeper can. SF Business Solutions sets up and tidies charts of accounts as part of cleanup and monthly bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online and Xero.

Look for certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisors. SF Business Solutions' team is certified as a QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and in QuickBooks Online Advanced.

Usually income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements, plus projections. Your lender confirms the exact list for your loan.

The SBA suggests established businesses prepare statements for the last three to five years.

Accrual statements usually tell a lender more about how the business performs. Your tax return may still be on the cash method; document the difference.

Yes. Budgeting and forecasting is one of our services, built on reconciled books so the projections start from real numbers.

A bookkeeper who reconciles every account and ties the statements to your returns. SF Business Solutions does this and prepares and files the returns too, with cleanup from $250 if the books are behind.

Monthly accrual-basis bookkeeping with a set close, AP and AR on a process, and a forecast. Monthly bookkeeping with us starts at $250 a month.

Most platforms charge a base fee plus a per-employee fee each month. Check the current price and what happens when an introductory discount ends.

Typically quarterly Forms 941, state withholding and unemployment returns, and W-2s at year-end. The employer stays responsible if a filing is missed.

Yes. A bookkeeper can run your existing payroll platform, check each run and book it. SF Business Solutions does this alongside your bookkeeping.

Yes. You usually need to register and file in each state where employees work, which adds setup and sometimes platform fees.

Your payroll provider or bookkeeper, usually by filing Form 941-X for each affected quarter and correcting the state filings.

We quote payroll together with your bookkeeping, based on headcount and pay frequency. Monthly bookkeeping starts at $250 a month; ask for the combined quote on a consult.

Published plans start around $1,750 to $2,000 a month as of September 2026, from Pilot and Bookkeeper360. Many firms quote only after a call.

A bookkeeper. A CFO works from your monthly statements, so reconciled books come first.

A bookkeeper or accountant who knows your numbers. SF Business Solutions builds budgets and forecasts on reconciled monthly books.

Yes. Budgeting and forecasting is one of our services; we build models that link the three statements and can be updated with actuals each month.

Pilot and Bookkeeper360 publish CFO pricing. SF Business Solutions does bookkeeping, budgets and forecasts, not fractional CFO service.

Start with a 13-week cash forecast built from your reconciled books, updated weekly. Software helps, but the inputs matter more than the tool.

Usually $300 to $8,000 or more as of September 2026, depending on how far behind you are. Published 2026 guides put 1 to 3 months at $300 to $500 and more than a year at $3,500 to $8,000 or more.

Most quote the whole project rather than a monthly rate. Working back from published ranges, a year of backlog lands between $1,500 and $3,500 for a typical small business.

Yes. Flat project quotes are the norm once the provider has seen your file. Ask for the scope, the price and what happens if they find more than expected, in writing.

The hourly rate is lower, $50 to $75 against $75 to $150 in 2026 guides, but check who reviews the work and whether they will stay for the monthly books afterwards.

Cleanup starts at $250. The final price depends on how far behind the books are, and monthly bookkeeping afterwards starts at $250 a month.

Some providers offer it. As of September 2026 Bench advertises interest-free payment plans of up to 12 months for historical bookkeeping. Ask any provider before you sign.

A bookkeeping firm or experienced bookkeeper who works in your software. SF Business Solutions does catch-up work in QuickBooks Online and Xero, starting at $250.

Collect the statements for every account, then catch up the most recent unfiled tax year first. Late-filing penalties grow 5% a month up to 25%, so the tax years set the order.

It depends mostly on how fast statements and answers arrive. Small backlogs with every statement in hand move quickly; years with missing statements take longer while banks send copies.

Most bookkeeping firms and many CPA firms. Look for one that will reconcile every account to its statements, not just categorize transactions, and give a fixed quote.

A bookkeeper who reconciles month by month against each statement. Expect them to ask for every statement and to flag transfers and duplicates that need your answer.

Hand over every statement and payroll report on day one and answer questions quickly; that is what makes a catch-up fast. SF Business Solutions can rebuild the books and then prepare and file the return; our team includes one licensed CPA.

Opening balances, chart of accounts, bank, card and loan reconciliations, uncategorized and duplicate transactions, payroll, receivables and payables, owner equity, and a final balance sheet review.

Compare each account's starting balance to its statement on the start date and correct the difference with one dated entry. Then check the first reconciliation ties out.

A bookkeeper working in batches by payee, with bank rules for repeats. SF Business Solutions does this as part of cleanup work, which starts at $250.

With the reconciliation reports and the audit log. They show which months still tie to the statements and which need fixing, so you do not redo good work.

Fix them in order, starting with opening balances and reconciliations, and tell your accountant which periods changed, especially any that filed returns were based on.

No. Deleting breaks reconciliations and the audit trail. Correct what is wrong, and remove only proven duplicates after checking them against the statement.

It depends on your backlog and budget. As of September 2026, Bench suits large backlogs with a payment plan, Bookkeeper360 suits growing companies, and SF Business Solutions suits those wanting cleanup from $250.

Any provider on this list works in QuickBooks Online; Intuit's own Expert Cleanup does too. SF Business Solutions holds QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and Advanced certifications.

Some will commit to a fast timeline for a small backlog, but speed depends on having every statement ready. Ask for the timeline in writing, with what they need from you and when.

Roughly $300 to $8,000 or more in 2026, depending on backlog. Published starting points include Bookkeeper360 at $1,000 per project and SF Business Solutions at $250.

It helps if the cleanup feeds overdue returns, but CPA firm hourly rates run $150 to $300 in 2026 guides. A bookkeeping firm with a CPA involved can be a middle ground.

Because buyers compare anyway. Every competitor fact here is sourced to the provider's own site or reporting, and our own drawbacks are listed alongside theirs.

SF Business Solutions rebuilds the books and prepares and files the late returns, so one team does both. If the IRS has already contacted you, a CPA, enrolled agent or attorney can also represent you.

A CPA, enrolled agent or attorney, since they have unlimited representation rights before the IRS. Respond by the date on the notice even if the books are not ready.

Any qualified preparer, but only if the books are finished in time. Start the bookkeeping now; an extension moves the filing date, not the date tax is due.

Normally not: the Internal Revenue Manual says the enforcement period is normally not more than six years, though it can differ by case.

File anyway to stop the failure-to-file penalty, then ask for more time. The IRS offers an extra 60 to 120 days online, and longer installment agreements.

It stops the failure-to-file penalty from growing. The failure-to-pay penalty and interest continue until the tax is paid.

March 16, 2026 for calendar-year Forms 1120-S and 1065, because March 15 is a Sunday. With a Form 7004 extension, September 15, 2026.

April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027.

Forms 1099-NEC for 2026 are due February 1, 2027. For payments made in 2026, the IRS's instructions set the 1099-NEC threshold at $2,000.

Form 941 is due the last day of the month after each quarter, moved to the next business day on weekends; Form 940 and W-2s for 2026 are due February 1, 2027.

Many do. SF Business Solutions keeps the books in QuickBooks Online or Xero and prepares and files business tax returns, and our team includes one licensed CPA.

It depends on complexity. As an example, Pilot lists partnership and S corporation returns from $2,000 a year as of September 2026. Ask any preparer for a fixed quote.

Prepared and compiled statements give no assurance; compiled ones come with a report. Reviewed statements give limited assurance and need an independent accountant.

Your bookkeeper or bookkeeping firm, after reconciling every account. SF Business Solutions produces a P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statement each month.

Most outsourced bookkeeping firms. SF Business Solutions closes clients' books between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when documents arrive.

Look for one that closes monthly and sends all three. SF Business Solutions does, with monthly bookkeeping from $250 a month.

Only if a lender, investor, regulator or plan rule requires them. Most small businesses need accurate monthly statements; ask the party requesting them what level they need.

No. Reviews and audits require an independent accountant, so the firm that keeps your books cannot review or audit them.

Your bookkeeper or accountant, as long as someone independent performs the audit. SF Business Solutions prepares audit schedules, and audits are available through our professional CPA partner firms.

Close and reconcile every month, fix any unexplained balances, then prepare the PBC list: reconciliations, agings, fixed assets, debt, accruals and payroll.

If it files Form 5500 as a large plan, it must attach an independent qualified public accountant's report. Plans with fewer than 100 participants generally file as small plans.

Your payroll provider and bookkeeper, for the payroll, census and deferral records. The audit itself must be done by an independent qualified public accountant.

Sales by state and jurisdiction, the returns you filed, and exemption or resale certificates for untaxed sales. The review period depends on the state.

Yes. SF Business Solutions does cleanup work starting at $250, so the auditor tests reconciled books instead of finding the problems.

Yes, as of September 2026. It announced a shutdown on December 27, 2024, was acquired by Employer.com, and still sells plans from $199 a month.

Bench itself, or any bookkeeper who will rebuild the missing months from your statements. SF Business Solutions does this in QuickBooks Online or Xero, from $250.

It depends on your size and software. Our Bench alternatives comparison covers the main options, including SF Business Solutions at $250 a month.

Yes. A bookkeeper sets opening balances from the last reconciled month, then rebuilds the missing months from your statements in the new file.

Download the reports you can access before you leave, and keep your bank statements. The history can be rebuilt from statements if needed.

It depends on how many months are missing: 2026 guides put 1 to 3 months at $300 to $500 and over a year at $3,500 or more. Our cleanup starts at $250.

A US bookkeeping, accounting and tax firm, SF Business Solutions LLC, founded in 2022. It keeps the books, runs payroll and prepares and files tax returns for small businesses, and does white-label work for CPA firms.

It serves businesses across the United States and has business addresses in Gibsonton, Florida and Pflugerville, Texas. Its team is distributed across the US and internationally.

No. It is a bookkeeping and accounting firm whose team includes one licensed CPA. Audits are available through our professional CPA partner firms.

Monthly bookkeeping, cleanup, accounts payable and receivable, month-end close, payroll, tax planning, tax returns prepared and filed, audit support and forecasting, plus white-label bookkeeping and tax-season help for CPA firms.

Call (813) 563-7857, email info@sfbusinesssolutions.com, or book a free 1-hour consult on sfbusinesssolutions.com.

In 2022. The team brings 10+ years of industry experience.

Yes. It is SF Business Solutions LLC, founded in 2022, with client reviews on its Upwork agency profile and listings on Clutch and LinkedIn.

Its three public reviews praise accuracy, responsiveness and help with complicated books; one client calls it a 10/10 recommendation.

On its Upwork agency profile, where the reviews were left, and on its reviews page. The firm is also listed on Clutch and LinkedIn.

Three public client reviews on Upwork as of September 2026. It is a small sample, so use a free consult to judge fit.

Two of its three reviews come from clients with complicated businesses who say the firm handled them well. Describe your setup on the free consult to get a direct answer.

Not yet. Its three public reviews come from business clients, so a CPA firm should start the white-label work with a small batch of clients and judge the results.

Monthly bookkeeping starts at $250 a month. The final price depends on transaction volume and the number of accounts.

Cleanup starts at $250, and the final price depends on how far behind the books are and how many accounts need reconciling.

$12–$15 an hour for white-label bookkeeping, tax-season preparation and staff time. A full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month.

No. Payroll, and the tax returns we prepare and file, are quoted alongside your bookkeeping, based on headcount and the returns you need.

Its published starting price of $250 a month sits between Bench's $199 Grow plan and Bookkeeper360's $399 Monthly plan, as of September 2026. Compare what each includes, not only the number.

Book a free 1-hour consult or call (813) 563-7857. Bring your software, your account count and a rough monthly transaction count.

Bench suits owners who want a fixed plan with tax filing on Bench's platform. SF Business Solutions suits owners who want their books kept in their own QuickBooks Online or Xero, from $250 a month.

Yes. Bench announced a shutdown in December 2024, was acquired by Employer.com and is taking customers, with plans from $199 a month as of September 2026.

Yes. The firm rebuilds and reconciles the books in QuickBooks Online or Xero; cleanup starts at $250, depending on how much needs fixing.

Yes. It prepares and files your business tax return, quoted alongside your bookkeeping rather than bundled into one plan.

From $199 a month on the Grow plan for businesses under $250,000 a year, $399 for Core and $599 for Core + Tax, as of September 2026. Annual billing is about 20% less.

SF Business Solutions starts at $250 a month; Bookkeeper360 starts at $399 a month for monthly bookkeeping as of September 2026. Final prices depend on volume.

Yes. Both work in QuickBooks Online or Xero.

It offers budgeting and forecasting, quoted on the consult. Bookkeeper360 publishes a fractional CFO service from $2,000 a month.

SF Business Solutions prices CPA firm work directly at $12–$15 an hour, white-label; Bookkeeper360's published pricing is built around business owners.

Its pricing page does not state contract terms as of September 2026. SF Business Solutions does not publish its terms either, so ask both for them in writing.

Pilot suits venture-backed startups wanting one platform for books, tax and CFO work. SF Business Solutions suits founders who want accountants working in their own QuickBooks Online or Xero, from $250 a month.

SF Business Solutions usually closes between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when documents arrive. Pilot's Core plan promises reports by the 10th business day.

At SF Business Solutions, the team that keeps your books prepares and files your tax return. Pilot's tax plans are sold together with Pilot bookkeeping.

Yes. It keeps accrual-basis books and closes every month, in QuickBooks Online or Xero.

No. On Essentials, AI categorizes transactions, reconciles accounts and closes the books monthly, as of September 2026. A US-based bookkeeper comes with the Core plan.

1-800Accountant leads with tax, with plans reported at $209 to $419 a month billed annually. SF Business Solutions leads with done-for-you bookkeeping from $250 a month, and also prepares and files your tax return.

A May 2026 third-party review reports full bookkeeping only on its $419-a-month Enterprise tier; lower tiers need the owner to categorize transactions.

Its contract terms are not published; ask on the free consult and get them in writing.

SF Business Solutions does cleanup and catch-up from $250, then keeps the books current each month.

Ask before you sign. The May 2026 review says ClientBooks records don't export easily to QuickBooks.

Fino suits firms wanting a full-time role at a set monthly rate, from $1,800. SF Business Solutions suits firms with uneven work, at $12–$15 an hour.

Fino publishes $2,300 a month for a senior accountant as of September 2026. SF Business Solutions' full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month.

Yes. White-label work is done in your systems, and your clients deal only with your firm.

Not on its pricing page as of September 2026. Ask any provider for its contract terms and how it handles client data, in writing, before you start.

Xero's entry plan is cheaper: $25 a month list against $38 for QuickBooks Online Simple Start, as of September 2026. Xero Early caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month, though, so compare the plan you would actually need.

Neither includes it in the base plan. QuickBooks Online sells payroll as an add-on, and in the US Xero Payroll is powered by Gusto at $36 a month plus $6 per employee or contractor.

QuickBooks Online Plus includes inventory tracking. Xero offers inventory through the optional Inventory Plus on its Growing and Established plans.

Yes. QuickBooks Online plans include 2 or 3 accountant users on top of your own users, and most bookkeepers, including SF Business Solutions, work in both systems.

Only if the other system solves a real problem, such as user limits, multi-currency or inventory. Switching means moving opening balances and open items and rebuilding bank rules, so it is worth doing once, at a year end if possible.

Usually, yes. A single-member LLC or an LLC taxed as a partnership or S corporation can generally use the cash method; the restriction applies to C corporations and partnerships with a C corporation partner above the gross receipts limit.

$32 million of average annual gross receipts over the prior three tax years, for tax years beginning in 2026, under Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

It can change when income is taxed, not whether it is. Income you are paid in January is taxed in that year on the cash basis, so the effect is timing.

Yes. For your books you can switch at any time; for taxes, a change of accounting method generally needs Form 3115 filed with the IRS.

Most lenders and investors prefer accrual financial statements, because they show what the business earned and owes, not just what cleared the bank.

$2,000. For payments made in 2026 you file a 1099-NEC for each nonemployee paid at least $2,000 for services in the course of your business.

By February 1, 2027, both to the recipient and to the IRS. The normal date is January 31, which falls on a Sunday in 2027.

It depends on how the LLC is taxed. A single-member LLC or one taxed as a partnership gets one; an LLC taxed as a C or S corporation generally does not. The contractor's W-9 tells you which.

No. Payments made by card or through a payment network are reported by the processor on Form 1099-K.

The IRS charges a penalty per return that rises the later you file: for returns due in 2026 it was $60 up to 30 days late, $130 through August 1 and $340 after that.

A duty to collect a state's sales tax that comes from your sales into the state, not from being there. Most states set it at $100,000 of sales a year; California, Texas and New York use $500,000.

It depends on the state. Amazon collects and remits the tax on those orders in states with marketplace facilitator laws, but some states still count them toward your own threshold. Check each state's rule.

$500,000 of sales into Texas over the preceding twelve calendar months, as of September 2026.

Yes, in every state where you have nexus. Marketplaces collect on marketplace orders; direct sales through your own store are your responsibility.

On June 21, 2018 the Supreme Court held that a state can require an out-of-state seller to collect sales tax without a physical presence, overruling Quill.

No. The IRS has no percentage rule; it looks at what your services are worth using factors such as duties, time spent and what comparable businesses pay.

Not if they work in the business. The IRS expects reasonable compensation for services before non-wage distributions, and can reclassify distributions as wages.

Yes. Reasonable compensation is paid as wages, with withholding and employment taxes, and reported on a W-2.

At least once a year, and whenever your role, hours or the business's profit change significantly.

It can reclassify part of your distributions as wages and assess employment taxes on them, with penalties and interest.

Not necessarily. The IRS looks at where the income comes from: profit generated by your own personal services points to wages, while profit from the work of non-shareholder employees or from the business's capital and equipment can support distributions.

March 15, 2027 for a calendar-year S corporation, or September 15, 2027 with an extension on Form 7004.

By February 1, 2027. The normal date is January 31, which falls on a Sunday in 2027.

January 15, 2027. The earlier 2026 payments were due April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, so if you missed one, pay it as soon as you can to limit the underpayment penalty.

No. An extension gives you more time to file, not to pay. Tax owed is still due by the original deadline, or interest and penalties apply.

Your 2026 profit and loss and balance sheet, December statements for every account, an asset list, payroll reports, 1099s issued and received, and last year's return. If SF Business Solutions keeps your books and prepares your return, we already have most of it.

Get them caught up before you file, or file an extension while they are. SF Business Solutions' cleanup starts at $250, and we can then prepare and file the return.

It depends on transaction volume and how quickly statements and receipts arrive. Our clients' books are closed between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when documents arrive.

Reconciling every bank, credit card and loan account to its statement. Without it, reports can look right and still be wrong.

Yes. QuickBooks Online and Xero both let you set a closing or lock date so nobody changes a finished month by accident.

A profit and loss statement, a balance sheet and a cash flow statement, plus receivable and payable aging reports if you invoice or pay on terms.

No. A cash-basis business still records, reconciles and reviews every month; accrual accounting adds entries for income earned and costs incurred but not yet paid.

Usually a few dozen, not hundreds. If an account has had no activity for a year or holds a single transaction, it probably belongs inside another one.

It helps. Number ranges keep related accounts together in reports, and QuickBooks Online and Xero both support account numbers or codes.

No. Track vendors in the vendor list and use expense accounts for the type of cost, such as rent, software or advertising.

You can, but renaming or merging accounts mid-year makes comparisons harder. Plan bigger changes for the start of a year and note what moved where.

In equity, not expenses. Owner contributions and draws, or distributions for an S corporation, sit in equity accounts so they don't distort profit.

The IRS can charge an underpayment penalty, figured like interest on the amount that was late. Paying as soon as you can reduces it.

Often, yes. Salary has tax withheld through payroll, but distributions don't, so owners who take large distributions usually make estimated payments or raise their withholding.

Yes. Paying the full year's estimate by the first due date covers the year, and you can also pay more often than four times.

No. The annualized income installment method on Form 2210 lets you match payments to the periods when you earned the income.

They figure each installment with the Estimated Tax Worksheet in IRS Publication 542, since Form 1120-W is now historical, and pay electronically on the 15th day of the 4th, 6th, 9th and 12th months of the tax year.

Yes. P&L, income statement and statement of operations are names for the same report.

Profit and cash move differently. Loan principal, owner draws, inventory purchases and unpaid customer invoices affect cash but not profit; the cash flow statement shows where the difference went.

Monthly, once the books are closed and reconciled, compared with last month, the same month last year and your budget.

It varies widely by industry, so compare against your own history and your industry's benchmarks rather than a single number.

A cash-basis P&L records income and expenses when money moves; an accrual P&L records them when they are earned or incurred.

Gross profit is revenue minus the cost of goods sold, before any overhead. Net income is what remains after every expense, including operating costs, interest and taxes, which is why it is called the bottom line.

Bookkeeping records and reconciles transactions. CAS packages that work with reporting and advice into an ongoing monthly service.

In the 2024 CPA.com and AICPA PCPS benchmark survey, CAS practices reported median growth of 17% for 2023.

A common approach is fixed monthly packages tied to scope, such as transaction volume and the number of accounts, rather than billing by the hour.

Yes. You can hand the bookkeeping and close to a white-label partner or a dedicated accountant and keep the client relationship and advisory work in-house.

The AICPA Code requires either the client's specific consent or a confidentiality agreement with the provider before you share confidential information, and many firms do both. Sharing tax return information also needs the client's Section 7216 consent.

No, Texas has no income tax, but LLCs are subject to the franchise tax. For 2026 reports no tax is due at or below $2.65 million in annualized revenue, though a Public Information or Ownership Information Report is still required.

May 15 each year, or the next business day if May 15 falls on a weekend or holiday.

Generally not; the 5.5% tax applies to C corporations and LLCs taxed as corporations. Some S corporations still have Florida filing requirements, so check yours before assuming there is nothing to file.

6% at the state level, plus a discretionary surtax that depends on the county.

Yes. Texas applies it to the first $9,000 of each employee's wages and Florida to the first $7,000, and new employers in both states start at 2.7%.

Yes. All of our work is remote. We connect to your bank and card feeds in QuickBooks Online or Xero and work from there.

Your books are handled by our team, which includes one licensed CPA and holds QuickBooks and Xero certifications. If you want one person working only on your business, a full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month.

Real accountants. Software helps with bank feeds and suggested categories, but a person codes, reconciles and reviews your books.

Monthly bookkeeping starts at $250 a month. The price depends on how many accounts and transactions you have.

Separate business accounts, every transaction coded, owner contributions and draws recorded, and reconciled statements at year end. That is the same monthly service, set up for an LLC.

One that keeps accrual-basis books, closes monthly and can produce investor-ready reports without a cleanup project. That is what we do for startups, in QuickBooks Online or Xero.

Our monthly plans start at $250 a month. The price depends on the number of accounts and transactions.

Yes. Every monthly close includes a P&L, balance sheet and cash flow statement, laid out the way investors and boards read them.

No. Those are specialist jobs. We give your cap table provider and valuation firm the financial numbers they need.

We can. We calculate each estimated payment from your up-to-date books and remind you before each due date.

Not always. If you have a few transactions a month, a spreadsheet may do. Once you have several clients, expenses and estimated taxes to track, a bookkeeper saves time and usually money at tax time.

Separate business accounts, coded income and expenses, owner draws recorded, and reconciled statements for the tax return. Our monthly service covers all of it.

Yes. We prepare and file your return from the books we keep, so your books and your tax return come from one team.

One that runs a real month-end close with accruals, reconciles every balance sheet account and reviews before reporting. A dedicated accountant is usually the right fit at that size.

Yes. We keep separate books for each entity, record intercompany transactions on both sides and reconcile the balances every month.

Yes. We run the close to a checklist and usually finish between the 5th and 15th of the following month, depending on when your documents arrive.

Yes. We prepare reconciliations and supporting schedules for your auditor. We don't perform the audit itself.

We do. We reconcile Shopify payouts and gateway deposits, record fees and refunds separately, and track inventory and cost of goods sold.

Yes. We book Amazon settlement reports so FBA fees, storage fees, reimbursements and advertising each show separately, and the deposit ties to the bank.

Yes. We track inventory purchases and landed costs and record cost of goods sold each month, so your gross margin is real.

We record sales tax by state, reconcile what you owe and prepare the reports for filing. Ask about filing help on a consult.

Our monthly plans start at $250 a month. The price depends on your sales channels, transaction volume and whether you carry inventory.

We can. We track rent and every expense by property, and at year end we prepare and file your return from those numbers.

Yes. We keep separate books for each LLC, record transfers between them properly and reconcile each one monthly.

Yes. We keep the company's operating books and reconcile trust accounts against owner and tenant ledgers.

Commission income matched to your 1099s, business expenses and mileage tracked, and quarterly estimated taxes calculated. Our monthly service covers that.

Yes. We split each payout into rent, cleaning fees, platform fees and taxes, and track results by property.

We can. We set up projects and cost codes in QuickBooks Online and code every labor, material and subcontractor cost to its job.

Yes. We build the WIP schedule from your job costing, showing percent complete and over- or under-billing on each job.

We run construction payroll and code labor to jobs, which is the record certified payroll reports are built from. Ask about prevailing wage projects on a consult.

Job costs, retainage tracking, on-time invoicing and payroll or 1099s for your crew. Our monthly service covers it from $250 a month.

Yes. General contractors are a core fit: job costing, WIP, retainage, subcontractor 1099s and payroll in one monthly service.

Yes. We book your Toast or Square daily sales reports and reconcile them to card and cash deposits.

We record tips as owed to staff until paid, work with your payroll provider on tipped wages, and keep the records for Form 8027 and the FICA tip credit.

Yes. We code every purchase by category and calculate food cost and prime cost each month, or weekly if you count inventory weekly.

Yes. Each location gets its own P&L, and you get a group total.

Our monthly plans start at $250 a month. The price depends on locations, sales volume and how often you want reports.

Yes. We reconcile insurance, patient and card deposits by payer, record payroll and expenses, and produce monthly reports.

Yes. The key is keeping patient information out of the books. We record deposits by payer and date and work from summary reports.

Only if they handle protected health information, in which case they are a business associate and need an agreement with the practice. We set up the books so patient details are not needed.

One that keeps simple reconciled books and handles quarterly estimated taxes. Our monthly service covers both from $250 a month.

Yes. Veterinary clinics get the same monthly service, plus inventory tracking for medications and supplies.

We can. We recognize subscription revenue over the service period from your billing data and keep a deferred revenue schedule that ties to the balance sheet.

Look for accrual-basis books, a monthly close and investor-ready reports without a cleanup project before each raise. That is our standard service for startups.

Yes. We keep the US books for Delaware corporations run from abroad and prepare and file the company's US tax return from them.

We keep the records the credit depends on: payroll and contractor costs tagged by project. The credit study itself is prepared by a specialist.

Our monthly plans start at $250 a month, depending on transaction volume and billing complexity.

SF Business Solutions does. We keep the books for small businesses across the Tampa Bay area in QuickBooks Online or Xero, from monthly bookkeeping to cleanup, payroll and tax prep.

It depends mostly on your transaction volume and number of accounts. With us, monthly bookkeeping starts at $250 a month and cleanup starts at $250.

Yes. We work with businesses across the Tampa Bay area. The work runs through your accounting software, so where you are in the Bay area doesn't change the service.

Yes. We catch up missing months, fix miscategorized entries and reconcile every account, then prepare and file your return from the finished books. Cleanup starts at $250, and the final price depends on how far behind the books are.

Yes. We run payroll, file payroll taxes and handle year-end W-2s and 1099s for small businesses in Florida.

Yes. Our team holds the QuickBooks Online Certified ProAdvisor and QuickBooks Online Advanced certifications, as well as Xero Advisor and Xero Payroll.

SF Business Solutions does. We keep the books for small businesses and startups across the Austin area in QuickBooks Online or Xero, from monthly bookkeeping to cleanup, payroll and tax prep.

Yes. We work with businesses across the Austin area, including Pflugerville and Round Rock. The work runs through your accounting software, so location doesn't change the service.

It depends mostly on transaction volume and how many accounts you have. With us, monthly bookkeeping starts at $250 a month and cleanup starts at $250.

Yes. We catch up missing months, fix miscategorized entries and reconcile every account back to where the books were last right. Cleanup starts at $250, and the final price depends on how far behind the books are.

Yes. We run payroll, file federal payroll taxes and Texas unemployment tax reports, and handle year-end W-2s and 1099s.

Yes. Our team holds the QuickBooks Online Certified ProAdvisor and QuickBooks Online Advanced certifications, as well as Xero Advisor and Xero Payroll.

SF Business Solutions is a US bookkeeping, accounting and tax firm, founded in 2022. It does monthly bookkeeping, cleanup, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, tax returns prepared and filed, and budgeting for small businesses, and white-label bookkeeping and tax prep for CPA firms, in QuickBooks Online and Xero.

SF Business Solutions is a US bookkeeping firm with business addresses in Gibsonton, Florida and Pflugerville, Texas. Our team is distributed across the US and internationally, and we serve businesses across the United States. We are not based in San Francisco.

Yes. SF Business Solutions LLC was founded in 2022, and you can check our client reviews on our Upwork agency profile and our listings on Clutch and LinkedIn.

No, but we do what a small business usually hires a CPA for: books, payroll, tax planning, and tax returns prepared and filed. Our team includes one licensed CPA, and audits are available through our professional CPA partner firms.

Yes. We do bookkeeping, month-end close and tax preparation for CPA and accounting firms under the firm's own name, at $12–$15 an hour, or provide a full-time accountant who works as part of the firm's team.

As of September 2026, Madras Accountancy focuses on offshore accounting and tax staff for US CPA firms, delivered from India, and publishes its prices. SF Business Solutions serves both CPA firms and small businesses directly, and publishes its starting prices: $250 a month for bookkeeping and $12–$15 an hour for CPA firms.

Monthly bookkeeping starts at $250 a month and cleanup starts at $250. CPA firms pay $12–$15 an hour, and a full-time accountant starts at $1,500 a month.

It depends on your transaction volume, number of accounts and how complex your books are. With us, it starts at $250 a month.

Revenue alone doesn't set the price. A $1M business with a few hundred transactions a month costs less to keep than one with thousands. We quote from your actual volume, starting at $250 a month.

For CPA firms and other B2B partnerships, yes: $12–$15 an hour. Small businesses pay a monthly fee for bookkeeping, starting at $250 a month.

Yes. Our monthly bookkeeping starts at $250 a month. Whether your business fits the starting price depends on its transaction volume and number of accounts.

Some providers charge one, so ask any provider for the full cost of your first month before you sign. With us, if your books are behind, bringing them current is cleanup work, which starts at $250.

Clients describe the firm as accurate, responsive and good with complicated books. One Upwork reviewer wrote: "Great to work with! Always available & gets things done quickly."

Yes. They are quoted word for word from reviews on our Upwork agency profile, which clients can only leave after a contract through the platform.

The firm is also listed on Clutch and LinkedIn. Check that the profile links back to sfbusinesssolutions.com.

The firm was founded in 2022, and its team brings 10+ years of industry experience.

Yes. The first consult is free and takes about an hour. There's no obligation to sign up.

Book a time on our booking page, call (813) 563-7857, or email info@sfbusinesssolutions.com.

Yes. We serve businesses across the United States. Everything runs through your accounting software, so location doesn't matter.

Not if you use QuickBooks Online or Xero. We work inside your existing account, so your books stay where they are.

Ask who works on your books, when each month is closed, what reports you'll get, how your data is handled and what happens if you leave. A good firm answers all five plainly.

Usually between the 5th and 15th of the following month. The exact day depends on when your statements and documents arrive.

A profit and loss statement, a balance sheet and a cash flow statement, built from reconciled accounts.

Recording and categorizing every transaction, reconciling every bank, card and payment account, month-end adjustments, and your monthly financial statements.

Your books live in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero account, so nothing is lost. You add us as a user and remove the old bookkeeper, and we review the last few months before taking over.

Usually a few minutes a month to answer questions about transactions and send anything we can't pull automatically.

Invite them as their own user from your QuickBooks Online settings instead of sharing your login. You'll see their access and can remove it at any time.

It can be, when the provider works inside your own software, access is limited to named people, and you can remove it yourself. Ask any provider, including us, to show you each of those.

No. Transactions reach QuickBooks Online or Xero through bank feeds, so no bookkeeper should ask for your banking password.

It stays in your own QuickBooks Online or Xero account. You remove our user access and your books remain exactly where they were.

The good ones work inside the client's or firm's own systems, limit access to named staff, avoid emailing files and put confidentiality in writing. Ask any provider to show you each of these.

It's a starting point. The final price depends on things a form can't see, like how clean your books are and how you use your software.

Every transaction has to be categorized and every account reconciled, so volume is the best single measure of the monthly work.

Catching up is cleanup work, which starts at $250; the final price depends on how far behind the books are. Once you're current, the monthly price applies.

No. Payroll is quoted separately because it depends on headcount, pay frequency and the states you run payroll in.

Yes. The consult is free and there's no obligation to sign up afterwards.

Yours. The form reads your time zone from your device and shows every time in it.

Yes. Reply to the confirmation email or call (813) 563-7857.

So you talk to us this week, not in a month. If you need a later date, pick any time and tell us in the notes.