How much does catch-up bookkeeping cost?
Catch-up bookkeeping is priced on a project basis because every situation is different. The biggest factors are how far behind you are and how many transactions need to be recorded each month. A business that’s three months behind with 50 transactions a month is a very different project than one that’s two years behind with 500 transactions a month.
For a small business that’s a few months behind with relatively straightforward finances, you might be looking at a few hundred to $1,500. If you’re a year or more behind, or if there’s significant complexity like multiple bank accounts, credit cards, loans, or mixed personal and business transactions, costs can range from $2,000 to $5,000 or more. Businesses with multiple years of neglected books can run higher depending on the volume.
Several things push the price up beyond just the time gap. Messy records are a big one. If there’s no documentation and everything has to be reconstructed from bank statements, that takes more time than working from organized records. Businesses with lots of cash transactions, inventory, or subcontractor payments add complexity. If prior bookkeeping was started but done incorrectly, sometimes undoing bad entries takes longer than starting from scratch.
The state of your QuickBooks file matters too. A QuickBooks ProAdvisor in Chandler can usually assess pretty quickly whether your existing file is salvageable or whether it makes more sense to rebuild. A file full of uncategorized transactions and unreconciled accounts needs more work than a blank slate.
One thing worth considering is what happens after the catch-up is done. Getting your books current is only useful if they stay current. Most business owners who fall behind once will fall behind again without a system in place. Transitioning into full-service bookkeeping after the catch-up work is complete keeps you from paying for another cleanup down the road.
If you need a specific estimate, the fastest way is to share how many months you’re behind, roughly how many transactions you have per month, and how many bank and credit card accounts are involved. That gives enough information to put together an accurate quote without any guesswork.
Bookkeeping for East Valley Small Businesses
The Next Step:
Tell Us About Your Business
Let us know where things stand with your books and what kind of help you're looking for. We'll give you an honest assessment and a clear price.
More Questions
Why is cash flow more important than profit for a small business?
Profit tells you whether your business model works on paper. Cash flow tells you whether you can make payroll, pay vendors, and keep the lights on this week. A business can be profitable and still run out of money.
Read answerWhat is a fractional CFO and how is it different from a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper records your financial transactions and keeps your books accurate. A fractional CFO uses that financial data to help you make strategic decisions about growth, cash flow, and profitability on a part-time basis.
Read answerWhat are the annual report requirements for Arizona LLCs?
Arizona LLCs are not required to file annual reports. This is one of the advantages of operating an LLC in Arizona, though there are still other compliance obligations to stay on top of.
Read answerHow do I use my P&L to make better pricing decisions?
Your P&L shows what it actually costs to deliver your product or service and how much is left over. By understanding your gross margin and overhead, you can work backward to find the prices that support real profitability instead of guessing.
Read answerHow do I know if my books are accurate?
Start with bank reconciliation. If your account balances in QuickBooks don't match your actual bank statements to the penny, your books have errors. From there, review your balance sheet and profit and loss for red flags.
Read answerHow should a real estate agent track commissions and expenses?
Track commissions using closing statements as your source document and record income when funds hit your account. Run all expenses through a dedicated business bank account and credit card so every transaction is documented and categorized properly.
Read answer
