Bookkeeping for consultants and agencies.
You sell time and judgment. Your books should show what an hour is worth. Monthly bookkeeping for consultants, agencies, designers and other professional services. Retainers, projects and contractors tracked so you know the margin on the work, not just the revenue.
No inventory, no storefront, and four things that still go wrong.
A service business looks simple on paper. The complications are in how the money arrives and how the owner gets paid.
Retainers and project billing
A retainer paid on the first is earned through the month. A project deposit is not income yet. Tracked right, the report matches the work.
Contractors and 1099s
Freelancers and subs tracked from the first invoice, W-9s collected, 1099s out in January.
Owner pay and the S-corp question
Draws, salary and distributions handled the way your entity requires, so your preparer is not untangling it in March.
Software and subscriptions
The forty small charges a month that add up to a real number. Categorized, reviewed, and cancelled when you stopped using them.
A close that runs on the same day the invoices go out.
Service businesses live on cash timing. The books have to show what is earned, what is billed and what is collected as three different numbers.
- Every month
Bank and card reconciled, retainers recognized, open invoices reviewed. Statements inside 20 days, with revenue by client if you want it.
- Quarterly
Estimated tax check-in, a look at margin by service line, and which clients are actually profitable.
- January
1099s out, year-end books closed and handed to your preparer with owner pay documented.
- When you hire
The numbers on whether the first employee pays for themselves. That is a monthly review conversation.
Usually one of these two.
A solo consultant fits the first tier. Contractors, an S-corp and a preparer who wants clean year-end push it to tax-ready books.
From $400/ month
For an owner who wants the books off their desk.
- Every transaction categorized
- Bank and credit card accounts reconciled every month
- QuickBooks Online included, with view-only access to your bank and cards
- Balance sheet and income statement in your inbox within 20 days of month-end
From $600/ month
For an owner who wants more of the accounting handled. Most people land here.
- Everything in The Basics
- Statements within 15 days, plus a cash-flow statement and a monthly management report
- Tax-ready books, and I work directly with your tax preparer
- Accounts receivable and payable managed and reported
- A monthly check-in on where you stand, and an annual budget
- 1099s handled, up to 20
Payroll is an add-on on The Foundation and The Partner, quoted by headcount and filings. All three tiers
What consultants and agencies owners ask.
If yours is not here, the 15-minute call is where it gets answered.
Yes. Invoices carry the client, and the report can break revenue and contractor cost out by client so you see which relationships are worth it.
It changes how owner pay is recorded. Salary through payroll, distributions tracked separately, and your preparer gets it clean. Payroll is an add-on.
W-9s collected, payments tracked through the year, 1099s out in January. It is routine when it is set up from the start.
QuickBooks Online, with invoicing and payments from whatever you already use.
Fifteen minutes, between client calls.
Tell me how you bill and how you pay yourself. I will tell you which tier fits and what it costs.