Questions people actually ask.
Straight answers, including the ones that aren’t flattering to me. If something isn’t here, call or email and I’ll tell you.
Before we work together.
My books are a disaster. Is that a problem?
No. It’s most of what I do. I’ve never once looked at someone’s QuickBooks and thought less of them — messy books usually mean you were busy running a business. Tell me how far back it goes and I’ll tell you what it takes to fix.
I’m two years behind. Is it too late?
It isn’t. Catch-up gets quoted separately from monthly work, and you get the number before you commit. Most cleanups take two to six weeks. More on how cleanup works →
What do you need from me to start?
Access to your bank and card accounts through QuickBooks Online, recent statements, and thirty minutes to walk through how your business actually makes money. That last part matters more than people expect.
I’ve never had a bookkeeper. What actually changes?
You stop doing it at 11pm, and you start getting a monthly report that tells you where you stand. The bigger change is that problems surface in week two instead of at tax time.
How long does onboarding take?
If your books are current, about a week before your first monthly close. If they aren’t, cleanup comes first and we’ll have talked about that timeline before you sign anything.
Can I see what your work looks like first?
Yes, and I’d rather you did. There’s a complete sample report on the services page — real format, fictional numbers, no email required. Take a look →
Systems and setup.
Do I have to use QuickBooks Online?
For ongoing monthly work, yes. It’s what I’m certified in and it’s what lets me work efficiently enough to charge flat rates instead of billing you by the hour.
I’m on spreadsheets, Wave, or desktop QuickBooks.
Migration is part of onboarding. I’ll move your history over and make sure your opening balances are right, so you’re not starting from a blank file and losing everything that came before.
Who owns the QuickBooks subscription?
You do. The file stays in your name and I’m a user on it. That’s deliberate — if we ever part ways, nothing of yours is stuck on my side of the table.
How do we exchange documents?
You get a private shared folder for statements, receipts, and anything else. No emailing sensitive documents back and forth, no digging through a thread in March for something you sent in August.
What it costs and what you’re committing to.
What counts as a “transaction”?
Any line item that hits a connected account — a card charge, a check, a deposit, a transfer. If you’re not sure where you land, send me a bank statement and I’ll count it before you pick a plan.
What if I go over my plan’s transaction count?
Nothing happens the first time. A busy month is a busy month, and you won’t get a surprise line on your invoice over it. If you run over consistently for a few months, I’ll tell you and we’ll move you up a plan starting the following month. You will never find out about a price change after it already happened.
When and how do you invoice?
Monthly, in advance — billed at the start of the month for that month’s work, on auto-pay by ACH or card. Catch-up and cleanup projects are separate: half when we start, the balance when the work is delivered.
Is there a contract?
Month to month — no annual commitment and no lock-in. I ask for 30 days’ written notice so I can close out your books properly and hand everything over. Since you’re billed at the start of each month, that final month is already covered. Then I remove my access and you keep everything.
Is catch-up work included in the monthly rate?
No, and it shouldn’t be. Cleanup is a one-time project quoted separately after a free review, so you’re not paying a monthly premium for years to cover work that took three weeks.
Do you take one-off hourly work?
Sometimes, but it’s the exception. Most of what I do is either ongoing monthly work or a defined cleanup project, both quoted flat. If you genuinely need a few hours — a second opinion, a one-time reconciliation, help untangling something specific — ask. I’ll quote the rate up front, and I’ll tell you if a flat-fee project would cost you less.
Why flat rates instead of hourly?
Hourly billing pays me to be slow and makes you hesitate before asking a question. Neither of those helps you. See the plans →
Access, insurance, and your data.
How do you access my accounts?
Read-only bank feeds through QuickBooks Online, plus the secure shared folder. I don’t need your online banking password and I won’t ask for it.
Can you move my money?
No. I can see transactions, categorize them, and reconcile them. I can’t initiate a payment or a transfer. That’s not a policy I follow, it’s what the access level allows.
Are you insured?
Yes — I carry errors and omissions coverage, the professional liability insurance that covers mistakes in the work itself. Worth asking any bookkeeper you’re considering, and worth paying attention if the answer is vague.
What happens to my data if we stop working together?
Your QuickBooks file is already yours and stays exactly where it is. I remove myself as a user, and your document folder gets handed over or closed, whichever you prefer.
Will you use my numbers as a case study?
No. The sample report on this site is a fictional business built from scratch for exactly that reason. Your financials are yours and they don’t become marketing material.
Where bookkeeping ends and tax work begins.
Do you do my taxes?
No. I’m a bookkeeper, not a CPA or an enrolled agent. I don’t file returns and I don’t represent you before the IRS or the Department of Revenue. I build the records those things depend on.
Don’t I already have this covered by my CPA?
Probably not. Most CPAs do your taxes once a year from whatever books you hand them. If those books are wrong, they either bill you hourly to fix them or file from bad numbers.
Can you work with my CPA?
Yes, and I’d prefer to. Tell me who they are and what format they want, and your year-end handoff becomes a file transfer instead of a billable cleanup project.
What about Washington B&O and sales tax?
Tracked monthly by classification so your filings aren’t a scramble and the number isn’t a surprise. Washington taxes gross receipts, which means you can owe B&O in a year you lost money — worth knowing before it arrives.
What about payroll?
Payroll coordination is included from the Professional plan up. I work with your payroll provider and make sure everything lands correctly in your books. I’m not a payroll processor and I don’t file payroll taxes.
Do I need to worry about the Seattle business license tax?
If you operate in the city, probably yes — it’s a separate return from the state’s, with its own deadline. Most out-of-state services won’t know to ask.
What it’s actually like.
How fast do you answer?
Within one business day, usually the same day. I’m one person, so if it’s 9pm on a Saturday you’ll hear back Monday. What you won’t get is a ticket number and a different name every time.
Do I get a real person?
You get me. Not an account manager, not a rotating team, not someone reading your file for the first time. Same person every month who knows what your December looked like.
Do you work outside Washington?
Yes — remote clients across the country. The Washington-specific work is just the part a national service can’t do for the businesses down the street.
What industries do you work with?
Small businesses and startups generally, with particular comfort in construction and trades — I spent two years on the books and payroll for a general contractor before starting this.
What if something looks wrong in my numbers?
You’ll hear it from me early, in plain language. If your margins are slipping or something doesn’t add up, telling you late helps nobody.
You’re a new business. Why should I trust you?
Fair question. My certifications are verifiable and linked on the about page, I carry E&O insurance, my sample work is downloadable, and there’s no contract holding you here. That’s the honest answer available to me right now. More about me →
Didn’t answer your question?
Ask me directly. Thirty minutes, free, and you’ll get a straight answer whether or not you hire me.