How to start a bookkeeping business in 9 steps

bookkeeping for startup businesses

More often, accountants help businesses file their taxes and apply for loans. To hire a bookkeeper, you can start by contacting accounting firms that offer startup bookkeeping services. Because you don’t need a degree to do bookkeeping, you could even hire a talented and diligent recent high school graduate for simple record keeping. If you want to hire a more experienced bookkeeper, you will likely have to pay a higher hourly rate. New bookkeeping businesses will typically use a credit card to float working capital expenses, earn rewards, and manage employees. Check out our guide to the best business credit cards for startups to find one that fits the bill.

Keep Personal and Business Costs Separate

bookkeeping for startup businesses

A strong understanding of your business’s financial health is essential to the success of your company. Startup accounting provides valuable insight into your startup’s cash flow and also allows you to make financial projections. For QuickBooks Live’s bookkeeping services, you can expect to pay $200 per month minimum.

bookkeeping for startup businesses

Simplifying Tax Filing: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to File Form 1099-NEC

Chase charges a $34 overdraft fee, up to six times daily, for transactions that overdraw your business checking balance by more than $50. For startup founders, understanding profitability metrics is important for gauging the health and potential success of your venture. This metric shows the percentage https://thealabamadigest.com/navigating-financial-growth-leveraging-bookkeeping-and-accounting-services-for-startups/ of revenue you’re retaining after covering the cost of goods sold (COGS). It’s a vital indicator of how efficiently you’re delivering your product or service. You’ll have to pay only if you use their online payment service, Wave Payments, which charges 2.9% + $.30 per transaction.

Marketing Your Bookkeeping Services

Yes, bookkeeping can be a profitable business, especially with low startup costs, a steady demand for services, and the ability to scale operations as the business grows. The income of a bookkeeping business varies widely, depending Navigating Financial Growth: Leveraging Bookkeeping and Accounting Services for Startups on factors like client base, location, and service rates. Generally, bookkeepers can earn anywhere from $30,000 to over $100,000 annually. Drafting clear client contracts is essential for transparency and smooth business operations.

  • This article focuses on starting a bookkeeping business and the major things you need to consider in the process.
  • Not only can anyone become a bookkeeper, but every business needs a bookkeeper, which means there’s no shortage of customers out there.
  • The Chase Platinum Business Checking doesn’t charge a transaction fee for the first 500 transactions.
  • If you need more users, you need to move up to The Essentials plan for $55 per month.

Common business insurance policies for bookkeepers include things such as professional liability and general liability. If you’re just starting a bookkeeping business, it’s likely that you’ll just be working solo, at least for the beginning. Consider starting your search into business entities for bookkeepers by looking into sole proprietors and LLCs. The latter could be a great option if you might bring in some help down the line. As we mentioned above, you don’t technically need to be certified to run a bookkeeping business. A business plan involves outlining your plans for your company in detail.

bookkeeping for startup businesses

Select an Accounting Method

And, of course, your rate isn’t fixed — you can always change it if you feel like you’re not priced correctly. Certification is also available within certain software products, too — for instance, you can get certified in QuickBooks. Content marketing is another great way to spread https://thewashingtondigest.com/navigating-financial-growth-leveraging-bookkeeping-and-accounting-services-for-startups/ the word about your business. By using search engine optimization (SEO) best practices, you can generate blog posts and web content that use keyword phrases to boost your visibility in top search engines. Having a clean, modern website will empower you to showcase your services.

Handle accounts receivable and payable

While some bookkeeping services offer a guaranteed fixed price or membership cost, there are some with hidden fees and additional hourly rates. To ensure your bookkeeping services meet your startup’s budget needs, do your research on the platforms that utilize hidden fees and extra costs before you sign up. In addition to their bookkeeping services, they also offer income tax filing and user-friendly financial software, including personal tax filing for sole proprietors and contractors. Overall, Bench offers a variety of helpful bookkeeping and financial services at a fraction of the price of many competitors. Xendoo offers a variety of financial services for startups and small businesses, including bookkeeping, tax preparation, and fractional CFO services.

Chart of Accounts