FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers about pricing, process, software, and how bookkeeping fits with tax preparation.
Getting Started
The free consultation is a 20-30 minute call to understand your business, current bookkeeping situation, and accounting software (or lack of one). You'll get a plain-language explanation of what a bookkeeping engagement would look like for you and a pricing estimate based on your monthly expense volume — no obligation to sign up.
Typically: read-only or accountant access to your accounting software (if you have one), the last 2-3 months of bank and credit card statements, and basic information about your business structure. If you're not currently using accounting software, that's fine — setup is part of the onboarding process.
Bank and credit card transactions are connected through secure, read-only bank feed connections inside QuickBooks Online or Xero — your login credentials are never shared directly. For accounting software access, you'll invite Natural State Bookkeeping as an accountant user with permissions you control.
Primarily solopreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses with up to roughly $75,000 in average monthly expenses. If your business is larger or has multiple entities, reach out — custom engagements are available.
Pricing
Monthly bookkeeping starts at $300/month and scales based on your average monthly expenses and the number of accounts that need to be reconciled — the standard pricing approach across the bookkeeping industry. Most solo and small businesses fall between $300 and $1,000/month. You'll get an exact quote after a free consultation.
Pricing is based primarily on average monthly expenses (a reasonable proxy for transaction volume and bookkeeping complexity), how many bank/credit card accounts need reconciliation, and which additional services — like accounts payable, accounts receivable, or payroll coordination — you need.
Yes. If your business grows and your transaction volume increases, your plan may be adjusted at your next billing cycle — always with advance notice, never a surprise mid-month change.
Both. Catch-up bookkeeping, QuickBooks Online or Xero setup, and bookkeeping cleanup are all available as one-time, project-based engagements, separate from ongoing monthly bookkeeping.
No. Monthly bookkeeping plans are month-to-month. You can cancel with notice as outlined in your engagement letter — there's no multi-year commitment required.
Client satisfaction is taken seriously: if something in your books isn't right, it gets corrected at no additional charge. Specific terms are outlined in your engagement letter during onboarding.
Services & Process
Yes — this is called catch-up bookkeeping, and it's one of the most common starting points for new clients. Every missing month is reconciled and categorized systematically until your books are current. Pricing is quoted per month of backlog after a free review.
It depends on how many months are outstanding and how many transactions are involved, but most catch-up engagements are completed within 2-6 weeks. You'll get a specific timeline estimate before work begins.
Yes — bank and credit card reconciliation is a core part of every monthly bookkeeping plan. Every account is matched against your statements to confirm your books reflect reality.
Natural State Bookkeeping doesn't process payroll or file payroll tax returns directly, but does offer payroll bookkeeping coordination — making sure payroll transactions from providers like Gusto, ADP, or Paychex are recorded correctly in your books.
Bookkeeping support includes tracking sales tax collected in your accounting software so the numbers are accurate and ready for filing. Actual sales tax return filing is not currently offered directly, but can be coordinated with a sales tax service like Avalara or your CPA.
Contractor and vendor payments are tracked throughout the year so the information needed for Form 1099-NEC is organized and ready well before the January filing deadline, rather than pulled together at the last minute.
Yes. E-commerce bookkeeping includes connecting your sales channels to your accounting software and structuring your books to accurately reflect cost of goods sold, merchant fees, and channel-level profitability.
Yes. Bookkeeping for contractors includes job-level cost tracking, materials and labor allocation, and subcontractor payment tracking for 1099 purposes.
Financial review calls walk through your profit & loss statement, balance sheet, and any trends worth flagging — in plain language. It's your opportunity to ask questions about your numbers directly, not just receive a PDF report.
Software & Security
No. If you're not currently using accounting software, part of onboarding includes helping you choose between QuickBooks Online and Xero based on your business needs, then setting it up correctly from the start.
QuickBooks Online is the primary platform used, with full support for Xero as well. If you're currently using Wave, FreshBooks, Zoho Books, or spreadsheets, migration to QuickBooks Online or Xero can be handled as part of onboarding.
Yes — this is part of the free consultation for new businesses without existing software. The recommendation is based on your industry, integrations you need (payroll, e-commerce, invoicing), and budget.
Not necessarily. If your current platform supports the reporting and integrations your business needs, staying on it may be the right call. That said, ongoing monthly bookkeeping is currently supported only on QuickBooks Online and Xero.
Yes. All client financial data is accessed and stored exclusively within secure, encrypted, industry-standard platforms like QuickBooks Online and Xero — never in unsecured spreadsheets or email attachments. Bank connections use read-only, encrypted feeds; login credentials are never requested or stored directly.
Yes. Every engagement begins with an engagement letter that includes a confidentiality commitment covering how your financial information is handled and who has access to it.
Working Together
Yes. Bookkeeping is performed entirely within cloud-based accounting software, so client relationships are managed virtually regardless of location — with in-person meetings available for clients in the Russellville, Arkansas / River Valley area upon request.
Yes, and this is encouraged. Natural State Bookkeeping handles the day-to-day bookkeeping and hands off clean, reconciled financial statements to your CPA or tax preparer at year-end, or on whatever cadence they need.
Monthly, for all ongoing bookkeeping plans. You'll receive your profit & loss statement and balance sheet shortly after each month closes, along with a review call at the cadence included in your plan.
No. Natural State Bookkeeping provides bookkeeping services — not tax preparation or tax filing. Accurate, well-organized books make tax preparation faster and less expensive, and Natural State Bookkeeping is happy to collaborate directly with your CPA or tax preparer at filing time, but tax return preparation and filing should be handled by a licensed CPA or tax preparer.
A bookkeeper records, categorizes, and reconciles day-to-day financial transactions and produces financial statements. A CPA (Certified Public Accountant) is licensed to perform additional services such as tax filing, audited financial statements, and formal tax advice. Many small businesses use both: a bookkeeper for ongoing recordkeeping, and a CPA for tax filing and strategic tax planning.
Monthly plans are month-to-month with no long-term contract. Notice requirements for cancellation are outlined in your engagement letter, and your data and reports remain accessible to you in your own accounting software account — you own your books.
Still have questions?
A free consultation is the fastest way to get a straight answer specific to your business.