What’s the difference between these two valuable partners? Do you need both?

There’s a laundry list of financial partners out there; some I bet you’ve never heard of: financial planner, accountant, CPA, enrolled agent, bookkeeper, CFO, controller. The list certainly goes on, but my point is there’s no wonder we’re confused about who does what.

Let’s start with the bookkeeper, because in real life business, when you first discover you need financial support, this is where you should start.

What is a bookkeeper?

A bookkeeper lives in the midst of your daily transactions because their main function is to keep your financial records organized. As a bookkeeper, I spend my days doing these fun things:

• Tracking your company’s sales and expenses
• Posting the related entries in the correct accounts
• Reconciling your bank statements
• Managing your owner & employee payroll processing
• Preparing your financial statements
• Handling your accounts receivable & accounts payable
• Generating your client invoices

Keeping this data in tip-top shape not only keeps you from a massively painful tax filing experience, but it gives you magic, decision making powers year-round. Because my daily & weekly attention to your transactions allows me to form those details into easy-to-read reports that tell you things like…

• Which offer makes you the most money.
• Which supplies are costing you the most.
• If & when you can afford to hire an assistant.
• How much to pay yourself.
• If you need to adjust your pricing.
• How you can plan for maternity leave.

What is an accountant?

Often referred to as a CPA, though not always officially certified as such. I’ve done the fun parts alongside you already, so what’s left for the accountant?

Let’s assume for the purposes of this discussion that we’re dealing with a CPA. This means they are a licensed accounting professionals who has passed the CPA exam conducted by the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) along with fulfilling the education and experience requirements. They have gone through a very rigorous process.

A CPA typically uses the financial foundations and the pretty organization that a bookkeeper (like me) has created, and then uses it for additional fun tasks such as….

• Analyzing financial records
• Keeping your business in compliance (This one is so, very important and a big reason why businesses sometimes partner with a CPA before a bookkeeper. No one wants to be on the governments naught list!)
• Conducting various audits
• Preparing and filing tax returns
• Other financial consulting

CPAs love Bookkeepers

I’ve noticed it’s becoming more and more common for CPAs to require that you have a bookkeeper relationship in place before they will take on your tax reporting. And I understand why. They know they no longer have to accept being handed over a giant, ugly pile of spreadsheets or an overflowing shoebox of receipts.

We go together like football and sweatshirts. Like chips and queso.

More thank your average bookkeeper

Because I spent years in corporate, leading an accounting team at a large company, I like to push the limits of bookkeeping and sneak a bit into the analysis. When you partner with me, you’re partnering with someone who loves the monotony of coding your transactions every day, but can also noodle with you when you are trying to figure out why your cash is tight.

Let’s call it “Bookkeeping Plus” 😉

And to prove it, here’s a list of everything you get with the Numbers by Jen Standard Done-For-You Monthly Bookkeeping Services. My favorite and most common offer.

• Unlimited Incoming & Outgoing Transaction Matching, so that you’re clear on every dollar coming in or going out (without having to categorize anything yourself!)
• Unlimited Monthly Bank Reconciliations, to make sure all your records and transactions are completely error-free
• Monthly Financial Report & Recap (delivered by the 15th), formatted in a way that’s actually easy to understand (no nightmare spreadsheets here)
• 1:1 Voxer Support with Jen – it’s like your personal financial support hotline (that you’ll never dread using!)
• Collaborative coordination with your CPA to make tax filing a breeze
• Dedicated Account Manager – No sending emails into the void. You’ll have a consistent point of contact.
• Quickbooks Simple Start – A subscription to a robust and secure platform that grows with you and safely stores your records for years to come
• Annual 1099 Filings – Ok, totally boring. But necessary to keep yourself out of trouble.
• B O N U S : Monthly 1-on-1 Financial Health Check-In Sessions with Jen, where we can strategize, troubleshoot, and plan for anything that affects your financial foundation 
• B O N U S : Annual Budget Session, so that every October you can create a clearer picture of next year (before the year-end craziness sets in!)

Reach out to me on instagram @numbersbyjen if you have questions about what Numbers by Jen handles versus what a CPA handles.

Talk soon,

Jen