Businesses of all shapes and sizes depend on accurate, insightful financial information to manage their day-to-day operations, capitalize on opportunities, and sustain profitability. We lend our expert support to meet your accounting needs so that you can focus your time and energy on building a strong business.

We’ll create and maintain a chart of accounts to capture all of your financial transactions, provide the right information to manage your business, and prepare federal, state, and local tax returns. Through periodic internal audits, we’ll identify and resolve discrepancies (e.g., double billings, unrecorded payments) to ensure that you have a complete and accurate picture of your financial position.

While a clean set of “books” is a key objective for every accountant, it’s also important to match the accounting records with the monthly bank statements. Our bank reconciliation services ensure that every deposit and withdrawal aligns with entries into your accounting records. This assessment enables us to identify lost deposits, lost checks, unauthorized transactions, and inappropriate bank fees. It triggers investigation into any fraudulent activity (identity theft, forgery, embezzlement, etc.), and expedites restitution. And it gives you a clearer picture of your cash position for addressing planned outlays and investments.

We can prepare a complete set of financial statements to help you assess the health of your business. This package includes:

• A Balance Sheet that gives you a snapshot of your overall financial condition at month, quarter, and/or year end

• An Income Statement (a.k.a. Profit and Loss Statement) that summarizes revenues, expenses, and net profits so you can assess the operating performance of your business

• A Comparison of Actual Performance to Budget so you can identify trouble spots in your revenue stream or spending patterns

• A Cash Flow Statement that shows how changes in your Balance Sheet and Income Statement affect your available cash

• Estimated tax liabilities

Our analysis of your financial statements helps you frame strategic initiatives (e.g., business expansion, acquisition) as well as tactical plans (e.g., accounts receivable and accounts payable management). Professionally prepared financial statements are also an essential resource when dealing with creditors (e.g., vendors, banks) and investors.

When you use our professional accounting services, you get more than a collection of records and reports. You get the benefit of our skills, experience, and expertise. We’re happy to invest the time to make sure that you understand and utilize all of the information we provide. Call us whenever you have a question or concern.

Contact us to learn more about our Small Business Accounting services.

We provide an array of services to help you set up your business on QuickBooks and get the most out of your investment.

Although QuickBooks is very easy to use, it takes a bit of expertise and foresight to design the system for maximum benefit and effective control. Moreover, a new system set-up or conversion presents the opportunity to address long-standing gaps, inefficiencies, and annoyances. You don’t do it often, so you might as well do it right!

Although we tailor each engagement to each client’s needs, here is a list of QuickBooks Set-Up services that we offer:

• Assess accounting and reporting requirements

• Establish hardware and software specifications

• Install the accounting software

• Design and implement the chart of accounts, loading balances as of the start date

• Record outstanding accounts receivables and payables

• Enter ending statement bank balances and outstanding checks, deposits

• Enter transactions since the start date

• Compare trial balances from the old and new systems to ensure that all data was transferred correctly

Whether you’ve engaged us to help with your implementation or you simply need a refresher course on the system, we can provide training on using QuickBooks to manage your business. We conduct sessions at your location and adapt the course content to your set-up and business issues.[No need to spend time on capabilities that you won’t use!] We’ll spend as much or as little time as you need on each topic, and respond to any questions and concerns.

A QuickBooks Tune-Up is a great way to prepare for tax time, an important meeting, or a periodic review of your business strategy. In a few short hours, your QuickBooks professional can review transactions, clean up stray entries, balance the general ledger to subsidiary ledgers, and adjust the chart of accounts to reflect changes in your business model. A Tune-Up can help you make better decisions, minimize the ill-effects of undetected errors, and keep money flowing in the right direction,

A QuickBooks Tune-up is a smart and affordable way to get a handle on your books. Accurate records allow you to make educated decisions for your business and will save you money!

When folks find QuickBooks baffling, it’s generally not because they haven’t mastered the mechanics of using the system. It’s because they’re facing an unusual transaction that doesn’t quite fit the patterns with which they’re familiar. Fortunately, we’re just a phone call, fax, or email away. For a nominal fee, we’ll provide a detailed answer to your problem or question, usually within 24 hours.Our QuickBooks Answers are money-back guaranteed.

We can save you money on your QuickBooks purchase! Not sure which version is right for you? Click on the appropriate link to get a brief snapshot of each package.

Managing the employee payroll is not a simple matter of calculating the amounts due, writing checks, and handing them out. There’s a host of government reporting and recording keeping requirements that comes with the job. And there are adverse consequences if you get it wrong.

There are 5 good reasons for outsourcing this function:

• You’ll save money by letting the experts attend to the task efficiency and accurately.

• You’ll avoid penalties associated with payroll tax calculation errors or missed filing deadlines.

• We’ll handle employee questions and concerns, and research any issues they uncover.

• You’ll receive comprehensive reporting to help manage your business and attend to any special requirements.

• You’ll gain valuable time to focus on running your business.

We offer three payroll service options to meet the needs of different business owners and non-profit clients. All three services include:

• Vacation, sick, and personal day accruals and tracking

• IRS and State tax reporting plus Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) deposits

• Monthly, quarterly, and annual payroll tax reports

• New hire file creation and reporting

• W-2, W-3, and 1099 preparation

The service option you choose defines how payments are processed:

• Comprehensive Payroll Processing Service:We manage the secure check processing and direct deposits

• After-the-Fact Payroll Service: You process all of the payments, and we post your payroll records and information into our data system and handle all of the other payroll functions.

• Online Payroll Processing: We provide access to our payroll system to enable you to enter employee hours and earnings. You print the payroll checks on your printer, and we process the direct deposits.

We can also provide ad hoc services, such as:

• Worker's Compensation Audits

• Unemployment Claims

• Social Security Audits

• Child Support Audits

• Federal and State registration

Contact us to get a free consultation and cost estimate for our Payroll Processing services.

Tax law is a complicated affair that changes with each season. Through rigorous professional training and routine participation in industry briefings, we sustain mastery of the current tax law, complex tax code, and new tax regulations. This discipline enables us to offer a full range of tax planning, preparation, and support services.

Are you anxious about filing your on tax returns?Even a simple return may require multiple forms. The instructions often evoke more questions than answers. While a computer software program may help, there’s no substitute for the quality of service and advice you’ll receive from an experienced tax professional.

Here are a few of the benefits you’ll reap when using our service:

• We’ll prepare all of the appropriate forms and record all figures and calculations accurately.

• We’ll make sure that you receive all of the deductions and credits to which you are entitled.

• We’ll file your return electronically to speed delivery of refunds.

• We’ll work with you to adjust your payroll withholding to make sure you send the right amount to each tax authority – no more, no less.

• We’ll show you how to adjust your finances to take advantage of tax benefits on future returns.

Are you a sole proprietor? Have you been so focused on your business that you haven’t paid close attention to your books? No worries! We'll tidy things up and prepare your Schedule C as part of your personal income tax return. Then we'll help you set up an easy system to keep your books current going forward.

Proactive planning is the key to minimizing your tax liability. We work with businesses and individuals to pay the least amount of tax required by law. A few of the strategies that we consider include:

• Splitting income among several family members or legal entities to take advantage of lower income tax brackets

• Shifting income or expenses from one year to another when it can yield a lower tax rate

• Deferring or eliminating tax liability through use of tax-advantaged investment vehicles

• Tracking all expenses eligible for itemized deduction

• Taking advantage of tax credits

Your unique circumstances will determine the strategies that we can employ to maximize the money you keep in your pocket.

If you have been selected for an IRS audit, professional representation can set your mind at ease. We’ll take the lead in dealing with the tax authorities based on our familiarity with their procedures and our intimate knowledge of the tax code. We’ll make sure that you don’t get an unpleasant and unwarranted surprise at the end of the process.

Even if you have not been targeted for an IRS Audit, you may be aware of problems that will catch up with you eventually. Common examples include:

• Missed tax filings for one or more years

• Insufficient funds to pay the tax liability when due

• Failure to remit payroll taxes

We’ll work with you to review your prior tax years and make sure that all of your tax filings have been submitted accurately. If you don’t know what’s included in your tax record, we’ll help you get copies from the tax authorities without raising any “red flags.” We’ll assess your tax liability and the associated interest and penalties. Then, we’ll work with you on an approach to negotiation. For example:

• You may be able to settle your tax debt for less than the full amount owed if the tax authority deems your offer to be the most they might collect within a reasonable time period. This arrangement is referred to as anOffer In Compromise.

• We could work with the tax authority on aPayment Plan to resolve your debt. This approach protects you from asset seizure to settle your obligations. It may be possible to secure relief on penalties and/or compound interest.

• The IRS provides Innocent Spouse Reliefwhen for an aggrieved party when his or her spouse or former spouse failed to report income, reported income improperly, or claimed improper deductions or credit.

• If your circumstances do not lend themselves to a negotiated settlement, then it may be necessary to seek protection through aBankruptcy filing.

It is far better to face your problems than to wait for them to land on your doorstep. We’re here to help in any way we can.

Contact us to receive more information about our Tax Preparation, Planning, Audit Support, and Troubleshooting services.

Most people get involved with a non-profit because they have a passion for the mission. It’s work of the heart. But it’s also a business with a whole lot of reporting requirements to satisfy governmental agencies, funders, partners, donors, and a variety of other interest groups. It takes the right accounting system and associated processes to manage the business end of the operation and satisfy all of its constituencies.

We can help you:

• Establish appropriate asset classifications (e.g., permanently restricted, temporarily restricted, and unrestricted) for monies received from funders

• Implement tracking systems to receive and acknowledge donations

• Design, install, and maintain a robust fund accounting system to track expenditures by program and/or funding source

• Develop processes and management controls to address your day-to-day bookkeeping activities (receipts, invoicing, bill payment), and train your accounting personnel

• Administer payroll and attend to all related reporting requirements and tax filings

• Prepare appropriate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements for your board of directors, program managers, and major funders

• Prepare and file your annual 990 and 990T forms

If you're starting a new non-profit organization, we can help you prepare your organization's application for tax-exempt status. Here’s a brief listing of what you may need:

• Articles of Incorporation containing your exempt purpose statement

• Employer Identification Number

• By-Laws for the Organization

• Written reason for formation and organizational history

• Mission statement

• Description of activities, operations, and programs

• Names, addresses, and resumes of board members

• Minutes from recent board meetings

• Names and addresses of active members (if a membership organization)

• Inventory of Assets and Liabilities

• Rent/Lease Agreements and Contracts

• Revenue and Expense Statements

• Sources of Funds (including a description of fundraising activities)

• IRS Processing/Filing Fee

Contact us for a free consultation on your planned or existing non-profit organization.

We offer value added services that help you structure and manage your business to its best advantage. We help new businesses get off the ground and provide objective assessments of existing ones. We help you establish policies and procedures to protect vital assets and perform audits to ensure the integrity of your records. You reap the benefit of increased efficiency, control, and insight.

Are you thinking of joining the ranks of small business owners? Along with a great idea and strong sense of the market you’ll serve, you’ll need a business and financial advisor who can help your dream take flight while keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground.

We can help you:

• Develop or refine your business plan with the associated pro forma financial statements (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow) and budget

• Select a business structure that suits your needs by considering tax advantages, legal exposure, ease of operation, and portability

• Develop partnership agreements, as needed, to avoid financial and/or emotional trauma downstream

• Prepare and file all required state and local licenses and permits.

• Make application for your Federal Employer Identification Number.

• Identify start-up capital needs and available resources to address them

• Examine your borrowing power and provide coaching on how to cultivate a mutually beneficial banking relationship

• Identify your business insurance needs

• Select the right accounting software and establish the appropriate chart of accounts

• Establish billing and collection procedures to maximize your cash flow

• Establish procedures to monitor and control costs

• Provide payroll and payroll tax filing when and if you hire employees

We’re eager to get your business off to a good start.

Contact us to learn more about our New Business Formation services.

We provide objective assessments of business interests by helping you identify and analyze the relevant factors that drive value. We examine:

• The strength and stability of the customer base and the associated revenue stream

• Prospects for growth given the available market and competitive positioning

• The overall financial health of the business

• Valuations for comparable entities

The results inform your decision making as you buy or sell business interests, forge partnerships, negotiate with third parties for debt or equity financing, navigate martial separation, or settle estates. Our professionals can serve as advisors during due diligence and provide expert testimony in legal proceedings.

Contact us to get a free consultation on our Business Valuation services.

We help you establish appropriate internal controls to ensure proper handling of resources and guard against employee theft. Some best practices include:

• Segregating duties across multiple individuals to minimize exposure to error and inappropriate behavior

• Establishing lines of authority and the associated processes for transaction approval

• Assigning responsibility for periodic review and reconciliation of financial records by someone who was not involved in executing transactions or preparing statements

• Scheduling periodic manual counts of equipment, inventory, and other tangible property to ensure alignment with the accounting records

• Documenting policies and procedures as guideposts for your employees’ day-to-day activities

• Training employees on their respective job duties and establishing appropriate levels of ongoing supervision

• Reviewing operations to ascertain whether results are consistent with established goals, objectives, and protocols

Contact us to get a free consultation on our Internal Control services.

It’s easy to get caught up in all of the activities and responsibilities of our day-to-day lives. And yet we need to think about the future, especially with respect to our financial well-being. For a modest investment of your time to help us get to know you and the life you want to create, we’ll help you craft a financial roadmap to meet your obligations, manage risk, and build wealth.

Most of us look forward to the day when we have the means to bid farewell to our current occupations and explore new horizons. We can help you create a plan to attain financial independence and enjoy a comfortable retirement. This plan will consider your financial needs, your projected assets and income sources, tax treatments, and strategies to address projected shortfalls.

Whether higher education is right around the corner or years away, we’ll work with you to estimate the required resources, explore available options for funding, and develop a suitable savings plan.

A well-conceived estate plan provides security for loved ones and an orderly succession of ownership for business interests. We’ll help you think through the disposition of your assets to address your preferences and concerns while steering clear of needless complication and tax liability.

Despite the best intentions, each of us may face the unexpected. Although we can’t control everything that crosses our paths, we can protect ourselves and our families from the financial hardship that accompanies bad news. We’ll provide an unbiased assessment of your life, disability, health, home, and auto insurance coverage, and work with you to establish a suitable emergency fund.

To build personal wealth, you need an investment management strategy that provides an appropriate blend of growth, asset protection, and income generation. Given your investment goals and risk tolerance, we’ll help you devise a savings and investment strategy that helps secure your future.

Contact us to learn more about our Personal Financial Planning services.