The short answer
Catch-up bookkeeping records and reconciles the months or years your books are behind, so you end up with complete, accurate records up to today. AZ Easy CPA in Chandler gathers your statements, enters the missing periods in QuickBooks, reconciles every account and gets the books ready for your tax preparer.
What if I am behind on bookkeeping?
If you are behind on bookkeeping, you are in good company, and the fix is a catch-up project. We take your bank and credit card statements and other records, record the missing periods, reconcile everything and bring the books current. You do not need to sort anything first.
Most owners fall behind for good reasons: the business got busy, a bookkeeper left, or the books were always going to get done next month. The longer it goes, the heavier it feels, and that is usually when people call us.
Chris has seen just about every version of behind, from a few missed months to several years with no books at all. The goal is simply to get you to a clean, current file and a plan to keep it that way.
"Chris was a life saver, and provided professional services with patience and flexibility." (M. T., Google review)
What should I gather for catch-up bookkeeping?
Start with bank and credit card statements for every month you are behind, plus loan statements, sales or payment processor reports, payroll reports from your provider and any receipts or bills you have. If something is missing, that is okay. We will tell you what matters most and help you request the rest.
You do not need everything perfectly organized before we start. Here is the list we work from:
- Bank statements for every business account, for each month that is behind
- Credit card statements for every business card
- Loan and line of credit statements, so balances match what the lender shows
- Payment processor or POS reports (Square, Stripe, PayPal, Toast and similar)
- Payroll reports from your payroll provider
- Invoices you sent and bills you received, if you track them
- Receipts for larger purchases like equipment or vehicles
- Your last filed tax return, so we know where the prior year ended
All of it can go through our secure upload portal. If you have online access to your bank, we can often help you pull statements directly, which saves a lot of digging.
Not sure if you need catch-up, cleanup or monthly help?
Answer three quick questions and we will point you to the right starting place.
How long does catch-up bookkeeping take?
It depends on volume: how many months are behind, how many transactions come through each month, how many accounts need reconciling and how quickly records come in. We look at what you have first, then give you a realistic picture of timing along with the quote.
A business with one bank account and a handful of transactions a month is a much faster project than one with several cards, a payment processor and hundreds of transactions. That is why we do not quote a timeline until we see the records.
A few things help a project move along:
- Getting statements uploaded early, even if they are not organized
- Answering our questions about unclear transactions as they come up
- Letting us know about any deadlines, such as a tax extension date or a loan application
If there is a deadline, tell us on the first call so we can talk honestly about what is possible.
How does catch-up bookkeeping get me ready for my tax preparer?
When the catch-up is done, your tax preparer gets reconciled books, a profit and loss and a balance sheet for each year, instead of a pile of statements. We do not prepare tax returns ourselves, but we work with trusted tax partners and can coordinate with your preparer directly.
Being behind on bookkeeping often means being behind on taxes too. The books have to come first, because a tax return is only as good as the numbers behind it.
Once the catch-up is finished, we can hand over year-end reports and answer your preparer's questions. If you do not have a tax preparer, we can introduce you to one of our trusted partners. The same goes for payroll, which we also leave to partners while making sure it is recorded correctly in the books.
What is the difference between catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping?
Catch-up bookkeeping fills in periods that were never recorded. Cleanup fixes periods that were recorded incorrectly. Many files need some of both, and we sort that out when we review your records, so you get one quote for the whole project.
| Catch-up bookkeeping | Bookkeeping cleanup | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Months or years not recorded | Books recorded with errors |
| Main work | Entering and reconciling missing periods | Fixing duplicates, categories and balances |
| Key records | Statements and source documents | The existing QuickBooks file plus statements |
| Pricing | Quoted after a look | Quoted after a look |
If your file has a mix of both, that is normal. You can read more on our bookkeeping cleanup page.
How do I stay caught up afterward?
The simplest way is monthly bookkeeping, where we keep the books current every month and review the results with you. If you prefer to do it yourself, we can set up QuickBooks properly and train you so it takes less time each month.
- Monthly bookkeeping, with plans that typically start around $300 a month
- QuickBooks setup with bank rules that cut down on manual work
- QuickBooks training one-on-one with a ProAdvisor
Whichever way you go, the goal is the same: never facing a pile of years again.
How do we get started?
Free phone call
Tell us how far behind you are and what records you have. No lecture, just a plan.
Gather records
Upload statements and reports through our secure portal. We help you track down what is missing.
Clear quote
Once we see the volume, we give you a quote and an honest picture of timing.
Catch up
We record and reconcile each missing period and send questions as we go.
Hand off
You get year-end reports, and we coordinate with your tax preparer if you would like.
Catch-Up Bookkeeping questions
How far behind can I be?
There is no cutoff. We work with owners who are a few months behind and owners who are several years behind. The approach is the same, it just takes more records and more time.
How long will my catch-up take?
It depends on volume: the number of months, the number of transactions and accounts and how quickly records come in. We give you a realistic picture after we review what you have.
What if I am missing statements?
Most banks and card companies let you download past statements online, and we can help you find them. If something truly cannot be found, we will talk through the best way to handle it.
Do you file my back taxes?
No, we do not prepare tax returns. We get the books caught up and ready, then work with your tax preparer or introduce you to one of our trusted partners.
How much does catch-up bookkeeping cost?
Catch-up work is quoted after we look at your records, since the effort depends on volume. It starts with a free phone call.
Do I need QuickBooks already?
No. If you do not have a QuickBooks file, we can set up QuickBooks Online and build the books from your statements.
Can I work with you if I am not in Chandler?
Yes. Our home base is Chandler, but files are shared through a secure upload portal and cloud tools, so we work with clients across Arizona and the US.
Bookkeeping near you
From our Chandler office we work with businesses across the East Valley and Arizona, in person or online.
