How Much Does it Cost to Outsource Bookkeeping?

This pricing structure is most common with businesses that have a high sales volume and low transaction volume—such as businesses that sell physical products. For many small business owners, bookkeeping is one of those necessary evils. It’s not something that most people enjoy, but it is essential in order to keep your business running smoothly. They may work for an organization’s accounting staff and normally have no supervisory duties.

Although, some may pay hourly, especially for part-time employees. Accountants can do those functions and also provide big-picture business financial reports, strategies, and insights. In addition, accountants can help you prepare and file business tax returns.

Payroll assistance

For example, the appointment may have cost $300, the insurance covered $200 of the charge, which leaves $100 as the patient’s responsibility. The thing that takes the most time with this client is the https://www.bookstime.com/ invoicing. They have a system outside of QuickBooks that is HIPPA compliant, which are the rules in the United States that you need to follow if you keep any medical information about your patients.

• As a contractor, you’re using all your own equipment, so you’re saving them all of that money.
• Note, this price does not factor in any increases for expertise, location, or other qualifications.
• Some clients will be a one-time deal, while others may need you on a regular basis (e.g., quarterly).
• However, it is true that the bigger the account is and the more transactions they have means the more time it’s going to take you.
• You are usually paying for QuickBooks, your education, and insurance.

QuickBooks is one of the most popular options and offers a variety of plans starting at just $5 per month. There are also a number of free options available, such as Wave Accounting. An accounting service maintains financial records in addition to other things. It keeps track of all your financial data and ensures that you comply with all state and federal regulations.

Mistakes to Avoid When Pricing Your Services

The average cost of a bookkeeper ranges anywhere from $500 to $2,500 a month. Simplify your financial record-keeping, track your expenses, and easily make informed decisions. Proper bookkeeping gives a company or business trustworthy information regarding their progress. Therefore, even before having a big team and many employees, it is essential to invest in keeping records of everything.

Deciding what kind of small business bookkeeping services you need, and what your business can afford is a great place to start. FinancePal offers a variety of financial services tailored to your industry and business operations. Work with a designated financial expert to help you streamline your accounting, and allow you to prioritize your time where you’re passionate, and most needed. Most startups and small businesses cannot afford to spend such high amounts on hiring a bookkeeping firm. These budget-friendly services charge a much lower bookkeeping average hourly rate than traditional firms.

What are the Benefits of Outsourcing Bookkeeping?

Although bookkeeping is the basic level of accounting service, it also provides the foundation for good information. If your bookkeeping isn’t accurate, then all other financial reports  and forecasts are going to be off. Our customizable Foundations Package for accounting starts at $250 per month and offers a range of functions, including bookkeeping services, bank/credit card reconciliations, and payroll. You can also outsource invoice processing services with Milestone so we manage all your accounting transactions.

• I also teach the full process in my online course called the QBO Paid Diagnostic Review System, also found in the 5MB Academy.
• Part-time bookkeepers typically perform smaller tasks like inputting receipts and keeping tabs on employee timesheets.
• Freelance bookkeepers are hired by companies only for the required period and are paid only for that period.
• By taking the time to research and consider all of these factors, you can determine how much to charge and adjust as needed.
• Now, let’s lay the argument of in-house vs. outsourced bookkeeping squarely on what this looks like in application – with real dollars-and-cents.

Other factors that can impact the hourly rate include the freelance bookkeeper’s level of education, certifications obtained, such as QuickBooks ProAdvisor, and the software used. A specialty in additional services like payroll or financial analysis, the frequency of services offered, and even an expertise in certain accounting applications can also affect the rate. One common way that bookkeepers charge for their services is by the hour. Hourly rates can range from $20 to $60 per hour, with the average rate being around $40 per hour. If you decide to go with an hourly rate, make sure to ask for an estimate of how many hours per month the bookkeeping will take so that you can budget accordingly.

Frequency of service

And when one client’s size is larger than another client, you’re going to want to price services accordingly. A full-charge bookkeeper controls all daily accounting operations in a small or mid-sized business. Staying on top of bookkeeping with an eye for precision pays off to receive an accurate overall picture and prevent last-minute work, mistakes, and fines. Every receipt is important, and keeping track of your company’s finances properly may become laborious. Even if it might not be the most fun aspect of owning a business, Bookkeeping is undoubtedly one of the most crucial. Making wise financial decisions is facilitated by accurate and timely bookkeeping.

Now that we’ve gone over some of the factors you need to consider when pricing your bookkeeping services let’s take a look at a few different pricing structures you can use. Take your hourly rate times the amount of time you believe it is taking you each month and add a little more on top of that for added expenses. I often mention that, starting out as a bookkeeper, you can charge $40 per hour to your clients. Then, as you gain experience and niche down, you can charge up to $80 or sometimes more per hour. However, there is quite a bit that goes into the pricing beast, and it’s not always as cut and dry as this. With my small clients, I do all the regular bookkeeping tasks, such as hooking their banks up to QuickBooks Online, categorizing all their transactions, and reconciling at the end of the month.

Implement a one-time setup fee

But keep in mind that these numbers are industry averages, and are subject to variables, like your location. So let’s dig into two financial services – accounting clerks and bookkeepers – your organization could use and how to decide which one is, like Goldilocks, just right for you. For https://www.bookstime.com/services example, if a firm decides to focus on value pricing, it may choose to sell its products at a higher price point than its competitors to make more profit. However, if the company instead chose to focus on cost, it might end up selling its products at a lower price point to save money.

If you’re unsure how long a project will take, it’s better to err on the side of caution and quote a higher price than you initially think is necessary. I always look at the books before I take on any kind of project, whether it’s monthly work or cleanups. If you’d like to do the same, I highly recommend you use this link to get my [free] Smart Review Checklist.

Understanding the Bookkeeping Cost for Small Businesses

According to a survey by ZipRecruiter, the average national rate for a self-employed bookkeeper is $34.64 per hour, but these rates vary from one state to the next. The hourly rate ranges from $26.91 in Louisiana to $43.57 in Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the average hourly wage for in-house bookkeepers is approximately $21.10, ranging from $26.85 in Washington to $16.55 in North Carolina.

With decades of proven experience in accounting and HR, Milestone is standing by to support you and help your business grow. Contact us today to discuss your bookkeeping needs and get started with Milestone. At Milestone, we can help you with all your bookkeeping and accounting needs and provide a customizable and scalable solution that fits you perfectly. Our approach is true collaboration, working side by side with you to help your business be as successful as possible. In-house employees, whether full-time or part-time, will be either salaried or hourly.

How Much can I Charge for Bookkeeping?

I work a maximum of five hours per month for this client, which means sometimes I get my job done in less time. As you can tell, how much you should charge as a bookkeeper can vary based on a lot of factors. So, you need to take your time when setting prices for your services. Again, the best course of action for you to take when setting prices is doing your research. Take a look at industry averages, rates by state, and more to get an idea of how much to charge your clients. Do your research ahead of time to find average rates for services in your state.

• For a client who’s revenue starts at $300k and goes up, she will insert a base of $400 and then add on any extra services they may need.
• These services usually charge flat rates, which makes budgeting simple.
• Staying on top of bookkeeping with an eye for precision pays off to receive an accurate overall picture and prevent last-minute work, mistakes, and fines.
• Next, think about how much time it will take you to complete the work.
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for hiring an internal bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerk is $42,410 annually in the United States.