I offer a range of solutions designed to meet your needs—whether you're just getting started or scaling something bigger. Everything is tailored to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

• Set up

• Clean up | Catch up

• Bank Reconciliations

• Monthly Bookkeeping

• Training & Consulting

Simple, Reliable, Strategic Bookkeeping

This isn’t just about keeping your books clean—it’s about protecting your business, supporting your growth, and giving you the clarity to move forward with confidence.

Collaborative, honest, and straightforward. I’m here to guide the process, bring ideas to the table, and keep things moving forward.

Accounting Software LLP Bookkeeping Supports

QuickBooks Online (QBO) is my primary accounting platform. I provide QuickBooks Online consulting, training, setup, catch-up, clean-up, and ongoing bookkeeping services.

I also, work with other cloud-based accounting platforms when appropriate.

A small to mid-size business should consider hiring a bookkeeper before the books become a problem. Some of the biggest signs are:

When should a business hire a bookkeeper?

1. The owner is spending too much time on the books
If bookkeeping is taking evenings, weekends, or time away from customers and business growth, it's time to get help.

2. The books are falling behind
If bank accounts aren't being reconciled monthly, transactions are piling up, or the owner isn't sure whether the financials are current, a bookkeeper can get things back on track.

3. The business is growing
More customers, transactions, employees, bank accounts, vendors, and expenses mean more complexity. What worked when the business was small may no longer work as it grows.

4. The owner doesn't know what the numbers are saying
A business owner should be able to answer questions like:

• Am I actually profitable?

• Where is my money going?

• How much cash do I have available?

• What do customers owe me?

• What bills are coming due?

5. Tax time is stressful
If the business is scrambling to organize records for the CPA or tax preparer every year, monthly bookkeeping can make tax time much easier.

6. There are employees or payroll
Once payroll, benefits, reimbursements, or multiple types of compensation are involved, bookkeeping becomes more complicated.

7. The business owner is making decisions without reliable numbers
Hiring, purchasing equipment, taking on debt, expanding, or increasing prices are much easier decisions when the financial information is accurate and up to date.

Don't wait until your books are a mess to hire a bookkeeper. Hire one when the business is growing, the books are taking too much of your time, or you need reliable numbers to make good business decisions.

A business owner should expect monthly bookkeeping to do more than simply enter transactions. The goal is to keep the books accurate, current, reconciled, and useful for making business decisions.

What monthly bookkeeping should include

1. Transactions are recorded and categorized
Income, expenses, deposits, payments, and other financial activity are recorded in the accounting system and properly categorized.

2. Bank and credit card accounts are reconciled
The books are compared with bank and credit card statements to make sure transactions are complete and accurate.

3. Errors and discrepancies are identified
Missing transactions, duplicates, unusual items, and other discrepancies should be investigated and corrected when appropriate.

4. Accounts are reviewed
Important accounts such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, loans, and owner accounts should be reviewed based on the business's needs.

5. Financial reports are available
At a minimum, most business owners should receive or have access to:

• Profit & Loss Statement

• Balance Sheet

• Cash flow information, when appropriate

6. The books are kept current
Monthly bookkeeping means the owner doesn't have to wait until tax time to find out what happened financially.

7. Questions and issues are communicated
A good bookkeeper should point out items that need the owner's attention rather than simply entering transactions and moving on.

What business owners should get out of it

At the end of each month, business owners should be able to answer:

“Where does my business stand financially?”

Business owners should have a clearer picture of:

• How much money the business made

• Where money was spent

• Whether the business is profitable

• What the business owes

• What customers owe

• How much cash is available

• Whether something needs attention

Monthly bookkeeping means your books are recorded, reconciled, reviewed, and ready for you to use—not sitting in a file waiting for tax season.

Getting started is simple. Reach out through my contact form — https://www.llpbookkeeping.com/contact — or schedule a call — Book an Appointment! —I’ll walk you through the next steps and answer any questions along the way.

You can reach me anytime via;

My Contact Page: https://www.llpbookkeeping.com/contact

Schedule a FREE 30-min Consultation: Book an Appointment!

Email: Laura.LLPBookkeeping@gmail.com.

I aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.

As each business is unique, I offer flexible value pricing based on project type and complexity. After an initial conversation, I’ll provide a transparent quote with no hidden costs.

A virtual bookkeeper performs the same core bookkeeping tasks as a traditional bookkeeper but works remotely using cloud-based accounting software and online collaboration tools.

LLP Bookkeeping provides virtual bookkeeping and accounting services to small to mid-size businesses nationwide throughout the United States. Based in Silicon Valley, I also serve businesses throughout San Jose, the South Bay, Santa Clara County, the San Francisco Peninsula, and the East Bay. Many of our local clients appreciate having a bookkeeping professional nearby, even though all services are provided virtually.

Not necessarily. For many small to mid-size businesses, virtual bookkeeping can be more practical and cost-effective than hiring an in-house bookkeeper. But it depends on the business's size, transaction volume, and how much day-to-day support it needs.

Virtual vs. In-House Bookkeeper

Virtual Bookkeeper

Cost: Usually lower; pay for the services needed

Flexibility: Can scale hours/services up or down

Expertise: Can bring specialized bookkeeping/QBO experience

Location: Works remotely

Supervision: Less day-to-day management

Technology: Cloud-based access and collaboration

Additional Support: May offer consulting, cleanup, training, etc.

Best For: Small to mid-size businesses needing ongoing bookkeeping

In-House Bookkeeper

Cost: Salary + payroll taxes + benefits + equipment

Flexibility: Generally fixed employee cost

Expertise: Expertise depends on the person hired

Locations: Works at the business

Supervision: Requires employee management

Technology: May require company equipment/setup

Additional Support: Usually focused on assigned employee responsibilities

Best For: Businesses needing someone physically present and working full-time

When virtual bookkeeping may be the better choice

A virtual bookkeeper can make a lot of sense when the business:

• Doesn't need a full-time bookkeeper

• Has a manageable number of transactions

• Wants monthly reconciliations and financial reports

• Needs help catching up or cleaning up the books

• Wants access to bookkeeping expertise without adding another employee

• Wants to avoid the costs associated with hiring an employee

• Uses cloud-based accounting software such as QuickBooks Online

When in-house may make more sense

An in-house bookkeeper may be a better fit when the business:

• Has a high volume of daily transactions

• Needs someone available throughout the workday

• Handles significant cash transactions

• Needs someone physically present to handle paperwork or checks

• Has extensive AP, AR, payroll, or administrative responsibilities

• Has enough bookkeeping work to justify a full-time position

The key question isn't really "Which is better?"

The key questions is “Do I need a full-time employee, or do I need bookkeeping expertise?”

For many small and growing businesses, they need the expertise—not necessarily another employee.

“Get the bookkeeping support and expertise your business needs—without the cost and commitment of hiring an in-house bookkeeper.”

Almost any small or mid-size business can benefit from outsourced bookkeeping, but some businesses are a particularly good fit because they need accurate books without needing a full-time bookkeeper.

Businesses That Often Benefit Most

1. Startups and growing businesses
They may not have enough bookkeeping work for a full-time employee, but their financial activity is increasing quickly.

2. Professional service businesses
Consultants, attorneys, marketing agencies, coaches, designers, and other service providers often benefit because they can focus on serving clients instead of managing the books.

3. Construction and contractors
These businesses can have multiple projects, vendors, subcontractors, payroll, equipment, and expenses that need to be tracked properly.

4. Real estate professionals
Realtors, brokers, and property-related businesses often have numerous expenses, commissions, mileage, marketing costs, and separate accounts to keep organized.

5. Medical, dental, and other practices
They may have payroll, vendors, recurring expenses, insurance payments, and significant transaction volume.

6. E-commerce businesses
Multiple sales channels, payment processors, inventory, refunds, fees, and deposits can make bookkeeping more complicated.

7. Restaurants and retail businesses
High transaction volume and payroll can make keeping the books current challenging.

8. Solo business owners and independent professionals
They may be capable of doing their own bookkeeping but would rather spend their time generating revenue and growing the business.

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The best candidates aren't necessarily defined by their industry. They're businesses that say:

“I don't have time to do this.”
“I'm behind on my books.”
“I don't know if my numbers are right.”
“My business is getting too complicated.”
“I need my books ready for my CPA.”

That's where outsourced bookkeeping becomes especially valuable.

“Outsourced bookkeeping is ideal for business owners who need accurate, up-to-date financials—but don't need or want a full-time bookkeeper.”

For most small businesses, bank and credit card accounts should be reconciled at least monthly.

A good rule of thumb

• Monthly — Recommended for most businesses: Keeps the books current and catches errors, missing transactions, duplicate entries, and unusual activity sooner.

• Weekly — Better for businesses with high transaction volume: Especially useful when there are lots of sales, expenses, deposits, or cash-flow activity.

• Daily — Sometimes necessary: Businesses with very high transaction volume or tight cash-flow management may benefit from more frequent monitoring.

Why monthly reconciliation matters

Reconciling isn't just about making sure the bank balance matches QuickBooks. It helps confirm that:

• All transactions have been recorded.

• Income and expenses are categorized correctly.

• No transactions are duplicated or missing.

• Bank fees and other charges are captured.

• Outstanding checks and deposits are accounted for.

• Financial reports are based on reliable information.

• Problems are identified before they become bigger problems.

For your bookkeeping presentation

I'd keep the message simple:

“Reconcile your accounts every month—so you know your numbers are accurate before you make business decisions.”

Or, for a stronger business-owner message:

“Monthly reconciliation turns your bookkeeping from a record of what happened into information you can actually use.”

Catch-up bookkeeping means bringing a business's bookkeeping records up to date after they have fallen behind.

For example, if a business hasn't reconciled its accounts for six months, a bookkeeper would go back through those six months, record and categorize transactions, reconcile the accounts, and bring the books current.

Catch-up bookkeeping can include:

• Entering missing transactions

• Categorizing income and expenses

• Reconciling bank and credit card accounts

• Recording missing deposits or payments

• Correcting obvious bookkeeping errors

• Reviewing accounts for duplicates or missing transactions

• Updating accounts payable and receivable

• Getting financial reports current

Catch-up vs. Clean-up Bookkeeping

They are related, but not exactly the same:

Catch-up = “Bring the books current.”
You haven't kept up with the bookkeeping, so the work is primarily getting everything recorded and reconciled through the current period.

Clean-up = “Fix the books.”
The books may technically be current, but there are errors, miscategorized transactions, unreconciled accounts, duplicate entries, or other problems that need to be corrected.

Often, a business needs both: catch up the books first, then clean up anything that isn't correct.

Simple example

If it's August and the business hasn't reconciled its books since February:

Catch-up bookkeeping: Bring March–August up to date.
Clean-up bookkeeping: Correct any errors discovered while doing that work.

Yes. A qualified bookkeeper can often clean up several years of inaccurate or neglected books, but the scope depends on how complicated the problems are and whether previously filed tax returns are affected.

What a bookkeeper can do

A multi-year cleanup may involve:

• Reconciling bank and credit card accounts going back several years

• Finding missing or duplicate transactions

• Correcting miscategorized income and expenses

• Fixing opening balances

• Cleaning up accounts receivable and accounts payable

• Correcting owner draws and contributions

• Reviewing loans and fixed assets

• Identifying unusual or unsupported transactions

• Rebuilding accurate financial statements

• Getting the books current and organized for the CPA

What about tax returns that were already filed?

This is where the bookkeeper and CPA need to work together.

A bookkeeper can identify and correct the underlying bookkeeping records, but if the corrections change previously filed tax returns, the CPA or tax professional should determine whether amended returns or other tax adjustments are necessary.

This is also a strong example of why “clean-up bookkeeping” isn't just data entry. A multi-year cleanup requires investigation, reconciliation, documentation, and accounting judgment.

A bookkeeper keeps the financial records accurate and up to date. A CPA uses those records for tax, accounting, and higher-level financial work.

Bookkeeper vs. CPA

Bookkeeper:

• Records financial transactions

• Reconciles bank and credit card accounts

• Categorizes income and expenses

• Maintains the general ledger

• Prepares financial reports Keeps books current throughout the year

• Helps keep records CPA-ready.

CPA:

• Prepares/reviews tax returns

• Provides tax planning and advice

• Handles more complex accounting matters

• May perform audits and reviews

• Analyzes financial information

• Helps with tax compliance and financial strategy

• Uses the bookkeeping records to complete tax work.

Think of it this way:

Bookkeeper = Keeps the books clean.
CPA = Uses the books for tax and higher-level accounting.

A business can need both.

For example, a bookkeeper can reconcile the accounts every month and prepare the Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet. Then, at tax time, the CPA can use those accurate financial records to prepare the business owner's tax return.

One important distinction

A CPA is not necessarily a bookkeeper, and a bookkeeper is not necessarily a CPA. They have different roles, although some CPAs do offer bookkeeping services.

For a small-to-mid-size business, having a bookkeeper maintain the books throughout the year can make the CPA's job easier—and usually makes tax time much less stressful for the business owner.

The goal is to give your CPA complete, accurate, and reconciled books so they can focus on the tax return instead of sorting through bookkeeping issues.

How to Get Your Books CPA-Ready

1. Reconcile all bank accounts
Make sure your checking, savings, and other bank accounts are reconciled through the end of the tax year.

2. Reconcile credit cards and loans
Verify credit card balances and make sure loan balances and payments are recorded correctly.

3. Review income and expenses
Look for missing transactions, duplicates, and expenses that may have been categorized incorrectly.

4. Make sure accounts receivable and payable are accurate
Confirm what customers still owe you and what your business still owes vendors.

5. Record fixed assets and major purchases
Make sure equipment, vehicles, computers, and other significant business purchases are properly recorded.

6. Review payroll
Verify that payroll transactions and payroll tax payments are properly recorded and that your payroll reports agree with the books.

7. Review owner transactions
Make sure personal expenses, owner draws, contributions, and distributions aren't incorrectly recorded as business expenses.

8. Check your year-end financial statements
Your Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet should make sense and reflect the actual financial position of the business.

9. Gather supporting documents
Have important documents available for your CPA, such as:

• 1099s received

• 1099s issued

• W-2s

• Loan statements

• Asset/purchase records

• Payroll reports

• Sales tax information

• Business credit card statements

• Prior-year tax return

10. Ask your CPA what they need
Every business and tax situation is different. Your CPA may have a specific year-end checklist or additional schedules they want.

The easiest way to remember it

Reconcile → Review → Correct → Report → Provide Documents

And the big takeaway for a business owner:

Don't wait until tax season to get your books ready for your CPA. Keep them reconciled and current throughout the year.

That makes tax preparation faster, reduces the chance of missing information, and gives you more confidence that the numbers you're handing your CPA are accurate.