Can I Get Both Bookkeeping and Accounting from the Same Provider?
Many small business owners wonder: can one firm handle both my bookkeeping and my accounting?
Download Our Free Brochure →The answer is: yes-but it depends on your needs, your budget, and the complexity of your finances. Let’s break it down.
What’s the Difference?
Bookkeeping is the day-to-day recording of financial transactions:
- Categorizing income and expenses
- Reconciling bank accounts
- Generating reports (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow)
Accounting focuses on:
- Tax preparation and filing
- Financial analysis and forecasting
- Strategic planning and business structuring
Bookkeeping gives you the numbers. Accounting tells you what those numbers mean.
Should You Combine Bookkeeping and Accounting?
You can-but you don’t have to. Here’s how to decide.
When It Makes Sense to Combine:
- You’re a solo business and want one monthly fee
- You don’t have a CPA yet
- Your provider has licensed CPAs or enrolled agents on staff
When It’s Better to Separate:
- You already have a trusted CPA or tax preparer
- You want more flexibility or second opinions
- You prefer a specialist for each role
At Remote Books Online, we focus on bookkeeping only-and do it exceptionally well. Most of our clients already have a CPA they trust, and we ensure their books are clean, reconciled, and ready for tax season.
Download Our Free Brochure →Test Case
A law firm in Chicago was using a “full-service accounting” company. Turns out, their books weren’t properly closed each month-and their CPA had to clean them up during tax time.
They switched to Remote Books Online for bookkeeping and kept their CPA for taxes. Now:
- Books are always clean and accurate
- The CPA spends less time fixing issues
- The law firm gets peace of mind-and better reports all year
FAQs
Do you offer tax filing services?
No. We prepare your books for your CPA or tax preparer, but we do not file taxes ourselves.
Can you work with my accountant?
Yes. Most of our clients already have a CPA, and we ensure the books are CPA-ready.
What if I don’t have a CPA yet?
We can recommend one from our network, or you can add one later. You’re never locked in.
Conclusion
You don’t have to combine everything under one firm to succeed. Many business owners get the best results by choosing best-in-class providers for bookkeeping and accounting separately.
Remote Books Online handles the books, your CPA handles the taxes-and your business runs smoother than ever.
Start a free trial or request a quote today.
Need bookkeeping + payroll in one plan? Our bookkeeping & payroll services guide covers the full scope—from data entry to paychecks and tax filing.
Still doing your own books? Our DIY bookkeeping guide explains the risks and why professional help saves time and money.
Considering outsourcing your books? Our outsourced bookkeeping services guide highlights key benefits like cost savings, scalability, and expert accuracy-so you can decide with confidence.
