Bookkeeping questions, answered
What it costs and what I do
How much does a bookkeeper cost in Ottawa?
My packages start at $800 a month at one flat rate, so there are no surprise invoices. That covers monthly reconciliations, transaction coding, financial statements, GST/HST filing, and a year-end package for your accountant. Businesses with more accounts and more volume move up to Control at $2,000 or Momentum at $4,500. If your books need cleaning up before the monthly work starts, that is quoted separately based on how far behind things are.
Do I need a bookkeeper or an accountant?
Most growing businesses end up with both, because they do different jobs. I handle the ongoing work: coding transactions, reconciling accounts, filing GST/HST, and producing statements you can actually read. Your accountant takes that and files your corporate return and advises on tax strategy. The cleaner I keep things during the year, the less your accountant has to bill you at year end.
Are you a CPA?
No, and it is worth being clear about what that means. I am a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and a CPB Canada Technician. I do the ongoing bookkeeping: reconciliations, transaction coding, GST/HST, payroll, and financial statements. I do not prepare or file corporate or personal income tax returns, and I do not give tax advice. That is your accountant's job. Mine is to hand them books clean enough that their bill goes down.
Can you file my GST/HST?
Yes, GST/HST filing is included in every package. Clarity covers annual filing, and quarterly filing is available as an add-on. Control and Momentum include quarterly or annual filing, whichever your business needs. What I do not do is prepare or file corporate or personal income tax returns, so those go to your accountant.
How it actually works
What if my books are years behind?
That is one of the most common reasons people call me, and it is fixable. Catch-up and cleanup is quoted separately from the monthly packages, based on how many months need sorting out and what condition they are in. You do not need to tidy anything up before we talk. I would rather see the real state of things.
Do I have to use QuickBooks Online?
I am a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and QuickBooks Online is what I work in every day, so it is what I recommend and what my packages are built around. If you are already on it, I can pick up where you are. If you are on something else, or not on anything yet, get in touch and we can talk about moving you over. Setup with an hour of training is available as an add-on.
Where are you based, and do you work with businesses outside Ottawa?
I am based in Ottawa and I work with small businesses across Canada. Everything runs through cloud software, so there is no paperwork drop-off and no need for us to be in the same city.
What happens at year end?
You get a year-end package for your accountant: reconciled accounts, financial statements, and the backup they need, organized rather than handed over as a pile. Accountants bill for their time, so a clean file usually costs you less at year end than a messy one. If you do not have an accountant yet, I can point you toward someone.
How quickly will I hear back?
Within one to two business days, whether you send a message or fill in the intake form. The intake form takes about five minutes and there is no commitment and no payment details involved.