Behind on Your Books? Here Is How We Catch You Up.
If you have not touched your books in months, you are not alone. Many small business owners fall behind on their books at some point, and the gap between where your records are and where they need to be tends to grow faster than expected.
The problem is not just the mess. It is what happens because of the mess: your CPA charges more when they have to sort through disorganized records. Lenders cannot evaluate your business from incomplete books. And tax season becomes a scramble instead of a formality.
Getting caught up is not complicated. It just requires someone with the time, the tools, and the process to do it correctly.
What Catch-Up Bookkeeping Actually Involves
Catching up your books means going back through every month you are behind and doing, in order:
Gathering the source documents. Bank statements, credit card statements, loan documents, payroll records, and invoices. Whatever period is missing needs its source records first.
Categorizing every transaction. Each transaction gets assigned to the correct account in your chart of accounts. Income, expenses, owner draws, loans, everything. This is where disorganized books get organized.
Reconciling accounts. Every bank account and credit card balance is reconciled to the actual statement balance for each month. If the numbers do not match, we find out why before moving on.
Correcting errors. Duplicate entries, miscategorized transactions, incorrectly recorded loans or payments, missed transactions. These get identified and corrected.
Delivering your books. At the end of the process, you receive an accurate QuickBooks Online file that reflects your actual financial history for the period covered. Monthly financial statements included.
How Long Does It Take?
The time depends on how far behind you are and how complete your records are. As a general guide:
- 1 to 3 months behind: typically completed within 1 to 2 weeks once all source documents are provided
- 4 to 6 months behind: typically 2 to 4 weeks
- 7 months to a full year behind: typically 4 to 6 weeks
- Multiple years behind: assessed case by case during the free consultation
The process moves faster when bank statements and credit card statements are available for every month in the backlog. The consultation helps us assess the timeline before any work begins.
What Does Catch-Up Bookkeeping Cost?
Catch-up pricing depends on how many months you are behind and your monthly transaction volume. The ranges below reflect typical market pricing for this kind of work; your exact cost comes from the free consultation, before any work begins.
- 1 to 3 months behind: starting around $300 to $500
- 4 to 6 months behind: starting around $500 to $1,500
- 7 to 12 months behind: starting around $1,500 to $3,500
- Multiple years: quoted after the free consultation based on the scope
These are reference ranges based on typical transaction volumes for small businesses. A business with very high monthly transaction volume or very incomplete records may fall outside these ranges. The free consultation produces a specific estimate for your situation, not a range.
Who This Service Is For
Catch-up and cleanup bookkeeping is the right fit if you are:
- Preparing for tax season and your records are not in order
- Applying for a business loan and need to show accurate financials
- Handing your books to a new CPA and want to start fresh
- Taking over a business with disorganized records from a previous owner
- Recovering from a period where bookkeeping was not a priority
- A contractor who needs job costs and payroll records organized before a job review
If any of these fit your situation, the next step is a free consultation. There is no commitment required to find out what it would take.
Why J.P Bookkeeping for Catch-Up Work
Catch-up bookkeeping is not the same as monthly bookkeeping. It requires reconstructing a financial history from incomplete records, which means finding and resolving inconsistencies rather than just processing current transactions. It also requires someone who can communicate clearly when records are unclear or documents are missing.
J.P Bookkeeping is a QuickBooks Advanced ProAdvisor with multiple Intuit certifications. Catch-up work is done entirely inside QuickBooks Online, and you receive access to your own books throughout the process. You are not waiting for a handoff at the end.
The practice is bilingual (English and Spanish), which matters in Southeast Los Angeles County, where many small business owners prefer to discuss financial details in Spanish.
Atendemos en espanol. Si prefiere hablar sobre sus libros en espanol, asi trabajamos. Llame al (323) 816-0517.