Bookkeeping from Home: 9 Steps to Starting a Bookkeeping Business

Lenders, additional bookkeepers, contractors, and key relationships will all need to be considered. You will get a far better understanding of the financials so you can be a real asset to your clients. And I have hired a marketing company to get my name out there. This tool keeps me on track with my clients’ work and I can make sure things aren’t falling through the cracks. I love their recurring tasks and I also love how I can delegate tasks. Now, they are mostly people that are signing up for my training courses. Where are you going to save all those files once you get them?

The main things you will need to start a virtual bookkeeping business are a good computer and a high-speed internet connection. In addition, you will need accounting software such as QuickBooks Online to run your client’s books. Depending on the bookkeeping/accounting software you choose, there will generally be a payroll processing option you can turn on when you are ready to hire employees. If you decide to go with QuickBooks, it offers a variety of payroll options from which to choose. If you decide that you don’t want the headache of dealing with payroll, check out our guide on Six Payroll Competitors Payroll Competitors that beat ADP when it comes to price. Not everyone is born to work with numbers, but when you are running a business, you can’t run away from the bookkeeping and accounting.

Ready to Start a Bookkeeping Business?

He brings his expertise to Fit Small Business’s accounting content. If you’re serving a niche industry, consider joining its industry association and connecting both online and in person. Don’t exhaust yourself or your bank account by trying everything at once. Start with two or three affordable strategies and work your way up to more expensive ones.

The process for registering a business entity with the state involves filing the appropriate forms and paying the applicable fees. Requirements vary by state and type of business structure. To help you save on your legal costs and ensure your paperwork is completed accurately, CorpNet’s filing experts can handle your business formation filings for you. You can start an online bookkeeping business with as little as a computer, internet connection, and basic knowledge of bookkeeping and accounting. Some virtual bookkeepers also use collaboration tools, accounting software, and bookkeeping software to make work easier.

How to start a bookkeeping business in 15 steps

In the old days, freelancers were limited to clients “within reach.”Literally! Now, thanks to the Internet, you don’t even need to be in the same time zone as your clients. This means more opportunity, but it also means more competition. Look at every contract as an opportunity to earn your client’s repeat business.

• As you start investing in your bookkeeping business, be sure to choose software that not only helps you comply with all state and national laws, but also makes your workload lighter.
• NorthOne is proudly made for small businesses, startups, and freelancers.
• A skilled and compliant bookkeeper should be able to produce financial records that give business accurate information about its financial activities.
• This could include friends and family, your previous workplace, local advertising, website and social media marketing, and word of mouth.
• The thing is I don’t know if i have enough working experience yet.

The most important step to make money with your bookkeeping business is to find clients. For this, you need to promote your bookkeeping services using multiple advertising strategies. To start a business, you will have to pick a name for your virtual bookkeeping business. The name you choose should be relevant to your industry, nature of work, and should be available to register. Learn how to start a virtual bookkeeping business and start earning early. On average, a virtual bookkeeper earns over $42K per year and you can do that as well.

How much does it cost to start a bookkeeping business?

Set up a Facebook business page that clearly outlines the services you offer. These tools enable you to manage workflows and get your business in order.

Sage Fixed Assets Track and manage your business assets at every stage. Sage 300cloud Streamline accounting, inventory, operations and distribution. Sage CRM Deliver a better customer experience with CRM software. Sage 100 Contractor Accounting, project management, estimating, and service management. Accounting Native-cloud accouting software for small business. For more information on the right insurance coverage, check out our article on Bookkeeper, Accountant, and CPA Insurance. Incentivize referrals by rewarding current clients for referring new ones.

Changes in the CPA exam: What you need to know

Virtual bookkeeping jobs are widely available yet often overlooked. Many people don’t think they have the skills necessary to land a position. Despite its closely related accounting cousin, bookkeeping positions are often considered entry level. All content on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not apply to any specific case, is not legal, tax or insurance advice and should not be relied upon. Please note that the information provided on this page may change at any time as a result of legislative action, court decisions or rules adopted or amended by any state or the federal government. Word-of-mouth is still the champion of all marketing tactics. Use your personal network, professional network, and—when you start to get them—client referrals to spread the word about your business in your local community and beyond.

PayScale, a site that tracks salaries and rates, puts the average hourly rate for a bookkeeper around $17 per hour ($10 on the low end and $24 on the high end). You might also want to look into freelance and for-hire contractor sites, such as UpWork or Fiverr, where people list their rates.

Do your research and create a business plan

You most likely won’t need to worry about the more complex transactions and concepts, since those apply more to accountants. However, you will need to follow the basic guidelines laid out by GAAP if you plan on running your own bookkeeping business. Bookkeepers are accountable for the finances of the people and How to Start a Bookkeeping Business companies they represent. This means you have a responsibility as a bookkeeper to ensure that your financial statements are accurate and you protect your clients from fraud, risk, and more. In that vein, there are 4 specific regulatory areas that you need to account for outside of these general principles.

• Repetition of your UVP on your website, business cards, and all other marketing materials will help define your company’s identity to potential clients.
• You must enjoy paying attention to details, and honesty and integrity are crucial.
• However, I’m sure you really want to know how much you can make when doing this sort of work.
• As a small business owner, you get to decide how many clients you want to take on, how much money you want to make, and how many hours you want to work during the day.
• It’s also a place for you to clarify for your potential clients why they should want to work with you.

This is a trend that is completely changing how bookkeepers and accountants do business, so it’s important that you understand how it works since it will have a direct impact on your business. Another tool that will make your life easier is practice management software. This software can help you organize and track the progress of client work and, in some cases, provide a portal to access your client’s books. QuickBooks and Xero both offer practice management software that is integrated with their accountant software.

When you run a fully virtual bookkeeping business, honestly, there’s not much need for a phone. But when you get bookkeeping clients, you may also need a phone service over and above this, I would recommend setting up a VoIP phone service, which is basically an internet phone service. Starting your own business full-time and implementing a new business structure isn’t easy, so don’t worry if your small business plan for starting an accounting firm isn’t perfect. That’s how government determines taxes, licenses, and all the other fees and withholdings every business must pay. Check out Bookkeeper Business Launch for an inside look at what it’s like to be a bookkeeper.

• Northwest Registered Agent is here to help with all your small business ideas and needs.
• But the flip side of this arrangement is that scope creep tends to become a real problem.
• Sign up for contract bidding and develop your presence on social media.
• You’d better bookmark this page—you’re going to want easy access to this info as you build your bookkeeping business.
• If you’re looking to start a bookkeeping business, you’ve come to the right place.

A bookkeeping business needs a good plan of action though. Before you dive in, make sure you know what you’re getting into. Add Contact Information – How can clients contact you for your service? State where clients can find you online, via social media and how they can https://www.bookstime.com/ get started and schedule a consultation with you. There are some things you should consider when thinking about starting your own bookkeeping business. Learn the benefits of starting out on your own small business venture that will encourage you to take that leap.

Once you’ve formed your entity, you must file for an EIN with the IRS. The EIN identifies your business and is separate from your Social Security Number , even for sole proprietors. Having an EIN is optional for sole proprietors, but it allows you to receive 1099s at the end of the year from your clients without giving them your SSN. Before you read through this guide, remember the most important thing for any new business is to get paying customers.

In the book keeping industry there might not be a need for intellectual property except in the area of trainings, company logos and brands. You are responsible for staying current with your bookkeeping skills, staying ahead of the competition as well as building a successful company. It could be expensive to purchase and update various accounting software. You need to comfortable with technology so you can access a client’s computer, if necessary. Use your security features as a selling point in order to assure clients that their financial information is in safe hands.

How to start a bookkeeping business in 6 steps in 2022 and work from home

A great starting place is $40 an hour, and you can raise your prices as you go along and gain more experience. Eventually you’ll want to charge a fixed rate each month for your clients. On a given day, what does your business plan to do, and what will you need in order to actually do it?