Catch-Up Bookkeeping Services for months or years of missing books
Catch-up bookkeeping services for LLCs, S-corps and self-employed owners: we rebuild your books for any period from bank and card statements in QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books, close the year and hand over tax-ready books. From $180 for each month.
Who catch-up bookkeeping is for
What catch-up bookkeeping includes
How our catch-up bookkeeping services work: 4 steps
The timeline depends on the number of months and transactions. A small business with one account usually takes 3–4 weeks for a full year.
A call and a scope estimate
We look at the period with no books, the number of accounts and transactions, and quote a price and a timeline before any work starts.
Access to statements
You connect your bank to QuickBooks or Zoho Books, or send statements through our secure client portal. No software yet? We help you choose and set it up; QuickBooks or Zoho Books setup is $200.
Categorizing and reconciling
We categorize the transactions, reconcile every month to the bank, and send you a list of questions about the transactions only you can explain.
Reports and a move to monthly bookkeeping
We hand over the P&L and balance sheet and prepare the return if needed. From there, a monthly package from $200 keeps the books from falling behind again.
One-time: Catch-Up Bookkeeping — from $180 per month, Year-End Clean-Up — from $300, QuickBooks or Zoho Books setup — $200. The QuickBooks or Zoho Books subscription is not included. See all bookkeeping prices →
What to prepare
Catch-up bookkeeping FAQ
How far back can you rebuild the books?
As far as needed: from a few months to several years. A tax return needs a full tax year, so we usually start from January 1 of the year in question. The IRS recommends keeping records for at least 3 years after you file a return — and indefinitely if no return was filed.
How much does catch-up bookkeeping cost?
From $180 for each month of books. The price depends on the number of accounts and transactions per month. We quote the exact amount before any work starts, after a short conversation about your business.
How long does it take?
It depends on the period and the number of transactions. One account for one year usually takes 3–4 weeks; several accounts over several years take longer. We give you the timeline together with the price.
What if some statements are missing?
We request them from the bank: most banks provide several years of statements online, and for closed accounts we help you draft a request. Income the IRS already knows about (for example, from Forms 1099) can be pulled from an IRS transcript.
Last year's return was never filed. What happens?
File it as soon as possible, even late: the failure-to-file penalty is 5% of the unpaid tax for each month, up to 25%. For Forms 1120-S and 1065 the penalty is charged per owner for each month the return is late, up to 12 months. Once the books are rebuilt, we prepare the return in-house.
Do I need a QuickBooks or Zoho Books subscription?
Yes, we keep the books in QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books and work in whichever one you already have. If you don't have a subscription, we help you choose and set one up: QuickBooks or Zoho Books setup is $200. The subscription itself is not included in the price.
Can you rebuild the books to answer an IRS letter?
Yes. If the IRS asked you to support income and expenses or sent a mismatch notice (CP2000), we rebuild the books for that year and prepare a response with numbers. The response to the IRS letter itself is a separate service on our price list.
What happens after the catch-up?
We hand over the reports and books and prepare the return if needed. To keep the books from falling behind again, we move to a monthly package from $200 a month — by next tax season you'll have a complete year.
Let’s start with a free 15-minute interview
Send us a request — we’ll get back to you within one business day, hold a free 15-minute interview and give you a price.