Answers · Bookkeeping
What Does a Bookkeeper Do for a Small Business?
A bookkeeper records, classifies, reconciles, and organizes financial activity so management and tax preparers can rely on the books.
How it works
The rule, and what it turns on.
Good bookkeeping goes beyond coding bank-feed transactions. It includes reconciliations, balance-sheet review, source-document support, and consistent financial reporting.
Example
A repair shop sends bank/card statements; the bookkeeper imports activity, separates parts, tools and fixed assets, reconciles accounts, reviews sales-tax payable, and produces a P&L and balance sheet.
Common mistakes
What we see go wrong, and what we do instead.
- Treating bookkeeping as data entry only.
- Ignoring balance-sheet accounts.
- No source-document retention.
A better approach
- Outsource monthly bookkeeping instead of maintaining an in-house bookkeeper.
Authority
Where this comes from, so you can check it.
IRC §6001; Treas. Reg. §1.6001-1; IRS Publication 583; IRS Small Business Recordkeeping guidance.
Educational information, not individualized tax advice. Treatment depends on your facts, entity classification and tax year, and IRS instructions change. Confirm your own position with us before relying on it. Mint Associates does not provide legal services.
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