Accountant, CPA or Bookkeeper?

You have started your business and things are goingyou, but it will cost you more than what you need to
great, now you decide you need some help withspend for something as small as managing your books,
managing your books, you open the yellow pages andwhich is what you will be doing as a small business.
under accounting you see, CPA's, Accountants andYou will take your books and all your receipts and
Bookkeepers. Which do you choose? Which onebank statements to the account or CPA and they will
would be good for your small business? And what'shand all that to their bookkeeper who will get your
the difference?books in a manageable and clean order at the rate of
There are differences, and one of those differencesthe accountant or CPA.
will be cost, and as you have learned when youIf your needs are basic and you need someone to do
started your business cost will be a factor in almostyour books or payroll or sales tax, my advice is a
every business decision you make. Which one will getbookkeeper. A bookkeeper will do just that, they will
you the most for your businesses dollar? That's aget your books in order, they can do your payroll or
question you will have to decide depending on thesales taxes and some can even do your taxes, all this
services you think you will need.a t a much lower cost, the average rate for a
A CPA (Certified Public Accountant) will be the mostbookkeeper is $150.00 to $300.00 a month depending
expensive choice, and in my opinion, too much for aon your needs.
small business starting out. Depending on what youIf you do have an accountant or a CPA, and you have
need a CPA's rates can run you an average ofa bookkeeper do your books, you will still save money
$250.00 to $500.00 a month and if your not in need ofbecause your books will be in good clean shape when
financial consulting or having tax problems, in myyou give them to your accountant or CPA, meaning
opinion you will be paying an unneeded expense on athey don't have to have their bookkeeper do anything
service that wont be utilized for your business.and the time they bill you for will be quite less than if
An Accountant can do the same things as a CPA thethey had to clean up your books every month.
difference is about a 4 year degree and the requiredCutting cost in your business is going to be something
exams to be a certified public accountant, there ratesyou will always look for and this little tip could be a
wont be as high but the end results will be the same,savings you don't want to ignore, my advice do some
there average rate will range from $200.00 to $research, call some CPA's Accountants and some
400.00 a month with basically the same services.Bookkeepers, compare their services and rates, then
A CPA and an Accountant will both do fine jobs forchoose the best for your business.