Have questions? You're probably not the only one.

Choosing someone to help with your business finances is a big decision—and we want you to feel comfortable before you get started. Here are answers to some of the questions we hear most often about working with kCole Bookkeeping & Small Business Consulting.

Don't see yours? Reach out. We're always happy to talk through what you need and whether we're the right fit.

Getting Started

What happens during the free consultation?

Your free consultation is a relaxed conversation about your business, what's working, what's not, and where you could use some help.

We'll talk about the services you're interested in, how you're currently handling your bookkeeping or business operations, any challenges you're running into, and what you'd like to accomplish. It's also an opportunity for you to ask questions and get a feel for whether kCole is the right fit for you.

There's no obligation and no need to have everything figured out beforehand. That's what the conversation is for.

How much do your services cost?

Because no two businesses—or bookkeeping situations—are exactly alike, we don't use one-size-fits-all pricing.

Cost depends on factors such as the services you need, the size and complexity of your business, transaction volume, the current condition of your books, and how much ongoing support you'd like.

After learning more about your needs, we'll provide clear pricing or a proposal so you know what to expect before work begins.

Do you offer one-time projects, or do I have to sign up for ongoing bookkeeping?

We offer both.

Some clients work with us on an ongoing basis for monthly bookkeeping and business support, while others come to us for a specific project—such as cleaning up QuickBooks, getting caught up on bookkeeping, setting up a new business, or learning how to use QuickBooks Online.

If you're not sure which kind of support you need, we can help you figure that out.

Bookkeeping & QuickBooks

Can you help if my bookkeeping is months—or even years—behind?

Absolutely.

Falling behind happens, and there's no judgment here. Businesses get busy, life happens, and sometimes bookkeeping simply doesn't make it to the top of the list.

We offer catch-up and cleanup services to help bring your financial records up to date, reconcile accounts, identify and correct problems, and get your books back to a place where you can rely on them again.

Can you fix a QuickBooks file that was set up incorrectly or has become a mess?

Yes. In fact, you don't need to know exactly what's wrong before contacting us.

We can review your QuickBooks Online file, identify problem areas, and determine what needs to be corrected. That might include unreconciled accounts, duplicate transactions, inaccurate balances, an overly complicated chart of accounts, Undeposited Funds issues, incorrect transaction categorization, or other historical bookkeeping problems.

Once we understand what's going on, we'll recommend a path forward.

Do I have to use QuickBooks Online?

QuickBooks Online is our primary bookkeeping platform and the system we specialize in supporting.

If you're currently using another system—or haven't chosen accounting software yet—let's talk. We can discuss your current setup and whether moving to QuickBooks Online makes sense for your business.

Can you teach me how to use QuickBooks instead of doing my bookkeeping for me?

Absolutely.

Not every business owner wants to outsource their bookkeeping completely. We offer one-on-one QuickBooks Online support and training tailored to your actual business and the tasks you need to perform.

Our goal isn't simply to show you which buttons to click. We want you to understand what you're doing, why you're doing it, and how it affects your financial records.

Can you take over from my current or previous bookkeeper?

Yes.

Bookkeeping relationships change for all kinds of reasons. We can help review your existing QuickBooks file, determine where things currently stand, identify anything that needs attention, and create a plan for moving forward.

Whenever possible, we'll work to make the transition as smooth as we can.

Taxes, Payroll & Financial Support

Do you prepare income tax returns?

No. kCole specializes in bookkeeping and small-business support rather than income tax preparation.

We can, however, help make tax time considerably easier by keeping your books organized and accurate throughout the year and coordinating with your CPA or tax preparer when needed.

Your tax professional gets better information, you spend less time scrambling for answers, and everyone gets to have a less stressful tax season. That's a win all around.

Will you work with my CPA or tax preparer?

Absolutely—and we encourage it.

Your bookkeeper and tax professional serve different but complementary roles. With your authorization, we can coordinate with your CPA or tax preparer, answer bookkeeping questions, provide financial reports, and help make sure they have the information they need.

You shouldn't have to be the messenger between everyone helping with your business finances.

Do you provide payroll services?

We can help manage and support your business's payroll through third-party payroll platforms.

Depending on your needs, that may include helping with payroll setup, maintaining employee information, coordinating regular payroll processing, reviewing payroll activity, recording payroll properly in QuickBooks, and helping troubleshoot issues that arise.

Because payroll tax filings and payments may be handled by the payroll provider itself, we'll explain who is responsible for what as part of setting up your payroll process.

Can you help with sales tax?

Yes. For businesses with sales tax obligations, we can assist with tracking, reconciling, reporting, and filing sales tax as part of your bookkeeping services.

Sales tax requirements vary depending on your business and where you operate, so we'll determine what support is appropriate for your situation.

Working With kCole

Do I need to live near you to become a client?

Nope.

Our bookkeeping services are designed to work remotely, which allows us to support businesses beyond our immediate communities. QuickBooks Online and other secure cloud-based tools allow us to collaborate with clients without needing to be in the same office—or even the same city.

We proudly work with small businesses throughout Wisconsin and can discuss remote service options for businesses elsewhere as well.

Will I still understand what's happening with my finances if you handle my bookkeeping?

That's one of our priorities.

We don't believe your financial information should feel mysterious just because you've hired someone else to manage the details. We'll provide financial reports and are happy to help you understand what you're looking at and answer questions along the way.

You don't need an accounting degree to understand your own business.

What will you need from me?

That depends on the services we're providing, but we'll walk you through it.

For bookkeeping clients, we'll typically need appropriate access to QuickBooks Online and the financial accounts or supporting records necessary to maintain your books. For projects or other business-support services, we'll identify what information, access, or materials are needed before we get started.

Our goal is to make the process as straightforward as possible—not hand you another giant administrative project.

How often will I receive financial statements?

For ongoing monthly bookkeeping clients, financial statements are typically provided after the month's bookkeeping and reconciliations are complete.

The specific reports you receive may depend on your business and what information is most useful to you. We can also help you understand what those reports are telling you rather than simply dropping a stack of numbers in your inbox.

Is my financial information secure?

Protecting client information is something we take seriously.

We use established cloud-based business and accounting platforms and follow appropriate practices for accessing, storing, and sharing client information. We'll also let you know the safest way to provide documents or account access rather than asking you to send sensitive information through unsecured channels.

Small Business Support

Can you help with things besides bookkeeping?

Definitely. It's right there in our name: Small Business Consulting.

Running a business comes with plenty of tasks that don't fit neatly into an accounting category. In addition to bookkeeping and QuickBooks support, kCole offers flexible small-business services including startup support, virtual assistance, creative services, and help tackling special projects.

If something has been sitting on your business to-do list and you're wondering, "Is this something kCole could help me with?"—ask us. If it's within our wheelhouse, we'll tell you. And if it isn't, we'll be upfront about that too.

Can you help me start a new business?

Yes.

We can help new entrepreneurs work through many of the practical steps involved in getting a business off the ground—from organizing the administrative pieces and establishing bookkeeping systems to navigating business registrations and other startup logistics.

You don't have to know all the questions you should be asking before you start. Helping you work through the unknowns is part of the process.

What kinds of virtual assistance or creative services do you provide?

Our small-business support is intentionally flexible because every business has different needs.

Depending on the project, we may be able to assist with administrative tasks, organization, project coordination, systems and processes, website updates, business materials, and other creative or operational projects.

If you have something specific in mind, reach out and tell us about it. We'll let you know whether it's something our team can take on.

Still Have Questions?

That's what we're here for.

You don't need to know exactly which service you need, have perfectly organized books, or arrive with all the right questions. Tell us a little about your business, what's taking up too much of your time, or what isn't working the way you'd like it to.

We'll take it from there.