Understanding the Bookkeeping Role vs. Your CPA: Who Does What?
We hear it all the time at L&L:
“Don’t I already have a CPA for that?”
“Isn’t my accountant handling this?”
Common Mistakes We See
Thinking your CPA handles bookkeeping (they usually don’t)
Hiring a tax preparer before your books are cleaned up
Sending messy records to your accountant and hoping for the best
Not reconciling regularly, which leads to errors your CPA may miss
And we get it—bookkeeping and accounting can feel like a blur of receipts, reports, and year-end stress. But understanding who does what can save you time, money, and confusion—especially come tax season.
Here’s a breakdown to help you make sense of it all:
What Your Bookkeeper Handles (That’s Us)
Your bookkeeper handles the day-to-day financial work that keeps your business running smoothly. Think of us as your financial housekeeper—keeping everything organized, current, and in order.
At L&L, this includes:
Recording transactions
Managing accounts payable and receivable
Handling payroll and payroll tax filings
Reconciling bank and credit card statements
Generating monthly financial reports
Communicating with vendors and tracking due dates
Collecting W-9s from vendors, and handling 1099s at year's end
Working with your insurance agent on your Workers’ Comp Audit
Preparing clean books for your CPA at year-end
We don’t just enter numbers—we make sure everything’s categorized, reconciled, and ready to go. Clean, accurate books are the foundation for everything your CPA does.
What Your CPA Handles
Your CPA is there to help you with tax strategy, planning, and filings. They typically:
File your annual tax return
Offer tax advice and planning throughout the year
Handle depreciation schedules and more complex tax matters
Help with audits or IRS questions
May assist with financial forecasts or big-picture planning
Most CPAs don’t want to spend their time cleaning up your books—and many charge you extra if they have to.
Why the Relationship Matters
When your bookkeeper and CPA work together, you get the best of both worlds:
Your books stay accurate and up-to-date all year long
You’re not scrambling at tax time
Your CPA gets everything they need, clean and ready to go
You avoid extra clean-up fees or tax filing delays
At L&L, we aim to have everything buttoned up by the end of January—so your CPA has a smooth runway to file your return, not a paper trail to sort through.
A Strong Bookkeeper Saves You Time and Money
The cleaner your books, the faster (and cheaper) your CPA can do their job. We’ve had clients cut their tax prep costs in half—just by staying on top of reconciliations and categorizing transactions properly.
Let’s Get Your Books—and Your CPA—on the Same Page
When your books are clean and current, your CPA can work faster, your tax season gets smoother, and your stress level goes way down. Book a free Discovery Call to see how we can keep things organized and easy for you!
