If your NJ business's books have fallen months or years behind, catch-up bookkeeping is the process of reconstructing, categorizing, and reconciling every transaction to bring your financial records current. Greg Monaco, CPA provides catch-up bookkeeping at a fixed price based on scope, typically completing 6 to 12 months of backlog in 1 to 3 weeks, followed by a transition to monthly service to prevent recurrence.

If your bookkeeping has fallen behind, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common situations I see with new clients.

How Does the Catch-Up Bookkeeping Process Work?

Gather all bank and credit card statements. Review the current state of books. Categorize and reconcile every transaction month by month. Resolve duplicates and errors. Prepare accurate financial statements for each period.

What Do I Need to Provide for Catch-Up Bookkeeping?

Read-only access to bank and credit card accounts, access to accounting software if you have one, any invoices and receipts, and your most recent tax return.

How Long Does Catch-Up Bookkeeping Take?

6-12 months of catch-up typically takes 1-3 weeks. I provide a fixed quote based on scope.

How Do I Transition to Monthly Bookkeeping After Catching Up?

Once catch-up is complete, we transition to monthly bookkeeping to prevent recurrence. Monthly service is significantly less expensive than periodic cleanups.

Key Takeaway

Catch-up bookkeeping is a one-time project with a defined endpoint. Once your books are current, transitioning to monthly bookkeeping keeps them that way at a fraction of the cost of periodic cleanups. The longer you wait to catch up, the more expensive and time-consuming the process becomes.

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## Frequently Asked Questions

How much does catch-up bookkeeping cost in NJ?

Catch-up bookkeeping is typically priced as a fixed-fee project based on the scope: the number of months behind, the volume of transactions, and the number of accounts. For a typical NJ small business with 6 to 12 months of backlog, expect the project to be quoted after an initial review of your bank statements and any existing records.

How long does it take to catch up on 12 months of bookkeeping?

A 6 to 12 month backlog typically takes 1 to 3 weeks to complete, depending on transaction volume, the number of accounts, and how organized your source documents are. Having all bank and credit card statements readily available, along with any existing invoices or receipts, speeds up the process significantly.

What do I need to provide for catch-up bookkeeping?

You will need to provide read-only access to all business bank and credit card accounts, access to your accounting software (if you have one), any invoices and receipts you have retained, and your most recent tax return. The more documentation you can provide up front, the faster and more accurate the catch-up process will be.

Should I switch to monthly bookkeeping after catching up?

Yes. Monthly bookkeeping prevents the backlog from recurring and costs significantly less over a year than periodic catch-up projects. Monthly service also provides real-time financial visibility for decision-making, accurate quarterly estimated tax calculations, and a smooth tax season because your books are already current.