01 — Start Here
Your CPA Should Receive Records, Not a Mystery
Your CPA can do better work when the underlying accounting records are complete, reconciled and organized. A tax professional may still need to make tax adjustments or ask questions, but starting with clean books reduces avoidable confusion.
Good
Reconciled Accounts
Cash and credit-card balances have been reviewed against statements.
Good
Organized Support
Important invoices, receipts, loan information and other records are easy to locate.
Best
Exception List
You already know which unusual items your CPA should investigate.
Step One
Reconcile Every Bank & Credit-Card Account
This is usually the best place to start because bank statements provide an external reference point for cash activity.
Match the statement period
Make sure the accounting period and statement dates line up.
Find missing transactions
Look for bank fees, payments, deposits, transfers and other missing activity.
Find duplicates
Check imported and manually entered transactions that may represent the same activity.
Verify ending balances
Confirm the reconciled accounting balance agrees with the relevant statement.
Step Two
Review Accounts Receivable & Payable
A/R
What customers owe
- ✓ Review old outstanding invoices
- ✓ Investigate customer credits
- ✓ Match payments to invoices
- ✓ Check unusual aging balances
- ✓ Identify disputes or exceptions
A/P
What you owe vendors
- ✓ Review old outstanding bills
- ✓ Investigate vendor credits
- ✓ Match payments to bills
- ✓ Check unusual aging balances
- ✓ Identify duplicate bills or exceptions
Step Three
Clean Up the Balance Sheet Before Tax Review
Step Four
Review the P&L Like Your CPA Will
Revenue
Does sales activity make sense?
Look for missing revenue, duplicates or unusual changes.
Expenses
Anything unusual?
Review large spikes, inconsistent categories and missing recurring expenses.
Profit
Can you explain the result?
A business owner should understand the major changes in profitability.
Step Five
Build a CPA Exception List
Do not make your CPA search for every unusual transaction. Create a short handoff list of items that require context, judgment or confirmation.
Explain what was purchased and retain supporting documentation.
Provide loan agreements and relevant year-end balances where applicable.
Flag unusual owner contributions, draws or mixed transactions.
A short “please review” list is better than silently guessing.
06 — Documents
Organize the Documents Your CPA May Need
The exact document request depends on the business and tax return. Use your CPA's requested list as the final authority.
Financial statements
P&L and balance sheet as applicable.
Bank records
Statements and reconciliation support.
Loan records
Loan statements and relevant agreements.
Payroll records
Payroll reports and supporting information.
Fixed-asset records
Purchases, disposals and supporting documents.
Major transaction support
Invoices, receipts and other relevant records.
07 — Final Checklist
CPA-Ready Books: 15-Point Checklist
08 — Avoid Delays
5 Things That Make CPA Handoffs Harder
01
Unreconciled accounts
02
Missing support
03
Old A/R & A/P
04
Last-minute cleanup
05
Guessing instead of flagging
09 — FAQs
Preparing Books for Your CPA FAQs
How should I prepare my books for my CPA?
Reconcile bank and credit-card accounts, review accounts receivable and payable, clean up unusual or duplicate transactions, check the balance sheet and profit and loss statement, organize supporting documents, and prepare a list of questions or unusual items for your CPA.
Should my books be reconciled before I send them to my CPA?
Whenever possible, yes. Reconciled and organized books give a CPA a better starting point for tax preparation and review. Your CPA may still make tax adjustments or request additional information.
What documents should I give my CPA?
The exact list depends on your business and tax return. Common records can include financial statements, bank and credit-card statements, loan information, payroll records, fixed-asset information and supporting documents for material transactions. Your CPA should provide the final document request for your specific return.
What happens if my books are messy before tax season?
Messy books can create additional review and cleanup work, delay tax preparation and make it harder to understand whether financial information is complete. Addressing bookkeeping problems before the filing deadline can make the process more manageable.
Can a bookkeeper prepare my books for a CPA?
Yes. A bookkeeper or accounting provider can maintain and clean up the underlying financial records, reconcile accounts and prepare financial reports. A CPA can then use those records for tax or other professional services as appropriate.
Bookkeeping & Catch-Up Support
Want Your Books Ready Before Your CPA Gets Them?
Accountrise provides remote bookkeeping and accounting support for US businesses, including catch-up bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, AP/AR cleanup, month-end close and financial reporting.
Starting at
$10
/hour
Remote bookkeeping & accounting support for US businesses • Starting at $10/hour. Final pricing depends on scope, transaction volume, complexity and engagement requirements.