All Posts

If your work runs hard from May to October and slows way down when the snow shows up, your books can tell two very different stories. Which story you get depends on one setting: cash or accrual. Here's what each one shows you and how to think about it. Should a seasonal Montana business use cash or accrual bookkeeping? Most small seasonal businesses do fine keeping day-to-day books on a cash basis. But if you want to know whether your summer actually paid for your winter, you

Most plumbers don't hire a bookkeeper until something hurts. Tax time gets ugly. Or the bank balance stops making sense. By then you just want someone to take the pile off your desk. That's fair. But the first conversation matters more than people think. A few good questions will tell you fast whether this person gets how a plumbing business actually runs. Here's what we'd ask if we were sitting on your side of the table. "How would you split service calls from new constructi

Every spring somebody around the Gallatin Valley asks me the same thing. They found a guy to help on jobs this season. Can they just pay him and hand him a 1099 in January? It's a fair question. It's also the wrong first question. What's the difference between a 1099 contractor and a W-2 employee for a Gallatin Valley service business? A W-2 employee is on your payroll. You withhold taxes out of their pay, you send those taxes in on a schedule, you carry workers' comp on them

An auto repair shop is really two businesses sharing one building. One sells parts. The other sells time. They have different costs, different margins, and different problems. Most shops track them as one number. That's where the confusion starts. One deposit, two different businesses At the end of the week the money comes in as one pile. A customer pays one invoice. That invoice had a water pump on it and 3 hours of labor. The card processor deposits one amount. So the books

A lot of business owners around Bozeman first hear about S-corp status from a friend on a job site or someone at the gym. The pitch is always the same. Elect S-corp, pay less tax. It's not that simple. And the part nobody mentions is what it does to your books. When should a Montana LLC elect S-corp status? There's no profit number that makes the answer yes. The real test is whether your business earns enough, steadily enough, to pay you a real wage every month of the year an

Most law firm owners I talk to don't have a bookkeeping problem. They have a calendar problem. Work comes in. Work goes out. Nobody ever stops and closes out the month. Here's what that looks like. This one is a composite, and I say more about that at the bottom. The setup Picture a small firm in Montana. One partner, one associate, and an office manager who also handles intake, billing, and whatever else lands on her desk. The work was good. Some family law, some estate work

Running a dental practice means juggling patients, staff, and insurance companies all day long. The bookkeeping side usually gets pushed to whatever hour is left over. That works fine for a while. Then the numbers stop making sense. Here are four signs it's time to get help with your books. Your cash swings around even though the schedule looks steady You had a full week of cleanings, crowns, and checkups. But this month's bank balance doesn't match how busy you were. That's

Montana's build season is short. Most contractors here cram nine months of paperwork into six months of actual work, then wonder what to do with all of it once winter hits. Here's a straight answer. What records should a Montana contractor keep, and for how long? Keep most financial records at least 3 years. That matches the general IRS rule for how far back the IRS can look at a filed return. Keep payroll records at least 5 years to stay ahead of Montana's wage claim window.

A missed lift rental charge helped a window cleaning owner see that his commercial routes were more profitable than he thought.

Quick payment does not mean bookkeeping can wait. See why locksmiths need current books to protect profits and avoid tax-time surprises.

If you moved your business to Montana, or started one here, you've probably heard the pitch: no sales tax. It's true, and it's one of the best things about running a business in this state. But it doesn't mean your books look nothing like a business in Idaho or Washington. Some things get easier. A few things still need attention, especially if you sell online or have any tie to a resort town like Big Sky. Does Montana's lack of a sales tax change your bookkeeping? Yes, but l

Four practical things painting contractors should look for in a bookkeeper or accounting firm, from job costing to tax support and communication.

Progress billing, subs, material deposits, and late client payments can leave contractors busy but unclear on job profitability.

If you run a service business in Bozeman, you've probably asked yourself this question. Maybe your bank balance never seems to match how busy you've been. Maybe tax season sneaks up on you every year. Either way, it's a fair question, and the answer is simpler than it sounds. Do I need a bookkeeper or an accountant? Most small businesses need a bookkeeper first. A bookkeeper handles your daily numbers: invoices, bills, payroll, and bank reconciliation. An accountant works fro

A pressure washing contractor falls behind on bookkeeping, gets organized, and finally sees what the business is really earning.

Four signs your pool service business may need accounting help, from payroll stress to tax surprises and unclear profits.

A closer look at one electrical contractor’s books uncovered $1,800 a month in silent costs—and clearer job margins.

Waiting until tax time to catch up on tree service bookkeeping can cost more than time. Learn why current books help protect cash flow, improve job decisions, and reduce tax-season stress.

Four practical things pest control contractors should look for when hiring a bookkeeper or accounting firm—from service-industry experience to timely answers and tax-ready books.

Busy flooring contractors can still feel unsure about cash and job profit when bookkeeping cannot keep up with the work.