Catch-Up Bookkeeping
Fall behind? We'll get your books back on track.
Get your books back on track
We dig into what happened, reconcile every account, and rebuild what's missing—so you get accurate books, filed taxes, and the clarity to make confident decisions again.
Months or years behind? We'll get you current.
Whether you're a few months back or several years deep, we work through the backlog systematically until every transaction is recorded and every period is accounted for. Along the way, we often uncover missed deductions and overlooked expenses that put money back in your pocket.
Inherited a mess from a previous bookkeeper? We'll untangle it.
Miscategorized transactions, duplicate entries, and sloppy shortcuts don't just look bad—they can throw off your taxes and hide the true financial picture. We go through the records line by line, correct what's wrong, and rebuild a clean, trustworthy foundation you can rely on going forward.
Accounts don't match your statements? We'll reconcile every one.
We match every bank, credit card, and loan account against your actual statements, so nothing slips through the cracks—no missed payments, no double charges, no unnoticed fraud. The result is accurate numbers you can use to make real decisions, not guesses.
How we untangle the most common messes
Every catch-up is different. We start with what's actually wrong, then work through the records systematically. Here are a few of the problems we regularly help clients clean up.
When the numbers don't add up, we find out why
If a report looks off, we trace it back to the source instead of guessing or smoothing it over.
- Root cause first: We trace every discrepancy back to its original source document.
- Pattern check: We flag repeat issues, not just one-time errors.
- Clear documentation: Every correction is recorded so nothing gets lost twice.
Specialized records need specialized cleanup
Some accounting challenges are unique to your industry. We untangle the records and get you back on track.
- Trust account cleanup: We reconstruct historical IOLTA activity and identify discrepancies for law firms.
- Revenue and A/R cleanup: We fix duplicate revenue, incorrect receivables, and billing-related problems.
- Compliance-ready reporting: We clean up the underlying records needed for accurate industry or regulatory reporting.
Behind on payroll filings? We'll get you compliant
Missed payroll deposits and filings carry real penalties. We identify what's outstanding, file corrections properly, and fix the setup so it doesn't happen again.
- File immediately: We submit outstanding filings right away to limit penalties.
- Correct, don't just resubmit: Errors get properly amended, not overwritten.
- Fix the root cause: We resolve the setup issue behind the miss.
Get your overdue tax returns filed with confidence
Whether records are missing or messy, we reconstruct what's needed and prepare reporting your CPA or preparer can use immediately.
- Reconstruct from records: We rebuild missing history from statements and transcripts.
- Work year by year: Oldest periods first, moving forward in order.
- Deliver tax-ready reports: Clean P&L, balance sheet, and ledger, ready to file.
Ready to get your books back on track?
Start your catch-upCatch-up questions, answered
The questions we hear most from business owners who've fallen behind — how far back we can go, how long it takes, and what we'll need from you to get started.
How far back can you go?
There's no limit. Whether you're a few months behind or several years, we can reconstruct your books from bank statements, receipts, and whatever records you have — even if the prior file is a mess or nothing was ever set up. We regularly rebuild multiple years of history to support overdue tax filings.
How long does a catch-up take?
It depends on how far behind you are and the volume and complexity of your transactions. A few months of clean-up can often be finished in a couple of weeks, while several years across multiple accounts takes longer. After a short review of your situation we can give you a realistic timeline, and we prioritize the periods you need first — such as those tied to an overdue tax deadline.
What do you need from me to get started?
Usually far less than people expect. We start with view-only access to your bank, credit card, and loan accounts, plus any existing accounting file and a few key documents like loan statements or payroll records. From there we do the heavy lifting on our own and come back with a short list of questions only when we genuinely need your input.
Can you fix mistakes a previous bookkeeper made?
Yes. Cleaning up after a previous bookkeeper is one of the most common reasons clients come to us. We investigate reports that don't look right, correct miscategorized or duplicated transactions, re-reconcile accounts that never tied out, and reorganize a chart of accounts that grew unwieldy — so you can finally trust what your books are telling you.
Can you prepare the books I need for overdue tax filings?
Absolutely. Getting clients ready for late or amended tax returns is a core part of our catch-up work. We reconcile every account and produce clean, accurate year-end financials your CPA or Enrolled Agent can file from. We don't prepare tax returns ourselves, but we act as the bridge between you, your books, and your tax preparer.
Looking for something else?
Catch-up work is where many clients start, but it's only part of what we do. Read how a cleanup actually runs, explore our full range of bookkeeping, payroll, and CFO-level support — or see how we keep your books current once you're caught up.
