A service that helps businesses with recording and reporting income, expenses, preparing financial statements, file and mail tax statements.
$30,000 to $60,000 per year
Working knowledge of financial statement preparation, superior attention to detail, excellent communication skills and integrity, understanding of basic tax preparation. Understanding of basic accounting software programs.
Basics: As a bookkeeper you will be helping your clients with the everyday tasks of financial record keeping. Your services are very similar to an accountant's with the main difference that you will not responsible for analyzing data or auditing financial reports. You main job is to gather and enter the data and do the basic math involved, the report your findings. You will be using accounting software for the job, the most popular being Quickbooks and Peachtree. You need to be high detail oriented and have above average common sense.
To Get Started: To get started you should already have worked in related fields so you know how the tasks relate and your clients will not have disappointing surprises. Begin by advertising on the phone book, newspapers, and online business boards, you will need to network with professionals on the field specially CPAs and business managers and owners, also join a business association You can charge $30 to $50 per hour or you can work payment details with each clients such as per hour or per month. You can work either from home or you can travel to your client's office, either way you will still have to travel to you client's office to obtain the records you need to gather and also to the bank to make deposits for your client. With that said keep track of your mileage so it doesn't cancel your profits.
Tips: You will not need assistants unless your business grows, in which case you might also need associates. This is an opportunity for those with disabilities. For Internet links related to this business do a search for the National Association of Certified Bookkeepers, the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers and bookkeeping help.
