Messy books
Your Bookkeeper Left and You Do Not Know the State of the Books
A bookkeeper quits, a relative who kept the books steps away, or the person you hired stops answering. First secure the access. Then we find out what was actually done.
What to secure first
- Ownership of the bookkeeping subscription. Make sure you are the primary admin, not the person who left
- Passwords for the bank, payroll provider, sales tax account and IRS and state accounts
- Remove user access for anyone who no longer needs it, including on bank accounts and cards
- The payroll provider login and the dates of the next payroll and the next filings
- Copies of every return and filing made in the last few years
- Any paper files, check stock and signature stamps
Do this before anything else. If the subscription or a tax account was opened in the bookkeeper’s own name, getting it transferred takes time, and it is easier while they are still reachable.
Finding out what was done
Owners in this position usually do not know whether the books are a month behind or two years behind. We check, and report back in plain terms:
- The last month each account was reconciled, if any
- Whether payroll returns and deposits were made, and through what date
- Whether sales tax returns were filed
- Whether year-end forms went out to employees and contractors
- Which tax returns were filed and which were not
- Anything in the file that looks wrong or unexplained
Filings come before tidying. A missed payroll deposit or sales tax return costs more with every period, so those are identified and dealt with first. See behind on payroll taxes and behind on sales tax.
If something looks wrong
Most of the time the books are simply behind. Occasionally the review turns up payments nobody can explain, payroll for someone who does not work there, or checks written to the person who kept the books.
If that happens we show you exactly what we found, with the documents. What to do about it is a matter for an attorney and your insurer, not for a bookkeeper, and we say so early. A reconciled set of books is the evidence either of them will ask for.
Taking over
We take the file as it is, bring it up to date, and carry on monthly from there. You do not start again from scratch and you do not have to explain how the last person did things. Our bookkeeping page describes the ongoing service, and outsourced vs in-house bookkeeping covers the choice if you are deciding whether to rehire.
Frequently asked questions
My bookkeeper will not hand over the login. What can I do?
If the subscription is in your business’s name, the software company can restore your access after verifying you. If it was opened in the bookkeeper’s name, ask them to transfer ownership, and keep your bank and tax logins, which are yours regardless. The books can be rebuilt from bank statements if the file is never recovered.
How do I know how far behind the books are?
The quickest test is the last reconciliation date for each bank account, compared with today. We check that along with the payroll, sales tax and income tax filings, and give you a short written summary of what is current and what is not.
Can you take over partway through a year?
Yes. We bring the file up to date from the last reconciled point and continue from there. There is no need to wait for a year end.
A family member used to keep the books and cannot anymore. Where do I start?
With access. Gather the logins, the last filed returns and the bank statements, and send us what you have. We will tell you what state things are in and what is due next. The document list shows what helps most.
Not the question you had? The full tax FAQ covers more ground, and our client reviews say what the work is actually like.
Related situations and guides
A QuickBooks file nobody trusts
Unreconciled accounts, duplicates, Undeposited Funds, bank-feed guesses. What gets repaired and in what order.
Learn moreBehind on payroll taxes
Missed deposits, unfiled quarterly returns, W-2s never issued. The most urgent kind of behind.
Learn moreWhat to gather, and how to get it
The full document list, ranked by how much each item helps, and how to replace what is lost.
Learn moreDo it yourself or hire it out
Which cleanups an owner can do, which cost more to attempt, and what to ask anyone you hire.
Learn moreCleanup Planner
Eight questions, then a plan: what comes first, what to gather, and which guides apply.
Part of Messy Books Help, alongside our catch-up bookkeeping service.
Tell us what you need
Send a short note about your situation and we’ll come back to you with a straight answer — whether that’s a quote, a next step, or a referral if it isn’t something we handle.
Prefer to talk it through first? Book a consultation and we’ll find a time, in the Easley office or virtually.
Send us the mess. We will send back a plan.
Call (864) 781-4035 or book a consultation, in the Easley office or virtually.