Bookkeeping for people in the business of ideas.

The package prices above are starting points. Your monthly fee will depend on the complexity of your books, including things like the number of accounts and transactions and any additional systems that need to be reconciled.

Before we begin, I'll recommend a package and give you a clear monthly price based on your business. New clients also begin with a one-time $350 onboarding fee. If your books need catch-up or clean-up work before monthly bookkeeping begins, I'll scope and price that separately.

That's okay. You don't need to get everything cleaned up before reaching out; that's often part of the reason to hire a bookkeeper in the first place.

We'll start by figuring out where things stand and what needs attention. If your books need clean-up or catch-up work before we begin monthly bookkeeping, I'll explain what I recommend and why before we move forward.

Footnote uses Xero for bookkeeping. It's a cloud-based accounting platform designed for small businesses. Xero also includes Hubdoc, which makes it easy to capture and organize receipts and other financial documents … especially useful when you're traveling and expenses are piling up far from your desk.

If you're already using another system, we can talk during discovery about whether it makes sense to make a change. And if you don't have accounting software yet, that's perfectly fine. I can help you get Xero set up.

Ideally, not much. One of my goals is to make the bookkeeping side of your business easier to manage.

I'll handle the regular bookkeeping work, but I may occasionally need context that only you can provide: what an unfamiliar purchase was for, what a particular payment relates to, or what happened with an unusual transaction. Responding promptly to those questions helps me keep your books accurate and up to date.

I'll also help you set up simple systems that make the recordkeeping on your end easier. For example, Xero includes Hubdoc at no additional cost, so you can snap a photo of a receipt while you're traveling rather than trying to remember what it was for three weeks later.

A good bookkeeping relationship shouldn't create another part-time job for you. My goal is to give you reliable financial information while keeping your ongoing bookkeeping workload as light as possible.

Yes. I'll set up your books around the way your business earns money, so client work, royalties, speaking, and products each have their own place. You'll be able to see how each one contributes, and The Review adds a monthly look at your revenue mix. Footnote's work covers your business only; a salary from an employer and your personal finances stay outside it.

Yes, as long as your independent work is a business of its own. Many writers, consultants, educators, and other knowledge professionals have full-time employment alongside their independent work.

Footnote works only with the finances of your independent business. If that work closely overlaps with your job, we'll talk during discovery about whether the two can be kept clearly separate. If they can't, Footnote won't be able to take on the work.

Yes. Footnote clients use dedicated accounts for their business income and expenses. Even when a separate account isn't legally required, keeping business and personal activity separate makes your bookkeeping cleaner, easier, and far more useful.

If you haven't set one up yet, that's okay! We can make getting your financial systems organized part of the onboarding process.

No. Footnote focuses on bookkeeping, not tax preparation. My job is to keep your books accurate and organized throughout the year so that you – and your tax professional – have reliable financial information when tax time comes around.

If your CPA or enrolled agent has questions about your books, I'm also happy to work with them directly.