Bookkeeping and tax preparation in Lenoir, NC
Bookkeeping and tax preparation for small business owners in Lenoir, NC
I keep your books current every month and prepare the tax return they feed into. You always know where the business stands, and there is nothing to reconstruct in April.
Call (828) 234-9716Let's talk about your books
Send a note or call. I'll get back to you within one business day.
Who I work with
Solo operators and small businesses that have outgrown doing the books at the kitchen table. Contractors, cleaners, landscapers, salons, therapists, consultants, real estate agents, and the shops downtown. Sole proprietors, single-member LLCs, and S corporations.
Most of my clients have no employees or just a few. They are good at the work and tired of guessing at the numbers.
I'm probably not the right fit for a business with inventory across several locations, a large payroll, or an in-house accounting team. If that's you, I'll say so on the first call and point you to someone better suited.
Two services, one set of books
Bookkeeping
Monthly categorizing and reconciling, financial statements that make sense to you, and cleanup for books that have fallen behind.
BookkeepingTax preparation and planning
Business and owner returns prepared from books I already know, quarterly estimates based on real numbers, and a planning conversation while there is still time to act on it.
Tax prep & planningWhy the same person should keep the books and prepare the return
When your bookkeeper and your tax preparer are two different people, the preparer works from books they've never seen. Questions go back and forth in March. Deductions get missed because nobody remembers what that charge in June was for.
I categorize that charge the month it happens. By the time I prepare your return, I've already reconciled every account and asked every question, so tax season is mostly a review.
How it works
A short call
You tell me about the business and how the books are handled now. I'll tell you whether I'm a fit and what it's likely to cost.
Setup or cleanup
I set new books up correctly from the start. If the books are behind, I catch them up before the monthly work begins, and I quote the cleanup separately so there are no surprises.
The monthly rhythm
Each month I categorize transactions, reconcile the accounts, and send you financial statements by the middle of the following month, with a short note on anything that needs your attention.
Hi, I'm Wendy
I started Craig Accounting for the owner who is good at the work and tired of guessing at the numbers. I keep the books, prepare the return, answer my own phone, and explain things in plain English.
Wendy Craig
Bookkeeper and tax preparer
What it costs
Bookkeeping is a flat monthly fee based on the number of accounts and the volume of transactions, quoted after I've looked at your books. Tax returns are a flat fee per return, quoted before I start. No hourly billing, and no invoice you weren't expecting.
Based in Lenoir, working across Caldwell County
My office is at 720b Norwood St SW in Lenoir. Most of my clients are in Lenoir, Hudson, Granite Falls, and the Hickory and Morganton areas, and most of the monthly work happens over email and shared files, so you don't need to be nearby to work with me.
- Lenoir720b Norwood St SW
- Hudson
- Granite Falls
- Morganton
- Hickory
Remote clients across North Carolina.
Common questions
Do I need to be on QuickBooks?
Most of my clients use QuickBooks Online. If you're on something else, or on a spreadsheet, we'll talk through whether it's worth moving, and I'll handle the setup if it is.
My books are a year behind. Can you still help?
Yes. Catch-up work is common. I'll look at what exists, quote the cleanup as a one-time project, and get you current before the monthly work starts.
Are you a CPA?
No. I'm a bookkeeper and tax preparer. For most small businesses that's the right fit: accurate monthly books and a correctly prepared return. If your situation calls for a CPA, such as an audit, a reviewed financial statement, or complex multi-entity work, I'll tell you and help you find one.
Do you prepare personal tax returns?
Yes, for the business owners I work with, since the business return flows into the owner's personal return.
What do you need from me each month?
Read-only access to your bank and credit card feeds, a quick answer when I ask about a transaction, and a few minutes to look over the statements I send. That's usually it.
Start with a short call
Tell me about the business and how the books are handled now. If I'm a fit, I'll tell you what it costs. If I'm not, I'll tell you that too.