Logiframe

Guide

Choosing an accounting firm in the Bay Area: start with the work you need done, not the name on the door.

San Jose, San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area have no shortage of CPAs, bookkeepers and outsourced finance firms. The hard part is matching the firm to the job. Here is how to narrow the field and what to ask before you sign.

Book a free 30-minute call The options

The options

Three Kinds of Firm

What they mainly doBest for
CPA firmTax returns, tax planning, audits, reviewsFiling, tax advice, assurance
Bookkeeping firmMonthly books, reconciliations, payables and receivables, month-end closeAccurate monthly numbers
Outsourced finance firmController or CFO work on top of the booksForecasts, board reporting, fundraising

Most small businesses need a bookkeeping firm every month and a CPA once or twice a year. Some firms do both, but many CPA firms prefer not to do monthly bookkeeping, and many bookkeeping firms do not prepare tax returns. Ask which part of the work they actually want.

Local issues

Bay Area Questions Worth Asking

Businesses here deal with a few things that are less common elsewhere. A good firm should be comfortable with the ones that apply to you:

  • California obligations. State payroll taxes, the annual minimum franchise tax for most LLCs and corporations, and state filings your CPA will prepare from the books.
  • City business taxes. Some cities, including San Francisco and San Jose, have their own business tax or registration rules.
  • Remote and out-of-state staff. Employees in other states can create payroll and tax obligations there.
  • Startups and investors. Accrual books, deferred revenue and clean monthly reporting matter once investors are involved.
  • Multiple entities. Holding companies, property LLCs and foreign parents or subsidiaries are common.

Tax questions go to your CPA. The bookkeeping firm’s job is to keep records that make those answers easy to give.

Before you sign

Questions to Ask Any Firm

  1. Which software do you work in? QuickBooks Online and Xero are the most common. A firm that knows yours well will be faster.
  2. What exactly is in the monthly fee? Ask for the list: reconciliations, payables, receivables, payroll posting, month-end entries, reports.
  3. When will I get my reports each month? A specific working day is better than “early in the month”.
  4. Who reviews the work? Work checked by a second person catches errors before they reach you.
  5. How do you handle books that are behind? Catch-up work should be quoted separately.
  6. Who owns the file and the login? You should. The firm should be invited as a user, not the owner.
  7. Can anyone at the firm move my money? The right answer is no.

Our guide to what bookkeeping services cost shows how to compare two quotes.

Watch for

Warning Signs

  • A monthly price given before anyone has looked at your books.
  • No written scope, or a scope that says “full service” without detail.
  • Reports that arrive late or not at all in the first three months.
  • A file set up in the firm’s name rather than yours.
  • Claims to handle tax filings or legal questions without the right license.

Does local matter

Do You Need a Firm Down the Street?

For monthly bookkeeping in cloud software, the work happens in your QuickBooks Online or Xero file, so a firm across town and a firm across the valley do the same job. What local knowledge adds is familiarity with California and city rules, and the option to meet in person when it matters.

For tax work, a CPA who files California returns regularly is worth choosing on purpose.

Where we fit

Where Logiframe Fits

Logiframe US LLC is based in San Jose. We keep the monthly books for small and midsize businesses in QuickBooks Online and Xero, close each month on a set schedule, and hand your CPA a file that is ready for tax work. We do not prepare tax returns.

Our pricing is published: monthly bookkeeping from $399 a month, weekly from $599 a month.

Book a free 30-minute call Bookkeeping packages

Questions

Common Questions

How do I choose an accounting firm for a small business in the Bay Area?
Decide first whether you need monthly bookkeeping, tax work or both. Then ask each firm which software they use, what the monthly fee includes, when you will get reports, who reviews the work, and who owns the file.
Do I need a CPA or a bookkeeper?
Most small businesses need both: a bookkeeper every month to keep accurate records, and a CPA for tax returns and tax advice. Some firms offer both services.
Does my bookkeeper need to be local?
Not for cloud bookkeeping, because the work happens in your QuickBooks Online or Xero file. Familiarity with California and city rules is useful, and tax work should go to a CPA who files California returns.
What should a bookkeeping firm include each month?
Bank and card reconciliations, recorded bills and invoices, payroll posted from your payroll system, month-end entries, a closed period and a set of reports delivered on an agreed day.
Who should own the QuickBooks or Xero file?
The business owner. The firm should be invited as a user or accountant, so you keep access and ownership if you change providers.
Xero Gold Partner Earned through certified advisors and a proven client base.
Intuit ProAdvisor Elite badge QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Elite A team certified in QuickBooks Online, Intuit Enterprise Suite and Workforce.
Xero Asia Partner of the Year Recognised by Xero for delivery, not for sales volume.
13+ years in practice Across accounting outsourcing, ERP and accounting software work.

Next

Where to Go Next

Insight What Bookkeeping Services Cost Market bands, and how to compare two quotes. Guide Bookkeeper vs Accountant vs Controller Who does what as the business grows. Insight When to Hire a Bookkeeper The signs it is time to stop doing it yourself. Insight Xero Partner vs Generic Bookkeeper What partner status means in practice. About us Why Logiframe What we do, what we do not, and what it costs. The engagement How We Work What a month with us looks like.

Comparing firms right now?

Tell us what you need and which software you use. We will tell you plainly whether we are the right fit, or whether you need a CPA instead.

Book a free 30-minute call See our packages
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