Practical, plain-English bookkeeping guides for small business owners and nonprofits. Coastal Bookkeeping keeps your finances clean and current, so you always know where your business stands.
At the end of each month of bookkeeping, two reports tell you what happened: a profit and loss and a balance sheet. Each one answers a different question about your business. Read side by side, the second report explains a…
Hire a bookkeeper and the first thing that arrives is a list of requests: software access, bank statements, payroll reports, and a question about a deposit from March. It can read like a lot to gather at once, and it’s…
Look for a bookkeeping price and the services page will not have one. Ask outright and the answer often comes back as “it depends,” or as a request for a call. That is hard to budget around, and it can…
A balance sheet is a snapshot of what your business owns and owes. Here is what the three parts mean, a simple example, and how to actually read one.
Depreciation spreads the cost of an asset over the years you use it. Here is what it means, how straight-line depreciation works, and a clear example.
The general ledger is the master record of every transaction in your business. Here is what it tracks, how debits and credits work, and why it matters.
Owner’s equity is what is left of your business after debts, calculated as assets minus liabilities. Here is what it means, a simple example, and why it matters.
From invoicing to full cloud platforms like QuickBooks and Xero, here are the main types of accounting software and how to choose the right one for your business.
Bookkeeping does not have to eat your week. Here are practical ways to streamline your process, stay consistent, and keep your books clean without the stress.
Letting the books slide has real costs, from cash-flow surprises to tax-time penalties. Here is what neglecting your bookkeeping can do to a small business, and how to recover.
A bookkeeper keeps your daily financial records accurate and current. Here is what a bookkeeper actually does, day to day and month to month, in plain terms.
Starting a business and wondering when to hand off the books? Here is how new owners can tell they are ready to outsource bookkeeping, with a simple readiness checklist.