Small Business Bookkeeping That Stays Connected to Your Taxes
Yes, Bookkeeping Is Available as a Standalone Service
You don't have to sign up for a full accounting package to work with us. If what you need right now is a reliable bookkeeper — someone to keep your records current, reconcile your accounts, and make sure your numbers make sense — we can start there. We offer bookkeeping as a standalone monthly service, and we're happy to grow the relationship from that point if and when it makes sense for your business.
What Our Bookkeeping Service Includes
We handle the day-to-day financial recordkeeping that small business owners rarely have time to do well on their own. You share your receipts, bank statements, and transaction records — through our Canopy client portal, by email, or however works best for you — and we take it from there.
Our monthly bookkeeping service covers:
- Account reconciliation across your bank and credit card accounts
- Categorization of income and expenses
- Financial statement preparation (profit and loss, balance sheet)
- QuickBooks setup and ongoing data entry
- Year-end books delivered clean and ready for tax preparation
- Coordination with your Lighthouse tax team — no data translation required
Behind on Your Books? Catch-Up Bookkeeping Is Available
If your records are months — or years — behind, you're not alone, and there's no reason to feel stuck. Catch-up bookkeeping is one of the more common things we help small businesses with, and it's a straightforward process: we start from where your records are, work forward, and get your books to a clean, current state.
There's no judgment in this process. A lot of business owners reach a point where the books got away from them, and the longer it sits, the harder it feels to address. We've seen it before. We know how to sort it out. If you're behind on your bookkeeping in the Brainerd Lakes area and aren't sure where to start, a conversation with us is the right first step.
Why It Matters That Your Bookkeeper and Tax Preparer Are the Same Firm
When your bookkeeping and tax preparation are handled by two separate providers, there's always a gap between them. Numbers get re-entered. Categories don't match. Things that should flow directly from your books to your return require extra reconciliation — and sometimes errors slip through.
At Lighthouse, your books and your taxes stay in the same hands. The records we maintain throughout the year are the same records your tax preparer works from. There's no handoff, no translation, and no version of your financials that exists only in someone else's system. For small business owners who've dealt with the frustration of mismatched numbers at tax time, this is a meaningful difference.
We Handle the Software — You Run the Business
You don't need to learn QuickBooks before you can work with us. We set it up, maintain it, and keep it current. If you're already using QuickBooks, we can connect to your existing file. If you're starting from scratch, we'll get you set up correctly from the beginning.
Document sharing runs through our Canopy client portal, which means you can upload receipts and bank statements from your phone or computer without dropping anything off in person. Online bookkeeping through Canopy is available to clients throughout Minnesota — you don't have to be down the street to work with us.
Bookkeeping Questions We Hear Often
Do I have to use your full accounting service, or can I just get bookkeeping?
Bookkeeping is available as a standalone monthly service. You don't need to bundle it with tax preparation or payroll to get started. That said, many of our bookkeeping clients do end up working with us for taxes as well — it's a natural fit — but that's your call to make when the time comes.What if my books are really far behind — like a year or more?
That's exactly what catch-up bookkeeping is for. We've helped businesses get current from a year or more behind. We work through the records systematically, get everything reconciled, and bring your books to a clean state. It's not as painful as it sounds, and there's no judgment in the process.Do I need QuickBooks before I contact you?
No. If you don't have QuickBooks, we'll set it up as part of onboarding. If you're already using it, we can connect to your existing file. Either way, we handle the software — you don't need to figure anything out before reaching out.Can I work with you if I'm not in Baxter or Brainerd?
Yes. Document sharing and communication happen through our Canopy client portal, which means we can work with small business owners anywhere in Minnesota. Most of our clients are in the Brainerd Lakes area, but the service is fully available online.How is your pricing structured for bookkeeping?
We price monthly bookkeeping based on transaction volume — the number of accounts and transactions we're managing each month. We'll review your situation during an initial consultation and give you a clear, flat monthly rate before anything starts.
A Local Firm With Everything in One Place
Lighthouse Advisors is a full-service CPA firm based in Baxter, MN, serving small businesses and individuals throughout the Brainerd Lakes Area. We handle bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll, and business advisory — all under one roof, with direct access to the same advisor throughout the year.