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12 red flags that mean a cleanup will run over.
From how 30+ bookkeepers describe the jobs that went sideways. Check these before you quote.
The 12 red flags
01 Prior bookkeeper "just disappeared"
People don't vanish from tidy files. Expect undocumented workarounds and a locked admin login.
02 Personal cards used for business
Every statement now needs a line-by-line business-or-personal call. That's hours, not minutes.
03 "I'm not sure how many bank accounts"
If they can't count the accounts, nobody can count the transactions. Census first, quote second.
04 Payroll nobody has verified against provider reports
Wages that don't tie to the provider's reports mean amended filings, not bookkeeping.
05 Multi-state sales tax
Each state is its own registrations, rules, and penalties. Scope it as its own project.
06 Missing statements / dead institutions
Chasing paper from a closed bank is archaeology. Archaeology bills by the hour.
07 Undeposited Funds used as a catch-all
A five-figure UF balance is months of unmatched deposits hiding in one account.
08 Aggressive auto-add bank rules
Auto-filed transactions mean miscategorization at scale. Every rule needs a review pass.
09 Wants one big number today, without file access
A quote without file access is a guess with your margin attached.
10 Multi-year backlog, no deposit offered
Years of mess with nothing down puts all the risk on you. Deposit or paid diagnostic first.
11 "Do you want receipts tracked?" never asked
The classic missed question. Receipt tracking can double the hours on the same books.
12 Legally contested books
Divorce, partner dispute, audit — your work may become evidence. Different engagement, different price.
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