3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Have Your CPA Do Your Bookkeeping
When you think of financial professionals, “CPA” is often the first title that comes to mind. Certified Public Accountants are highly trained, licensed experts who specialize in tax preparation, audits, compliance, and strategic financial planning. Naturally, many business owners assume that if their CPA can do taxes, they can also handle bookkeeping.
But here’s the truth: while CPAs can do bookkeeping, it doesn’t mean they should. In fact, having your CPA handle your day-to-day bookkeeping is one of the costliest mistakes a small business owner can make. Bookkeeping is a completely different discipline—one that requires attention to detail, regular upkeep, and systems that ensure your business runs smoothly month after month.
Let’s break down the top three reasons why you shouldn’t have your CPA do your bookkeeping.
1. They Don’t Want to Do It
Bookkeeping is the foundation of your financial records, but it’s not the work CPAs typically sign up for. Their expertise lies in analyzing numbers, interpreting tax law, preparing compliance reports, and giving strategic advice—not entering daily transactions.
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t hire a master chef to wash dishes. Sure, they can do it, but their skills are far better used in the kitchen creating meals. In the same way, CPAs went through years of training and licensure to work at a higher level of financial analysis.
Most CPAs prefer to receive clean, reconciled books from a dedicated bookkeeper so they can focus on what they do best—tax and compliance strategy. If they’re forced to do bookkeeping, it’s often viewed as tedious “grunt work” and won’t be prioritized in the way it should. That means you could end up with sloppy or inconsistent bookkeeping simply because it’s not their passion or specialty.
By contrast, a professional bookkeeper actually enjoys the process of organizing transactions, reconciling accounts, and creating order out of financial chaos. For them, accurate bookkeeping is the goal—not an afterthought.
2. They Don’t Have Time to Do It
Bookkeeping isn’t just a one-time task—it’s an ongoing, detail-heavy responsibility. Your books need to be updated weekly, sometimes even daily, depending on the size and complexity of your business. That means categorizing expenses, reconciling bank feeds, tracking invoices and payments, and keeping financial reports current.
Now, consider your CPA’s schedule. Most accountants are overloaded during tax season, working 60–80 hours a week just to keep up with deadlines. Even outside of tax season, they’re managing multiple clients’ financial statements, audits, and compliance reports.
Do you really think your books are going to be their top priority?
More often than not, bookkeeping gets pushed to the bottom of the list. The result? Delays in financial reporting, outdated books, and a lack of real-time visibility into your cash flow. This puts your business at risk because you’re making decisions based on incomplete or outdated information.
A dedicated bookkeeper, on the other hand, makes your books their primary focus. They have the time and systems to ensure your accounts are always up to date. This means you’ll always have accurate, timely numbers at your fingertips—whether you need to make a hiring decision, apply for financing, or prepare for tax season.
3. They Will Overcharge You to Do It
This is the kicker for most small business owners. CPAs are highly skilled professionals, and their hourly rates reflect that. The average CPA charges anywhere from $150 to $400 per hour, depending on their experience and specialty.
Bookkeepers, on the other hand, typically charge far less—often between $40 and $100 per hour, or even a flat monthly fee. Why? Because bookkeeping is their bread and butter. It’s efficient, repeatable, and systemized.
If you hire your CPA to do your bookkeeping, you’re essentially paying premium rates for tasks that don’t require CPA-level expertise. Entering transactions into QuickBooks, reconciling bank accounts, and running monthly reports simply don’t justify a $300/hour price tag.
That’s like hiring a lawyer to mow your lawn—it might get done, but it’s an incredibly expensive way to solve a simple problem.
By outsourcing your bookkeeping to a professional bookkeeper (or using an in-house bookkeeper), you’ll save significant money while still getting accurate, timely records. Then, when tax season rolls around, your CPA can focus on what they do best: preparing your return and helping you legally minimize your tax liability.
The Smarter Approach
Here’s the smarter financial workflow:
Hire a bookkeeper to handle your day-to-day financial records. They’ll keep everything organized, reconciled, and ready to go.
Use your CPA for high-level services like tax planning, compliance, audits, and strategic financial advice.
Work together by ensuring your CPA and bookkeeper are in communication. This creates a seamless flow of information that benefits you and your business.
This division of labor ensures you’re not overpaying for basic services, your books stay up to date year-round, and your CPA can maximize their value when it comes to tax time.
Your CPA is a valuable resource, but they are not your bookkeeper. Asking them to handle your bookkeeping is like asking a surgeon to take your blood pressure: they can do it, but it’s not a good use of their expertise—or your money.
They don’t want to do it.
They don’t have time to do it.
And they will absolutely overcharge you to do it.
Instead, invest in a dedicated bookkeeper who specializes in keeping your financial foundation strong. Your business will run smoother, your CPA will thank you, and your wallet will be much happier in the long run.