The right Tampa bookkeeper gives you more than categorized transactions—they deliver a disciplined monthly close, tax-ready records, and a simple owner dashboard so you can make confident decisions. At Henriquez Accounting & Tax Services, we pair monthly bookkeeping with quarterly tax planning and year-end filings. Explore Bookkeeping, Tax Preparation, and Controller/CFO Advisory.

Monthly Close Tax-Ready Owner-Friendly

Clean reconciliations, locked periods, and KPIs—every month, without surprises.

Evaluation Checklist (What Matters Most)

Credentials & scope: proven bookkeeping background; coordination with EA/CPA for tax planning and returns.
Close discipline: written checklist, reconciliations, tie-outs, prior-period locks, and review notes.
Tax alignment: chart of accounts mapped to returns (1120S/1065/1120; 1040 Schedules C/E) and 1099 readiness.
Security: encrypted client portal, MFA, e-sign, least-privilege access, and retention policies.
Tech stack: QuickBooks + modern AP/receipts/merchant integrations with proper clearing accounts.
Reporting & KPIs: P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, plus margins, runway/DSCR, DSO/DPO/DIO.
Pricing clarity: fixed-fee scope, response SLAs, and a simple change-order process.

Tampa / Florida Considerations

No state income tax: federal planning (entity, salary vs. distributions, retirement) drives the savings.
Sales & tourist tax: correct mapping and timely filings (e.g., DR-15; tourist development tax for STRs where applicable).
E-commerce & multistate: marketplace facilitator rules and economic nexus—avoid surprise liabilities.
Seasonality: hospitality and trades—plan staffing and cash reserves around demand cycles.

Service Cadence (Month–Quarter–Year)

Monthly

Reconcile bank/credit/merchant feeds; clear Undeposited Funds and Merchant Clearing.
Close with P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, and KPI snapshot.
AR collections cadence; AP batching with approvals; receipts attached to transactions.
Sales tax filings (where applicable) and W-9 collection for vendors.

Quarterly

Tax projections & vouchers; payroll compliance checks; S-Corp reasonable comp reviews.
Budget vs. actual, pricing/margin tune-ups, 13-week cash forecast refresh.

Annually

1099-NEC/1099-MISC e-filing; fixed-asset roll-forward & depreciation.
Return tie-outs for business/owner returns and next-year planning.

Healthy Signals vs. Red Flags

Healthy Signals

Written close checklist and period locks.
Gross-to-net reconciliation for Stripe/Square and delivery platforms.
Clear SLAs and fixed-fee deliverables.

Red Flags

“We’ll clean it up at year-end.”
No portal/MFA; requests sensitive data by email.
Unreconciled months; large suspense or “ask my accountant.”

Recommended Stack (Plays Nicely with QuickBooks)

AP & spend: Bill.com or Ramp with approvals and vendor management.
Receipts: Dext/Hubdoc with retention policy and attachment discipline.
Payments: Stripe/Square with proper clearing-account treatment.
Payroll: Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, or ADP (needs-based).
Inventory/COGS (where relevant): tools aligned to SKU and vendor invoice capture.

Pro Tip: Turn on “Close the books” with a password after each month. It prevents drifting reconciliations and preserves audit trails.

Common (Costly) Bookkeeping Issues We Fix

Owner draws coded as expenses; loan principal recorded as income.
Delivery/merchant deposits posted net instead of gross with fees/taxes/tips.
Negative A/R or A/P from misapplied payments/credits; large suspense balances.
Sales/tourist tax mis-mapping; late or incorrect filings.

What You’ll Get When You Work With Us

Clean, reconciled books and a reliable monthly close.
Quarterly tax projections with vouchers and due dates.
Sales/payroll tax coordination and 1099 workflow.
Owner dashboard: margins, runway/DSCR, DSO/DPO/DIO, and red-flag alerts.
Secure portal, e-sign, and responsive support.

Book a 30-Minute Consultation

FAQs

Do I need a Tampa-based bookkeeper or is remote fine?

Both work. Local knowledge helps with Florida sales/tourist tax, but we serve clients fully remote with secure tools.

How fast will I see results?

Typically within the first full close cycle (30–60 days): on-time statements, fewer surprises, and tax-ready records.

Can you work with my current CPA or tax preparer?

Absolutely—we coordinate bookkeeping with EA/CPA tax planning and returns to keep everything aligned.

Do you handle cleanup and catch-up work?

Yes—reconciliations, reclassifications, fixed-asset setup, sales/payroll tax corrections, and amended returns if needed.

Cash or accrual—what’s right for my business?

Service firms may start on cash; add accrual when invoicing, inventory, or detailed margin insight is needed. We can run accrual books and keep tax on cash where allowed.

Ready for Tampa bookkeeping that drives decisions?

We’ll implement rules, reconciliations, KPIs, and proactive tax planning so your books stay clean and useful year-round. Talk to an Enrolled Agent today. Schedule Consultation

What Should You Look for in a Tampa Bookkeeper?