Life is like bookkeeping, everything must be balanced.Life is like bookkeeping, everything must be balanced.Life is like bookkeeping, everything must be balanced.Life is like bookkeeping, everything must be balanced.

Do I need a bookkeeper if I have an accountant? What’s the difference?

Contrary to popular belief, accountants and bookkeepers perform distinctly different tasks for the businesses they serve. Bookkeepers are responsible for on-going maintenance of their clients’ general ledgers. A bookkeeper’s common responsibilities consist of:

· Compiling data on a daily basis

· Categorizing expenses in the general ledger

· Reviewing the general ledger for accuracy

· Reconciling bank statements against the general ledger

· Generating financial statements

Accountants use the accurate and up-to-date general ledger maintained by the bookkeeper to provide advisory services, such as:

· Analyzing the company’s financial data

· Preparing income tax returns

· Providing tax planning advice