Bookkeeping
Outsourcing bookkeeping: when it makes sense and how the handover works
What you hand over when you outsource bookkeeping, what an in-house bookkeeper costs by BLS data, the IRS deadlines your books feed, and a step-by-step handover with the IRS access tools.
Prepared by Aldro Accounting · Updated · Sources checked
The quick answer
Outsourcing bookkeeping means an outside team records transactions, posts debits and credits, keeps the general ledger and produces financial statements instead of an employee. An in-house bookkeeper earned a median of $50,670 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The IRS lets a tax professional, payroll service or other trusted third party make your electronic federal tax deposits, but you stay responsible for the accuracy of your return.
What you hand over
The BLS says bookkeepers are often responsible for some or all of an organization's accounts, known as the general ledger. They record transactions, post debits and credits, and produce financial statements and other reports. Some also handle bank deposits, payroll, purchases, invoices and overdue accounts.
Outsourcing moves that work to an outside provider. The ledger, the monthly reports and the year-end numbers your tax return is built from all come from them.
When outsourcing makes sense
Cost is the first test. The BLS median for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks was $50,670 a year, or $24.36 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned under $36,000 and the highest 10 percent over $74,550. Most of these workers are full time.
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Construction | $54,890 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | $51,880 |
| Wholesale trade | $50,660 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | $49,860 |
| Retail trade | $45,830 |
Pay varies by industry and place. In May 2025 the median was $54,890 in construction and $45,830 in retail trade. In May 2023 the top-paying states by annual mean wage were the District of Columbia ($64,390), Massachusetts ($56,880), California ($56,650), New York ($55,990) and Washington ($55,560).
Workload is the second test. The BLS notes bookkeepers may work extra hours at fiscal year end, at tax time and during monthly or yearly audits.
The work itself is changing. The BLS projects employment of these clerks to decline 6 percent from 2025 to 2035 as software automates routine tasks, and expects them to take a more analytical and advisory role, reviewing books rather than entering data by hand.
The IRS deadlines your books feed
Whoever keeps the books has to have them ready for these dates. When a due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the next business day counts as on time.
How the handover works, step by step
A clean handover gets the new provider the records, the access and the payment permissions it needs, and settles who does what.
- Gather the records: the general ledger, bank and credit card statements, open payables and receivables, and prior filed returns.
- Set up IRS online access. Sole proprietors, partnerships, S corporations, C corporations and single-member LLCs can view their IRS tax information in a business tax account. A tax professional can send an authorization request through Tax Pro Account to access an individual's IRS online account, which the taxpayer approves or rejects.
- Sort out tax deposits. All federal tax deposits must be made by electronic funds transfer, generally through EFTPS, IRS Direct Pay or the business tax account. A business can instead arrange for its tax professional, financial institution, payroll service or other trusted third party to make the deposits.
- Know the payroll deposit trigger. If a business accumulates $100,000 or more of employment taxes on any day in a deposit period, the deposit is due by the next business day.
- Set up W-2 filing. The Social Security Administration's Business Services Online offers free W-2 and W-2c filing for accountants and others who process them.
- Split the roles in writing. A paid preparer signs the return, but the IRS says the taxpayer is ultimately responsible for giving the preparer all the information needed and for the accuracy of every item on the return.
Outsourcing to Aldro
Aldro bookkeeping is $20 a month and covers unlimited bank and card accounts, monthly reconciliation and statements. Payroll processing and sales-tax filing aren't included. Our team also prepares and files the year's returns for one flat $399 price that covers everything tax.
Worked example
Say a calendar-year S corporation outsources its books in January. Its Form 1120-S and the shareholders' Schedules K-1 are due on the 15th day of the 3rd month after year end, March 15, so the provider has about ten weeks to close December, reconcile every account and hand over year-end statements. If it files Form 7004, the return gets an automatic 6-month extension. An in-house bookkeeper at the BLS median would cost $50,670 in wages for the same year.
Common questions
What tasks are included when you outsource bookkeeping?
The core work the BLS lists for bookkeepers: keeping the general ledger, recording transactions, posting debits and credits and producing financial statements. Some bookkeepers also handle deposits, payroll, purchases and invoices.
How much does an in-house bookkeeper cost?
The BLS median was $50,670 a year, or $24.36 an hour, in May 2025, from under $36,000 for the lowest 10 percent to over $74,550 for the highest 10 percent.
Can an outsourced provider make federal tax deposits for me?
Yes. Federal tax deposits must be made electronically, and the IRS lets a business arrange for a tax professional, financial institution, payroll service or other trusted third party to make them.
Who is responsible for my return if I outsource?
You are. The preparer signs the return, but the IRS says you're ultimately responsible for providing the information and for the accuracy of every item reported.
How do I give an accountant access to my IRS account?
A tax professional can submit an authorization request through IRS Tax Pro Account to access your individual IRS online account, and you approve or reject it there.
The cheapest way to get your business taxes done: $399 flat.
Business tax filing is $399 USD a year, and it covers everything tax for that year.
How it works
- Tell us about your business. A two-minute form. No payment is collected through it.
- Get your next steps by email. We’ll email you the next steps within one business day. After you sign up we’ll send you a secure upload link for your documents.
- We file it. Our team prepares and files your return. Add bookkeeping for $20 a month if you want it.
What's included
$399 a year covers everything tax for that tax year.
- Every business return for the year. All the federal and state or provincial business returns you need for the tax year: Schedule C, 1065, 1120-S, 1120 and their state returns in the US; T2, or T1 with T2125, in Canada.
- More than one state. Multi-state returns are included at the same price.
- Your personal return. The owner’s personal return (1040 or T1) is included when it’s needed for the business income.
- Quebec. Quebec returns (CO-17, TP-1 and TP-80) are included. Our Quebec pages are in French, and our team works with you in English.
- Extensions and reminders. Extensions (Form 7004 or 4868) and quarterly estimate reminders are included.
- Information returns. 1099-NEC, T4/T4A and T5018 slips are included in the tax price.
- City and excise returns. City and local business tax returns, and state excise returns such as Washington B&O, are included in the yearly price.
- Franchise tax reports. State franchise tax reports, such as the Texas franchise tax report, are included.
- Estimated tax and instalment amounts. We work out your quarterly estimated tax payments in the US, or your CRA instalments in Canada, and tell you what to pay and when.
- Unfiled past years. Each unfiled prior-year return is $399 per tax year, the same flat price.
- Bookkeeping at $20 a month. Unlimited bank and card accounts, monthly reconciliation and monthly statements.
Basic inventory tracking for online stores, such as Shopify, is included. Full cost-of-goods reconciliation is quoted separately. Payroll processing and sales-tax filing aren’t included in bookkeeping. Prices are in USD. Our team prepares and files your return.
Sources
- BLS: Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks · checked October 31, 2026
- BLS: Occupational employment and wages, 43-3031 (May 2023) · checked October 31, 2026
- IRS: Publication 509, Tax calendars · checked October 31, 2026
This guide explains general rules from the sources listed. It isn’t tax advice for your situation.