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Nancy R.
I have used James Larsen as my CPA for many years and am confident in his work ethic and tax knowledge.
Business Bookkeeping
Get It Right. Get It Tight.
If you don't have crisp, accurate and timely financials, you aren't taking your business seriously enough. If you run your business based on the money you have in your bank account on any given day, it's time to get your books right with Dark Horse. Great bookkeeping is the foundation of informed business decisions and the mark of a sophisticated entrepreneur. It serves as the foundation for tax planning and filing your returns correctly. And, it serves as the building blocks of forward-looking financial modeling and reporting that will take your business to the next level. We're here to get that P&L and Balance Sheet dialed in for you.
We are the Bookkeepers & We are the Balancers of Balance Sheets
You didn't start your business to give you an excuse to do amateur-hour bookkeeping. The problem is that most companies end up outsourcing their books to amateurs because of the price tag, only to pay the price down the road when they've been making decisions on bad information and filing incorrect tax returns. We do bookkeeping the right way at a fair price, saving you untold amounts of money, time and stress.
Fractional CFO
strategic support, financial planning, and analysis to take your business to the next level
Outsourced Accounting
full-service accounting to help you manage the back office.
Bookkeeping
timely and accurate recordkeeping
Bookkeeping with Dark Horse
Our 3-Step Process
1. Initial Discovery. We'll build a working understanding of your business, any bookkeeping done to date and what data you want from your financial statements."
2. Bookkeeping Assessment. We'll evaluate your books to see what needs to be fixed, changed and improved to help you get the data you're seeking from your financials.
3. Ongoing Work. We'll update your books as discussed in the assessment. Going forward, you'll receive your books in a timely, digestible and actionable manner.
Bookkeeping Assessment
Understanding Your Financial Data Quality
There are two main areas we look at when we go through a Bookkeeping and Compliance Assessment. First, we want to verify the accuracy of the financial data. Second, we need to ensure that the books are “tax ready” come year end. Both area are required to understand business performance, cash flow and ultimately your tax liability at the end of the year. The assessment will tell you exactly where you stand today, and what you need to do to improve moving forward.
Starting At
$1,500
Double-Clicking into Ongoing Work
After we've provided our recommendations in the assessment, it's time to get to work. Our work product is timely, accurate and insightful books that allow you to make informed decisions, plan for your year-end tax bill, and if you're a strategic tax advisory client , use it as the basis for curating tax savings strategies.
You wouldn't step over a dollar to pick up a dime
And yet so many business owners do exactly that when they hire inept bookkeepers to save a buck or decide to DIY to save even more. There's a saying that you get what you pay for (or don't pay for in the case of DIY). The problem is that business owners often don't know the costs they incur with shoddy bookkeeping work until it's too late. Overpaying taxes, incurring penalties and interest for underpaying taxes, getting blown up in an audit, unwittingly spending wastefully, becoming a victim of fraud, the list goes on. Hiring a full-time, in-house bookkeeper often times is not the solution. It'll cost you more than Dark Horse, PLUS you won't have the objectivity, expertise and multiple levels of review that will lead to higher quality books and lower susceptibility to fraud. Not sure which accounting services you need? Check out the side-by-side comparison .
Garbage in, (expensive) garbage out
Not every cash deposit in your bank account is revenue. CPAs know this, others either don't or refuse to spend the time to understand what the debits and credits actually represent.
Without Dark Horse
Business owners managed their own bookkeeping compliance without the use of any accounting software.
- #1
In 2023 – Adjusted Gross Income was just over $650,000.
- #2
Multiple business deductions were missed throughout the year because of incorrect classification.
- #3
Client was facing a $82,000 Federal/State tax bill.
Bookkeeping was looked at as an afterthought of the business management which lead to a massive issue for the owners.
Bookkeeping FAQs
We can’t tell you the number of times clients/businesses have come to us after having tried to manage their own bookkeeping – and the cleanup mess that must be done. The cleanup of poor bookkeeping can end up costing much more than if you’d simply outsourced to an expert.
Even if your business is small or has a low volume of transactions, working with a Dark Horse professional can be highly beneficial. We can:
- Establish a strong financial foundation for your business
- Save you time, allowing you to focus on your core business activities
- Ensure compliance with tax laws and regulations, avoiding costly mistakes
- Provide valuable insights and advice to help you make informed decisions
- Offer scalability and support as your business grows
Investing in a relationship with a Dark Horse professional from the start can set your business up for long-term success, saving you time, money, and stress in the long run. By partnering with us early on, you'll have a trusted advisor who can help you navigate your business's financial future.
Most businesses will at least need to have cash basis bookkeeping for tax reporting purposes. For simpler businesses, this may be all you need. For businesses that have a bit more going on, you’d be well advised to also keep your books on the accrual basis of accounting in combination with cash basis books (you can keep your books on both accounting methods to be able to see either with the click of a button). Accrual accounting allows for you to better match revenue and expenses so that you can gain deeper insight into profitability and your true performance during a given period of time. It is also the foundation of being able to do forecasting, proformas, profitability analyses and other fractional CFO-type services. If your business is an accrual basis taxpayer (we can help you figure that out), then you’ll absolutely need accrual basis bookkeeping.
As with any major function of your business, you’ll need to assess your ability to lead and manage any internal staff to ensure a successful outcome. Many business owners aren’t equipped to do this in the area of accounting and thus make less-than-ideal hires and aren’t able to set their accountants up for success. Alternatively, by hiring a Dark Horse CPA, you’ll be paying a fraction of the cost since we can provide our services in a much more efficient manner than most in-house accountants, thus eliminating the salary and benefits of a full-time accountant. Also, you won’t have to manage us as we’ll partner with you to deploy solutions that have been highly effective with clients in similar industries and situations as yours. For certain businesses, it may not be an either/or approach. You may need in-house accounting staff supplemented by a Dark Horse Fractional CFO. Either way, we’ll let you know what we believe to be the best approach for your business. Take a look at our Outsourced Accounting offerings to help with complex back-office accounting support.
Our bookkeeping package is designed to provide you with accurate and timely financial information. When you partner with us, you can expect the following essential services:
We will record and categorize your financial transactions, reconcile your bank and credit card accounts, and provide you with access to critical financial statements such as your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement on a monthly basis.
Our team will handle your month-end and year-end closing processes, maintain an accurate general ledger, and ensure that your books are tax-ready, including the preparation and filing of forms 1099.
We strive to keep your books current and up-to-date, on a monthly basis as a baseline standard. Once you provide us with the necessary information, such as bank statements, receipts, invoices, and answers to any follow up questions we may have, we typically update your books within a few business days. This ensures that you always have access to the most recent financial data. There are certain situations that can call for your books being closed quarterly, bi-annually or even annually depending on the transaction volume and operations.
We specialize in QuickBooks Online (QBO) and Xero, two of the most popular and user-friendly cloud-based accounting solutions. By leveraging these platforms, we can provide you with quick and easy access to your financial data, ensuring that you have timely information to make informed decisions.
If you are currently using QuickBooks Desktop, we can assist you in migrating your data seamlessly to QuickBooks Online. This transition will enable you to take advantage of the many benefits of cloud accounting, such as real-time collaboration, automatic updates, and secure access to your financial information from anywhere, at any time.
Should you be using another accounting system or solution, we are more than happy to discuss your specific needs and requirements. Our team can help evaluate whether your current system is the best fit for your business or if a migration to one of our preferred cloud accounting partners would be more beneficial.
By combining the expertise of our professionals with robust processes and technologies, we strive to deliver the highest level of accuracy in your financial data, giving you the confidence to make informed decisions for your business.
We employ a multi-layered approach to guarantee the precision and reliability of your financial information:
- Qualified professionals: Our team consists of highly trained and experienced CPA’s and accountants who are well-versed in accounting principles and industry best practices.
- Regular reconciliations: We perform frequent reconciliations of your bank accounts, credit card statements, and other financial accounts to identify and resolve any discrepancies promptly.
- Cutting-edge technology: By utilizing advanced cloud-based accounting software like QuickBooks Online and Xero, we can automate many processes, reduce manual data entry, and improve overall accuracy.
- Continuous monitoring: Our team regularly monitors your financial data for any unusual transactions or inconsistencies, allowing us to catch and correct potential issues early on.
- Open communication: We maintain open lines of communication with you and expect the same from you – we encourage you to ask questions and provide feedback. This collaborative approach helps us ensure that we have a thorough understanding of your business and can accurately reflect your financial position.
However, you know your business better than anyone and we rely on the information you provide us to ensure what we are completing is in fact, accurate. Basic compliance and bookkeeping activities do not include any type of forensic accounting or audit (we are not an audit firm).
You work directly with one CPA/team. Our experienced CPA’s and accountants will not only maintain accurate financial records, but also offer guidance on interpreting the data.
If you need more in-depth strategic support, we can help you identify areas for improvement, suggest cost-saving measures, and provide insights to help you make better financial decisions for your business. Take a look at our CFO offering.
As your business grows and evolves, we offer support to meet your changing needs. Whether you require more frequent financial reporting, additional custom reports, or support for new revenue streams or locations, we scale to accommodate your business's growth. Check out our outsourced accounting and CFO level offerings.
Yes, our goal is always to provide you with tax-ready financial statements at year end. Whether you do your taxes with us, or elsewhere, rest-assured your books are accurate and up to date. Doing your taxes with Dark Horse provides the added benefit of a streamlined tax preparation process and minimizes the risk of errors or delays.
We understand that every business has unique needs and budgets, which is why we offer flexible service offerings based on your specific requirements. Our bookkeeping packages are designed to be scalable, allowing you to choose the level of service that best suits your business.
We provide flat-rate monthly pricing, based on your business’s prior year annual revenue and adjusted for the level of complexity. This means you'll know exactly what to expect each month, with no hidden fees, and no surprises.
To get started, we offer a free consultation/discovery call to assess your needs and provide you with a customized quote. We believe in earning your trust and building long-term relationships, which is why we do not require long-term contracts or commitments.
Our services are provided on a month-to-month basis, giving you the flexibility to adjust your package as your business grows and evolves. We are confident in our ability to deliver value and are committed to working with you for as long as you find our services beneficial.
If, at any point, you wish to discontinue our services, simply let us know, and we will work with you to ensure a smooth transition.
Jude T.
After years of feeling underwhelmed by every tax professional I worked with, we finally found Chris Ries at Dark Horse. We did a wide search for a CPA who could handle both our business and personal needs. Chris stood out from the start. He's not just deeply knowledgeable about tax law - he's genuinely thoughtful and strategic in how he applies it to your specific situation. What truly sets Chris apart is how responsive and engaged he is throughout the entire year. Our strategy sessions allowed us to get ahead of issues long before tax season, which made the whole process significantly smoother and less stressful.
Kyle T.
With our prior accountant we didn't feel we were receiving adequate tax guidance and felt we were always paying more than our fair share of taxes. We have been very pleased with the service we have received with Adam Ripperdan. He has taken the time to review in detail our current situation and upcoming plans. With that information he has helped us create tax strategies for our businesses, investments, and personal taxes that not only help us save on taxes but also helps us plan for the future. I highly recommend Dark Horse CPAs.
David H.
Chris is exceptional. He is far more professional, clear in his communication, and knowledgeable than any CPA I’ve worked with. He has expertly managed both my personal and business tax needs and consistently goes above and beyond—helping me make informed, strategic decisions well in advance of future tax filings. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Johnny E.
Chris with Dark Horse is great! He provides so much information and helps me learn about my taxes, not just filing them. He is very passionate about his work and I appreciate the work he does for my company!
John T.
Provides great service. Very professional. Very responsive to questions and inquiries. Very punctual, I would highly recommend their services.
Nancy R.
I have used James Larsen as my CPA for many years and am confident in his work ethic and tax knowledge.
Jude T.
After years of feeling underwhelmed by every tax professional I worked with, we finally found Chris Ries at Dark Horse. We did a wide search for a CPA who could handle both our business and personal needs. Chris stood out from the start. He's not just deeply knowledgeable about tax law - he's genuinely thoughtful and strategic in how he applies it to your specific situation. What truly sets Chris apart is how responsive and engaged he is throughout the entire year. Our strategy sessions allowed us to get ahead of issues long before tax season, which made the whole process significantly smoother and less stressful.
Kyle T.
With our prior accountant we didn't feel we were receiving adequate tax guidance and felt we were always paying more than our fair share of taxes. We have been very pleased with the service we have received with Adam Ripperdan. He has taken the time to review in detail our current situation and upcoming plans. With that information he has helped us create tax strategies for our businesses, investments, and personal taxes that not only help us save on taxes but also helps us plan for the future. I highly recommend Dark Horse CPAs.
David H.
Chris is exceptional. He is far more professional, clear in his communication, and knowledgeable than any CPA I’ve worked with. He has expertly managed both my personal and business tax needs and consistently goes above and beyond—helping me make informed, strategic decisions well in advance of future tax filings. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Johnny E.
Chris with Dark Horse is great! He provides so much information and helps me learn about my taxes, not just filing them. He is very passionate about his work and I appreciate the work he does for my company!
John T.
Provides great service. Very professional. Very responsive to questions and inquiries. Very punctual, I would highly recommend their services.
Industries We Serve
While your business is unique, it's unlikely that you're in an industry we haven't served. Below are a few of the industries we have deep experience with.
Agriculture
Bio-Tech
Govermental
Medical & Dental
Non-Profits
Real Estate
Technology
Construction
Professional Services
Cannabis
Retail
eCommerce
Manufacturing & Distribution
Esports & Content Creators
Find Your Dark Horse CPA
When you work with Dark Horse, you're actually working with your very own Dark Horse CPA, instead of a rotating roster of staff like you get with the traditional CPA firm. Select a specialty below to get matched with the right CPA.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tax Strategies and Savings
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