Just starting, suggestions?

[Greenbay]

Hi folks,

Here's where I'm at. I have an LLC, Workman's comp, 1,000,000 liability, one full-time employee and two part-time/on call guys. Any suggestions as to needing an accountant/book keeper or would quick books work for that. I don't mind doing paper work at all. I just don't want to shoot myself in the foot for taxes or anything like that. Any idea as to what an average price for someone handling the books, taxes, payroll, etc..... would run per month or year.

I am also open to any other suggestions on the business or work side of things as well. I really appreciate this site and all the helpful info I've found here so far.

Oh yeah, one more thing. I've been thinking of hiring a climber. Do most climbers provide their own gear or is this something I should be providing? :newbie:

 

[S Mc]

You have certainly gone the right route in getting your LLC and insurance programs in place. With all that represents in investment in your future I am also curious as to your experience in this field.

As a bookkeeper/office manager for years before I ever started working with my husband in the field (and I still do all our bookkeeping), the biggest advice I will give you right now is don't get in over your head. Keep a sharp eye on REALISTIC cash flow and expenditures. Don't always view the "best case scenario" but what the average day-to-day is going to produce. Remember that this work is seasonal (that may mean something different in your part of the country than mine).

Quick books should be good for a start, especially if you don't mind the paperwork. Are you comfortable with filing quarterly reports? Payroll summaries? Monthly federal and state payroll taxes? Are you going to estimate your federal tax returns? If you are uncertain as to what these all mean but feel you can learn, you may want to hire a bookkeeper to instruct you in the details and then be good to go on your own. Or if that sounds too much, then you might want to hire someone on an hourly basis (rather than going to the expense of full time). Many bookkeepers contract services so check your area.

Good luck.

Sylvia

 

[Greenbay]

My experience is 3 year sawing for federal agencies, and 3 years working for other arborists and logging. I'm working at getting more certs this winter in the off season. I've had some help on the business advise side from an uncle who owns Rottochopper, but wanted to get some opinions from people more specialized on the type of work I'm doing.

 

[ddhlakebound]

Oh yeah, one more thing. I've been thinking of hiring a climber. Do most climbers provide their own gear or is this something I should be providing? :newbie:

Any serious, experienced climber will have his/her own climbing kit. You still need to have a backup set of climbing gear on hand, should an aerial rescue ever be necessary, and someone capable of using it.

Setting yourself up with a quality rigging kit (assuming you don't already have one) for the climber you hire to use will probably be necessary for anything but simple natural crotch rigging, and a good place to start.

Welcome to AS.

 

[arbor pro]

I only use an accountant for year-end stuff. Quickbooks will do everything you need including payroll. Just find an accountant that uses quickbooks -which just about all accountants do nowadays. There are lots of tutorials available on Quickbooks too. Setting up your chart of accounts correctly is the most important thing. Expect to spend some time/money learing the software but, in the longrun, it will be way cheaper to do the accounting yourself and have an accountant help with year end taxes & depreciation.

 

[Pete M]

I've got a box full of bits of paper and paying in books that I have to add up once per year and write numbers on a tax return!