Bookkeeping guides
Plain answers to small business bookkeeping questions
Short guides from the MCC Solutions desk for New Jersey business owners. General information, not tax or legal advice.
What is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor?
What a QuickBooks ProAdvisor is, what certification does and does not mean, how to find one, and the questions to ask before you hire a bookkeeper.
Read the guide →GUIDEBookkeeper vs. accountant vs. CPA: who do you need?
The difference between a bookkeeper, an accountant, a CPA and an enrolled agent for a New Jersey small business, and when each one is worth paying for.
Read the guide →GUIDEHow to set up bookkeeping for a new New Jersey LLC
A step-by-step setup for a new NJ LLC: business bank account, accounting software, chart of accounts, sales tax and payroll registration, and monthly habits.
Read the guide →GUIDEHow to catch up when your books are months behind
A practical plan for catching up on months or years of unreconciled bookkeeping: gather statements, reconcile in order, and fix the problems that cause delay.
Read the guide →GUIDEHow to reconcile a bank account (and why it matters)
A plain-language walkthrough of bank reconciliation in QuickBooks, Xero and other software: what it is, how to do it, and what to do when it will not balance.
Read the guide →GUIDENew Jersey sales tax for small businesses
How New Jersey sales tax works for small businesses: when to register, what is taxable, how to collect and file, and how to record it in your books.
Read the guide →GUIDENew Jersey payroll taxes and filings for small employers
An overview of the federal and New Jersey payroll taxes a small employer pays and files, with the reports that follow each quarter and year.
Read the guide →GUIDE1099 contractors: a checklist for New Jersey businesses
A practical checklist for paying independent contractors: W-9 collection, 1099-NEC filing, worker classification and what to track during the year.
Read the guide →GUIDENew Jersey LLC annual report: what it is and when it is due
How the New Jersey annual report works for LLCs and corporations: who must file, when it is due, what it costs and what happens if you miss it.
Read the guide →GUIDEChart of accounts for a small business: how to set one up
What a chart of accounts is, how many categories you actually need, and a clean starting structure for a small business.
Read the guide →GUIDEWhat business records to keep, and for how long
A practical retention guide for small business tax and accounting records, with the general IRS time limits and what to keep forever.
Read the guide →GUIDEHow to switch accounting software without losing your history
How to move from one accounting program to another (Wave, QuickBooks, Xero and others): what carries over, what does not, and how to pick the cutover date.
Read the guide →GUIDESeparating personal and business money: why and how
Why mixing personal and business money causes bookkeeping and legal problems, and the simple steps to separate them.
Read the guide →GUIDEWhat to send your bookkeeper each month: a checklist
A monthly checklist of what your bookkeeper needs from you: statements, receipts, payroll reports, loan statements and answers to questions.
Read the guide →Looking for help with a specific program? See bookkeeping by software.