Monthly Bookkeeping Services for Trade and Service Businesses

Bookkeeping, tax preparation, and planning on one flat fee. Plans start at $750 per month.

We close your books every quarter on QuickBooks Online. We prepare your tax return from those closed books. We plan the tax before the year ends, while the moves still count.

Greg Neilsen, JD, LLM (Master of Laws in Taxation), reviews our guides. Last reviewed: October 5, 2026.

On this page

What does this page answer?

Each answer is below.

Owner working on the books on a laptop

What do you get each quarter?

Closed books and two reports you can read. The starting plan covers up to 3 bank accounts and 4 credit card accounts.

  • Every transaction in those accounts coded to the right category.
  • Every account reconciled to its bank or card statement.
  • A profit and loss and a balance sheet for the quarter.
  • Books closed by the 15th of the month after the quarter ends.

Closed means the books match the bank and nothing sits uncategorized. Until then, your profit number is a guess. Higher plans add a monthly close for owners who want numbers every month.

Example: A pool service company runs 2 bank accounts and 3 cards. Its quarter ends June 30. By July 15, the owner has a closed profit and loss and balance sheet for April through June.

What does monthly bookkeeping cost?

Plans start at $750 per month. We set your fee after we see the books. You get it in writing before work starts, and there is no onboarding fee.

We do not sell bookkeeping alone. The books feed the return, and the return feeds the plan. One team owns all three.

Example: An electrician with 3 bank accounts and 4 cards fits the starting plan. A roofer with 6 bank accounts needs a higher plan, which we quote on the call.

What do owners say about Zero Tax?

“Zero Tax LLC has been a tremendous help with both my business and personal finances. They handle my bookkeeping, accounting, tax preparation, and tax planning with professionalism and great attention to detail. As a business owner, I especially appreciate how clearly they explain everything and make sure I understand what needs to be done. They are knowledgeable, responsive, organized, and genuinely care about helping their clients succeed. I highly recommend Zero Tax LLC to anyone looking for a dependable accountant and bookkeeper.”

Luke Augustine, Fast Track Plumbing LLC

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Who is this for?

Trade and service businesses with at least $250,000 a year in revenue. HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, landscaping, pool, pest, remodeling, painting, and cleaning companies. Find your trade.

Under $250,000 a year, we are not the right fit yet. We would rather say so now than sell you a plan you do not need.

Our office is in Tampa. We work with owners by phone, email, and video, across Florida and beyond.

Is this a fit?

Answer yes or no for your business.

  1. Does the business bring in $250,000 a year or more?
  2. Do you use QuickBooks Online, or will you move to it?
  3. Do you run crews, trucks, or field work?
  4. Do you want your books and your taxes handled by one team?
  5. Are your books current, or are you ready to catch them up first?

Four or five yeses: book the call. A no on question 1 means we are not the right fit yet.

How does it work?

  1. A 15-minute call. Greg asks about the business, the accounts, and where the books stand.
  2. A written proposal. You see the plan, the fee, and the scope before any work starts.
  3. We take the books. You invite us into QuickBooks Online, and we close your first quarter on schedule.

What software do you use?

Everything runs on QuickBooks Online. If you are on QuickBooks Desktop or spreadsheets, we move you onto QuickBooks Online.

Your field software stays. We connect Jobber, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, Buildertrend, Builder Prime, and Zevbit rather than replace them. See how each one connects.

What do you need to send to start?

  • A QuickBooks Online invite, or your Desktop file or spreadsheets.
  • A list of every bank and credit card account the business uses.
  • Bank and card statements for the current year.
  • Last year’s business tax return.
  • The name of your payroll provider and field software, if you use them.

What happens at tax time?

Your return starts from closed books. The fourth quarter closes by January 15, so final numbers are ready before filing season. Tax preparation is part of the same fee.

Planning happens before December 31, not after. Our year-end checklist shows what we look at.

Example: A calendar-year S corporation return is due March 15. With the fourth quarter closed by January 15, we have two months to prepare it from final numbers.

What does the first quarter look like for an HVAC company?

Illustration only. The numbers are made up. An HVAC company brings in $600,000 a year. It runs 2 bank accounts and 3 credit cards, so it fits the starting plan. Its plan starts October 1.

  1. Week one. We connect all 5 accounts in QuickBooks Online. We set up categories for equipment, materials, refrigerant, and subcontractors.
  2. October through December. We code about $150,000 of revenue for the quarter and every expense against it. We reconcile each account to its statement.
  3. January 15. The owner gets a closed profit and loss and balance sheet for the quarter. December is also the year’s last month, so the same books start the tax return.

Along the way, we find $2,400 of personal charges on a business card. We move them out of business expenses, so the profit number is right before the return is built on it. See more for HVAC companies.

How does Zero Tax handle your bookkeeping?

One team keeps your books, prepares your return, and plans your tax. We work from our Tampa office and reply within 24 hours. See our full bookkeeping service.

Behind on the books? Catch-up comes first, then the plan. See catch-up bookkeeping services.

QUESTIONS OWNERS ASK

Questions owners ask about monthly bookkeeping services

Is the bookkeeping monthly or quarterly?

The fee is monthly. On the starting plan, we close the books every quarter, by the 15th of the month after the quarter ends. Higher plans close every month.

No. Bookkeeping comes inside a plan that also covers tax preparation and planning. The books and the return are only as good as each other.

Yes. Every plan runs on QuickBooks Online. If you use QuickBooks Desktop or spreadsheets, we move you over as part of getting started.

Up to 3 bank accounts and 4 credit card accounts. More than that moves you to a higher plan, which we quote on the call.

We catch them up first. Catch-up bookkeeping starts at $500 per month and goes up from there, depending on how far behind the books are and how many accounts there are. The minimum is $500 per month. Then you move onto a plan.

This page is general information, not tax advice for your situation. Your fee and scope are set in a written proposal after we see your books.

Greg Neilsen, JD, LLM (Master of Laws in Taxation), reviews our guides. Last reviewed: October 5, 2026.

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