Introduction
Irma L Wilkins
Bookkeeping Bridge is the culmination of my 16 years of serving clients in CPA firms. Additionally, I have had accounting and bookkeeping experience in both large and small business, non-profit agencies and government agencies.
I decided when I started my business to focus my attention on what I feel is my strong suit and on what is most rewarding to me – bookkeeping, payroll, financial reporting, and training on QuickBooks. I offer these services through my membership in the QuickBooks ProAdvisor program, running the latest Accountant’s Edition which allows me to process multiple companies and multiple payrolls, either by processing your data from scratch or importing your QuickBooks file.
My services provide the bridge between your raw financial data and your CPA.
CPA’s who use the Lacerte Tax Package can import your QuickBooks data directly into Lacerte if they choose to do so. But even if the accounts are keyed manually into Lacerte or any tax package your CPA uses, you will have a set of books built with the end process in mind – your tax returns. Your CPA will not have to clean up your data and you will not run the risk of an audit disclosing erroneous bookkeeping methods.
UPDATE: I am now an authorized e-file provider preparing returns on Lacerte software.
My services provide the bridge between your staff and the knowledge they need to properly record and report financial data.
One of the most common errors I have seen bookkeepers make is the misclassification of accounts, especially balance sheet accounts. Often bookkeepers fail to make adjusting journal entries from data that is not directly related to banking transactions. I will review your bookkeeper’s detail and assess the level of assistance needed. I provide my assistance in the same manner I was taught as a young trainee – patiently, kindly and with enough background information for your bookkeeper to grasp the “why” and “end result” of a transaction.
My services provide the bridge between Federal, State, and Local tax regulations and your compliance.
Ignorance of regulations or forgetting deadlines won’t get you far in the way of excuses when it comes to compliance with regulations and meeting tax deadlines. You need someone you can depend on and who can act knowledeably and calmly on your behalf if a problem arises. You can count on me to be that bridge between you and the government agency. I will also point out to you areas of vulnerability in your business so that steps may be taken to avoid noncompliance.
On matters of payroll tax, I will interface directly with the IRS if the need arises. Pre-authorization for me to discuss your returns is filled in on the back of each Form 941 I fill out for you. I have also worked with the U.S. Department of Labor on compliance issues regarding the Fair Labor Standards Act. I work routinely with the State of Mississippi Sales and Withholding Departments and the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
For prior income tax matters, you will need to contact a CPA, as I am not enrolled to practice before the IRS. For returns that I prepare for you, I will be able to represent you.
In-House vs. Outsourcing
Have It Your Way
Sometimes, as a small business, you need to know how to do what you can do in-house, best utilizing your salaried staff’s free time. If I see that you or your staff can perform a task in-house rather than outsourcing that task, I will help you achieve that goal and advise you on cost-effectiveness.
Confidentiality
Loose lips sink ships.
If you are a small business and want to keep your financial and payroll information under wraps from your employees, outsourcing is the most secure way to handle confidentiality.
QuickBooks Training & Assistance
Hey Irma
Are you the kind of person who learns in class or hands-on? Most people readily answer hands-on. Many years ago when I was first learning PC skills, I learned much of what I know from the guy over the cubicle, Hey Floyd. Sometimes Floyd would have to get up and come over to my desk, but not too often.
When you are working on QuickBooks, I can answer many of your questions with a Hey Irma, either by email or over the phone. I’ve used QuickBooks for so long that I have a virtual screen in my head. But sometimes I may need to see your screen. This can be done by remote viewing if you allow. It doesn’t take long to set up and then you can just take your hands off the keyboard and let me show you the way to achieve what you are trying to do.
Wait, maybe I should have named my business Hey Irma.
Small Business for Dummies
Are there any dumb questions? Besides the ones not asked...
As I mentioned in my introduction, I’ve been around for a while. I’ve worked with CPA’s, small business, big business, bankers, lawyers, doctors, IT people, construction companies, engineers, churches and synagogs, non-profits, and, yes, even rocket scientists. Nobody knows it all, but chances are I've run across your situation before.
So give me an ask first. If I do not know the answer, I’ll let you know if I know of someone who can help. I am in the process of building business alliances with professionals that will be available to me or you for consultation.
I’ll be providing links to other reliable professionals who sign up with me under the Partner Business section.