The Profitjets Blog
Finance Writing for People Running the Business
Practical articles on bookkeeping, accounting, tax, payroll and financial strategy, written for founders and operators rather than for other accountants.
Start here
What is Bookkeeping: A Step-by-Step Guide
What bookkeeping covers, how it differs from accounting, and the five-step process behind a clean set of books.
The library
Browse the articles
Filter by the area you are working on.
Mastering Your Small Business Budget: A Complete Guide
Building it from drivers, budgeting the cash, and reviewing it.
Money Purchase Pension Plans (MPPPs): How They Work and Who Benefits
What Is a Money Purchase Pension Plan, Key Features of an MPPP, and MPPP vs. Profit-Sharing Plan.
Outsource Accounting for Small Business: Complete Guide
What Outsourced Accounting Includes, Pricing, and Provider Comparison.
Outsourced Accounting + Fractional CFO: The Combined Finance Function
The Two-Layer Finance Function, What Outsourced Accounting Covers, and What the Fractional CFO Covers.
Outsourced Accounting and Bookkeeping: Services, Costs, and Providers
Bookkeeping vs Accounting: The Difference, Service Packages, and Provider Comparison.
Outsourced Accounting for Nonprofits: Special Requirements and Best Providers
Why Nonprofit Accounting Is Different, FASB ASC 958: Nonprofit-Specific GAAP, and Fund Accounting.
Outsourced Accounting: Everything You Need to Know
What Is Outsourced Accounting, What's Included, and Who Provides Outsourced Accounting.
Outsourced CFO Services: Business Benefits
What a business gains from an outsourced CFO, and when the model works best.
Outsourced CFO vs In-House CFO: Which Is Right for Your Business?
The Decision Framework, Comparison Table, and Decision Criteria.
Outsourced Finance and Accounting Services: A Buyer's Guide
The Service Taxonomy, Engagement Models, and Pricing Models.
Outsourced Restaurant Accounting: How to Find the Best Provider
Why Restaurant Accounting Is Different, Key Restaurant Metrics, and Tax Issues Your Accountant Must Know.
Outsourced Tax Preparation Services: Accuracy, Compliance, and Cost Savings
Why CPA Firms Outsource Tax Preparation, How the Outsourced Tax Prep Process Works, and Quality Controls in.
Outsourcing Payroll Services: Benefits, Costs, and What to Expect
Why Payroll Is a High-Stakes Function to Get Right, Benefits of Outsourcing Payroll, and Major Payroll Providers: A.
Outsourcing Tax Preparation to India: A Complete Guide for CPA Firms
Why India Has Become the Default Destination for Tax Outsourcing and The Economics: Cost Differential.
Pro Forma Financial Statements: What They Are and How to Build Them
What they are, when they are used, and how to build one.
Property Management Accounting: A Complete Guide for Property Managers
Why Property Management Accounting Is Uniquely Regulated, Trust Accounting Fundamentals, and Three-Way Reconciliation.
Rate of Return (ROR): What It Is and How to Calculate It
The formula, the types, and how to compare two returns fairly.
Real Estate Accountants in the USA: What They Do and How to Find One
What Real Estate Accountants Specialize In, How to Find a Real Estate Accountant, and Frequently Asked Questions.
SaaS Accounting Guide: Revenue Recognition, Metrics, and Compliance
Revenue Recognition Under ASC 606, Deferred Revenue, and Key SaaS Metrics and How to Track Them.
SaaS CFO Guide: What Does a SaaS CFO Do?
Revenue recognition, MRR and the metrics a subscription CFO is measured on.
Startup CFO: When Does Your Startup Need One and Why?
The signals that a startup has outgrown its bookkeeper, and what a CFO changes.
Startup Finance Mistakes a Virtual CFO Helps You Avoid
Mistake 1: Running Out of Cash, Mistake 2: Premature Hiring, and Mistake 3: Wrong Entity Type.
Temporary CFO Services: When and Why to Hire an Interim CFO
What Is an Interim CFO, When Companies Need Interim CFO Services, and Interim CFO vs Fractional CFO.
The Role of a Virtual CFO for Startups: What They Do and When You Need One
What Is a Virtual CFO for a Startup, Startup-Specific Responsibilities, and When to Hire a Virtual CFO.
What we write about
Eight topics we come back to
Pick a topic and the library above filters to it.
Bookkeeping
Clean books, reconciliations, chart of accounts and month-end close.
Accounting
Close process, financial statements, cash against accrual, and reporting that gets used.
Tax
Preparation, planning, entity choice, deductions, quarterly estimates and the IRS forms behind them.
CFO
Forecasting, cash flow, fundraising readiness and the executive roles founders confuse.
Payroll
Withholding, payroll taxes, W-2s and 1099s, and multi-state teams.
Metrics
The ratios and statements that tell you what is actually happening in the business.
Software
QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite and the tools that feed them.
Business Finance
Entity formation, banking, budgeting, funding and getting the finances in order.
Would You Rather We Just Did It?
Reading about reconciliation is useful. Not having to do it is better.