We will begin with what’s real.

Things happen. Taxes and accounting aren't anyone's idea of a good time. They don't need to be overwhelming, either. Whether you're filing an annual return, running a business, trying to make sense of your books, or holding an IRS letter you'd rather not have received, we'll start with what's actually going on. Then we’ll figure it out from there.

Bookkeeping

The first step to success in your business is you working in your business. Day to day or years of cleanup, we will get the numbers together and keep them that way.

Tax Preparation

Personal returns, business returns, and plenty that fall somewhere in between. We'll ask the questions, sort through the details, and make sure the return is done right.

Tax Situations & the IRS

Got a letter? Missed a return? Something from a prior year needs fixed? Don't panic and don't ignore it. We'll start with what happened and figure out what needs to happen next.

  • Straightforward bookkeeping at $90 per hour

    Every business is different, and your bookkeeping expense should reflect the work your business actually requires. Hearthlight bookkeeping services are billed at $90 per hour for time worked, rather than packaged into monthly tiers or add-on fees

  • Keep your books current without paying for a predetermined package of services you may not need.

    Services can include transaction entry and categorization, bank and credit card reconciliations, account review and cleanup, financial statements, and routine bookkeeping maintenance

    $90 per hour-billed for actual time worked.

  • Behind a few months? Maybe a year? Confident that books exist but not entirely sure where?

    That is fine with us. We’ll start with what you have and work forward from there.

    $90 per hour-no startup or one-time catch-up fees

    The time required depends on the condition and volume of the records. You’ll be billed for the actual time spent getting them cleaned up and current.

  • Need more than transaction entry and reconciliations? These services can simply be incorporated into your bookkeeping as needed:

    • Payroll processing and payroll suport

    • Payroll tax filings

    • Sales tax preparation and filing

    • Accounts payable and bill payment

    • Accounts receivable

    • W2 & 1099 preparation

    • Quickbooks setup and maintenance

    • Financial reporting

    • Record cleanup and corections

    • Other ongoing accounting support

    No add-on pricing. No service tiers. The same $90 hourly bookkeeping rate applies.

Where Your Books Are.

Finding What Matters.

  • W-2s and ordinary returns, but also rentals, self-employment, investments, retirement income, multi-state situations, and all the other things that can turn a “simple return” into something considerably less simple.

  • S corporations and partnerships, plus the business reporting that flows through to the owners' individual returns. We look at the whole picture rather than treating the business return and personal return like unrelated strangers.

  • Sole proprietors, independent contractors, Schedule C businesses, and people whose business and personal tax lives inevitably overlap. Income, expenses, assets, home office, vehicles—the actual business activity gets accounted for.

What Tax Preparation Includes

Tax preparation starts with the information you provide and the questions we ask along the way. If something doesn’t make sense, we’ll ask. If we need something else, we’ll tell you. And when the return is finished, we’ll explain what matters before it gets filed.

Need help with an IRS notice, an amended return, or a problem from a prior year?
That’s a little different. Visit Tax Situations & the IRS to see how we handle those.

Knowing What Happened

  • Received a notice you don't understand or weren't expecting? We'll review what the IRS is asking for, compare it to your records and return, and determine how to respond.

  • Sometimes a filed return needs another look. Missing information, incorrect reporting, or something discovered after filing may mean an amended return or other correction is needed.

  • Behind on filing? Have a return that's been hanging over your head because you aren't sure where to start? We'll establish what needs to be filed and work forward from there.

  • Sometimes one response doesn't end the conversation. If additional documentation or correspondence is needed, we'll help organize the information and keep the matter moving.

Some tax situations require services beyond what Hearthlight provides. If your situation needs an attorney, investment professional, or another specialist, we'll tell you.

We are ready when you are.

Let’s start with what’s going on. You can tell us a little about what’s happening and we will come up with a plan from there.