Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure

Keeping your books up to date and filing tax returns on time are essential if you want your business to succeed. But finding and choosing the right tax professionals and accounting software can often feel overwhelming.

That’s where 1-800 Accountant can help, by matching you to tax professionals in your area. 

Overview of 1-800 Accountant

1-800 Accountant is an online accounting service that offers small business owners tax, bookkeeping and payroll services powered by CPAs. It features flat-rate monthly pricing so business owners know what to expect. Business owners get matched to a CPA with experience in their state and their industry. 

You can choose the level of service your business needs, and all paid plans include access to a dedicated accountant. 

It offers the following core services:

• Business formation for startups
• Business taxes
• Payroll
• Bookkeeping 

Monthly packages offered: 

Business: $125/monthly billed annually

This package includes access to the secure online portal, year-round tax advice, quarterly review and tax planning. It does not include tax return preparation or bookkeeping. 

Corporation: $225/month billed annually

This plan includes everything offered in the business plan, but also personal and business tax preparation.

Enterprise: $375/month billed annually

This is the most comprehensive plan, and adds bookkeeping, financial reports, and priority customer support to everything included in the other two plans. 

You do have to pay for an annual plan, but you have 30 days to cancel and receive a prorated refund if you determine it’s not a fit for your business. 

Other services include TaxSmart Advisory and Audit Defense for businesses that need someone to talk with the IRS on their behalf, as well as tax preparation and tax filing for personal taxes, and payroll. 

Is 1-800 Accountant Considered An Accounting Or Bookkeeping Service?

It offers both bookkeeping and accounting services, depending on the level of service you choose. If you feel comfortable doing your own bookkeeping you may not need to pay for that service. If you want someone to do it for you, you can either hire your own bookkeeper and still use this service for your accounting and tax needs, or you can choose the plan that includes bookkeeping. 

Why 1-800 Accountant Is Good For Small Businesses

Business tax rules are complex, and you must make sure you meet filing deadlines or your business can face steep penalties. In addition there are myriad tax deductions your business may want to take advantage of, but you want to make sure you stay compliant.

One of the main advantages of 1-800 Accountant is the ability to have access to a dedicated accountant familiar with your industry. 1-800 Accountant says it saves the average business owner more than $12,000 a year in taxes, and promises the maximum guarantee. 

Pros And Cons Of Using 1-800 Accountant

1 800 Accountant Alternatives

There are a variety of providers offering accounting and bookkeeping services. If this one does not fit your business needs or budget, you may want to explore other options. If your budget is very tight, for example, you may want to consider getting accounting software and learning basic bookkeeping yourself. Some of these programs are fairly easy to learn, at least for businesses with basic accounting needs. 

Other Popular Accounting Software and Services to Consider

Quickbooks

This is the most widely used accounting software and many accounting professionals are familiar with it. However, there is a learning curve but there are many Quickbooks Certified Professionals you can hire to assist you. 

Bench

Bench offers bookkeeping services for a monthly fee. It also offers tax preparation for an additional cost. You save substantially by choosing the annual payment, but you can also pay as you go. 

Bonsai

Bonsai incorporates a variety of services from invoicing to expense tracking into its cloud software program. Bonsai Tax is designed for freelancers, but it offers services for small businesses with employees as well.

Freshbooks

Freshbooks is especially popular with freelancers and independent contractors. Again, you’ll need to do your own bookkeeping or hire a pro, and you’ll need a tax advisor if you want help with tax returns.

 

 

FAQs

• Is 1-800 Accountant Good for Taxes?

  Yes, it can be a good solution for taxes. But don’t overlook other benefits. Small business accounting typically involves three steps: 
  1. Bookkeeping: Entering business expenses and income into an accounting software program to make sure all are accounted for.
  2. Tax preparation and filing: Preparing and submitting state and/or federal tax returns.
  3. Financial statements: Using the information from accounting software to create reports about the business, either for planning purposes or to help qualify for small business loans. 
  
  If you’re only thinking of accounting in terms of tax services, or you wait until tax season to find an accounting firm, you may miss out on the benefits of full service accounting for your small business.