FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Why should I hire an independent bookkeeper instead of a part-time employee?

Hiring Ledger Luminaire as a contractor eliminates the "hidden costs" of employment. You save roughly 20–30% because you don't pay payroll taxes, workers' comp, health insurance, or 401(k) matches. Plus, you don't have to provide office space or equipment. You only pay for the expert service you receive.

2. Is my financial data secure?

Absolutely. Data security is our top priority. We use bank-level encryption and secure password management tools like LastPass or Bitwarden. We advocate for "Read-Only" access to bank accounts, meaning we can see the transactions to reconcile them, but we have zero authority to move or withdraw funds.

3. Do I lose control of my books if I outsource them?

Quite the opposite! Most clients find they have more control because their data is finally organized and up-to-date. You retain 100% ownership of your QuickBooks Files. Our job is to provide the clarity you need to make better decisions, not to take the steering wheel.

4. I’m several months (or years) behind. Can you still help?

Yes! We specialize in "Catch-Up & Clean-Up" projects. We can take a mountain of receipts and unorganized statements and turn them into a clean, tax-ready set of books. No judgment—just solutions.

5. Do you handle my taxes, too?

Ledger Luminaire focuses on daily, weekly, and monthly bookkeeping to ensure your data is perfect. While we don't file income tax returns, we work directly with your CPA to provide them with a "Year-End Package." This usually saves you significant money on CPA fees because they don't have to spend hours fixing entries before they can file.

6. What software do you use?

We are experts in QuickBooks Online. If you are currently using a different system or still using paper ledgers, we can help transition you to a modern, cloud-based platform that allows you to see your financial health from your phone.

7. How do we get started?

It starts with a free 15-minute Discovery Call. We’ll discuss your needs, look at your current volume, and provide a fixed monthly quote. Once you sign on, our onboarding process takes less than a week.