Working With an Accountant
How Much Does an Accountant Cost for a Small Business?
There is no single price for a small business accountant, because the fee follows the work: how many transactions move through the books each month, how many accounts and entities there are, whether payroll or sales tax is involved, and how much cleanup is waiting. At NorthPeak every engagement is quoted individually, as a fixed figure in writing, before any work begins.
This guide is part of our accounting services in Wilmette, IL. Book a free consultation or call (847) 644-2288.
01What actually drives the fee?
Volume comes first. A business that runs forty transactions a month is a different job from one that runs four hundred, even if the two owners describe their needs in the same words. Every transaction has to be categorised, matched to a bank line, and reviewed.
After volume comes structure. Two bank accounts and a credit card are quick to reconcile. Add a second entity, a payroll run, sales tax in more than one state, or inventory, and the monthly work grows with each one.
Then there is the state of the books when we arrive. Clean, current books cost less to maintain than a year of uncategorised downloads. That is why catch-up work is scoped on its own, so the one-time effort never hides inside the ongoing fee.
02Why do accountants not publish a price list?
Because the scope is the price. A menu with a number next to bookkeeping tells you nothing until someone has looked at your bank feeds, your payroll, and your filing history. A number printed before that is either padded to cover the unknown or too low to survive contact with your books.
The alternative to a menu is not hourly billing. Hourly is the arrangement where the invoice is a surprise every month and the incentive runs the wrong way. We quote a fixed figure after the discovery call, in writing, and that figure does not move unless the scope does.
03Does the fee change as the business grows?
Yes, and it should. The Starter package covers bookkeeping, reconciliations, monthly reports, and tax preparation for the business and its owner. That is the right fit for a solo operator or a small service business with clean, low-volume books.
Growth adds controller-level oversight: a structured monthly close, financial statement preparation, budget against actual, KPI tracking, and a monthly review call. The CFO package adds forecasting, modelling, margin analysis, and a standing strategy call. You move up a level when the complexity does, not before.
04What should a written quote include?
A list of what is in scope, written plainly enough that you could check it against an invoice. A list of what is out of scope, which matters more. When your reports will arrive each month. Who you will actually talk to. And, if your books are behind, a separate line for the catch-up so you know the one-time cost apart from the recurring one.
If a quote is missing any of these, ask. A firm that cannot say what is excluded has not finished thinking about your job.
05How do you know the fee is worth paying?
Count the hours you spend on the books yourself, then decide what those hours are worth in the business. Add the cost of the errors you are not catching and the tax decisions nobody is planning. When that total passes the fee, the answer is clear. Our guide on when to hire an accountant walks through the signs in more detail.
The free 30-minute call exists for exactly this question. Tell us what the books look like and we will say plainly which level fits, including if the honest answer is that you do not need us yet. Book the call or phone (847) 644-2288.
Common questions
Do you charge by the hour?
No. Every engagement is quoted individually after the discovery call and confirmed as a fixed figure in writing before any work begins.
Is the first conversation free?
Yes. It is a 30-minute call about your business and your books, with no obligation.
What if my books are a year behind?
Catch-up and clean-up work is common. It is scoped separately from the ongoing service so the one-time cost is clear on its own.
Do I need to be near Wilmette?
No. The practice is based in Wilmette, Illinois, and works with clients remotely nationwide through scheduled video reviews.
Have a question about your situation?
Book a free 30-minute consultation and we'll walk through it together.
Schedule a ConsultationThis article is general information, not individualized tax, legal, or financial advice. Every situation is different. Reach out and we'll look at yours directly.