Outsourcing Accounting/Bookkeeping duties

[Marc Delgado]

Greetings everyone,

My boss and I have a small business that we're trying to get off the ground and we're looking into outsourcing some or all of our accounting/bookkeeping duties.  We've heard offhand both on this website and from others in RE that accounting/bookkeeping firms in India, which cater specifically to small businesses in America, are relatively inexpensive and pretty reliable.  However, we don't know the names of any of these firms or companies, and before we delve into this we would like to gain some feedback or personal recommendations from those who have.  So, with that said, are there any of you who have used or can personally recommend a CPA or accounting firm/company from India where we can outsource some or all of our accounting/bookkeeping duties?  Thanks ahead of time and feel free to post any questions and I'll do my best to answer them.   

[Brandon Hall]

@Marc Delgado

Since I provide CFO Outsourcing services to my clients (which includes book keeping) I wanted to weigh in here with my advice. Since you are just trying to get off the ground, it may not make sense to hire a CPA quite yet. But you may not enjoy book keeping or think your time is more valuable spent elsewhere, hence the desire to outsource services to low cost service providers in India. 

But I'd caution you with this practice as you will most likely not receive the holistic and competent advice you should be receiving, which can be critical to a new start-up's success. Is the India service provider going to know all of the US laws/regulations? Will they also provide you with comprehensive tax planning? Maybe, but most likely not. 

While hiring a US CPA may be more costly, the benefits that you and your business realize will far outpace the costs. You have to remember that book keeping is relatively easy, so it's not just the book keeping your are paying for; you are paying for a business advisor who will help you systematize financial processes, make strategic financial decisions, and take your business to the next level.