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Accounting Services Proposal Template

Accounting is the most retainer-friendly service business. Clients want predictability, not surprise bills. Frame your proposal around outcomes (clean books, on-time filing, no surprises) and tie pricing to transaction volume.

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What to include in your accounting services proposal template

  • Bookkeeping scope (transaction volume, accounts, frequency)
  • Tax preparation (federal, state, sales)
  • Payroll processing (employee count, frequency)
  • Financial reporting (monthly P&L, cash flow, balance sheet)
  • Advisory hours (strategic conversations, tax planning)
  • Software included (QuickBooks, Xero) or BYO
  • Response time SLA
  • Year-end close and tax filing

How to price it

Monthly retainers: $300-$800 (small business, low volume), $800-$2,500 (mid-volume with payroll), $2,500-$6,000+ (multi-entity or complex). Tier by transaction count, not employees.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Quoting before reviewing books (you'll discover mess after pricing)
  • Not pricing for cleanup work (separate one-time fee)
  • Free advisory hours that turn into endless calls
  • Ignoring software costs (let client own subscription)
  • No clear scope on quarterly vs annual deliverables

Sample template content

Here's an example of what a complete proposal looks like for this niche. Use it as a starting point — you'll fill in your own details when you create one.

Scope of Work

Monthly accounting services for [Client] LLC: Monthly: • Bookkeeping (up to 200 transactions/month) • Bank and credit card reconciliations • Monthly P&L and balance sheet • Sales tax filing (one state) • 1 hour of advisory consultation Quarterly: • Quarterly federal tax estimate review • Cash flow projection update Annually: • Year-end close and 1099 preparation • Federal and state income tax return (Form 1120-S)

Sample Line Items

DescriptionQtyTotal
Monthly bookkeeping (200 tx/mo)1$600.00
Sales tax filing1$100.00
Advisory consultation (1hr)1$200.00
Annual tax return (separate fee)1$1,500.00
Total$2,400.00

Sample timeline: Ongoing month-to-month

Terms & Conditions

Monthly fee billed on the 1st. Initial cleanup of historic books quoted separately after assessment. Volume above 200 transactions/month: $0.50/transaction. Advisory hours beyond included: $200/hr. 30-day cancellation notice. Year-end work continues if engagement spans tax filing deadline.

Frequently asked questions

▸ Should I quote before seeing the books?

No. Insist on a 30-min discovery call to gauge complexity. If books are messy, quote a cleanup fee separately before signing the retainer.

▸ How do I price the year-end work?

Either bake it into a higher monthly retainer (clients prefer predictability) or charge separately ($800-$3,000 depending on entity type).

▸ Should I include software in my fee?

No — let the client own their QuickBooks/Xero subscription. You're a user, not the owner. This protects you if the client churns.

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