How Much Does Bookkeeping Cost a Small Business in NJ?

You want a number before you call anyone. Fair enough. Here's what we charge for monthly bookkeeping, what moves the price up or down, and what you get for it. You won't find an "industry average" here. Our own published prices are more useful to you.

What monthly bookkeeping costs at Henry CPA

Our pricing page lists Year-Round Small Business Accounting "starting at $750/mo." In the page's words: "Final fee depends on transaction volume and number of employees. Larger businesses quoted individually."

Two things to know about that number:

• It's more than bookkeeping. The monthly package covers your books, payroll and taxes together. The full list is below.
• You see the fee before any work starts. The pricing page says: "Your final fee is confirmed in writing before any work begins."

Fixed monthly fee vs. paying for hours

With a fixed monthly fee, you know the bill before the month starts, and a busy month doesn't turn into a surprise invoice. The alternative is paying for time, where the bill follows the hours.

Our pricing page puts it plainly: "You'll always receive a written quote before any work begins. No surprises."

What the monthly engagement covers

According to our pricing page, Year-Round Small Business Accounting includes:

• Monthly bookkeeping and reconciliations
• Payroll processing and payroll tax filings
• Your business tax return
• The owner's personal tax return
• Year-round tax planning
• Quarterly estimated tax payments
• Sales tax filings
• Monthly or quarterly financial reports

The pricing page also says "every engagement is handled by a CPA."

Having one firm do all of that matters more than it sounds. When bookkeeping, payroll and taxes sit with three different providers, things fall between them. We wrote about that in the hidden costs of using multiple providers for bookkeeping, payroll and taxes.

If you keep your own books and only need a CPA once a year, our Annual Business Tax plan starts at $800 a year. Here's how the two compare, per the pricing page:

You don't have to start with the monthly package. The pricing page says: "Many clients start with their annual return and move to year-round accounting as their business grows."

What drives the price

Our pricing page lists what each fee is based on. For a monthly bookkeeping client, these are the big ones:

• Transaction volume. Every deposit, payment and card charge has to be recorded and categorized. More transactions means more work.
• Employees and payroll frequency. More people and more pay runs mean more payroll work.
• The condition of your books and records. If your books are months behind, or were kept loosely, they have to be caught up and cleaned up before monthly work can start.
• Prior-year issues. The page also lists "Prior-year issues, amendments, or IRS/state notices."

Doing the books in-house isn't free either. If someone on your staff fits bookkeeping in between other jobs, read why your admin staff shouldn't handle your bookkeeping.

What the IRS expects from your books

Price is half the question. The other half is what the books have to do. IRS Publication 583 (Rev. December 2024) is blunt: "Everyone in business must keep records."

• No required system, but it has to work. Pub 583 says you can choose any system "suited to your business that clearly shows your income and expenses."
• Keep the paperwork behind each entry. Supporting documents "include sales slips, paid bills, invoices, receipts, deposit slips, and canceled checks."
• Electronic records follow the same rules. Requirements for paper books "also apply to electronic storage systems."
• The proof is on you. The IRS calls this the burden of proof: "You must be able to prove certain elements of expenses to deduct them."
• Reconcile every month. Pub 583's tip: "You should reconcile your checking account each month."

That last point is the core of monthly bookkeeping. Per Pub 583, reconciling lets you verify how much money is in the account and "correct any errors in your bank statement, checkbook, and books."

How long to keep records

The IRS page How long should I keep records? (last reviewed June 30, 2026) sets these periods:

• 3 years in most cases.
• 6 years if you don't report income you should have, and it's more than 25% of the gross income shown on your return.
• 7 years if you claim a loss from worthless securities or a bad debt deduction.
• Indefinitely if you don't file a return, or if you file a fraudulent one.
• Employment tax records: at least 4 years after the tax becomes due or is paid, whichever is later.

The IRS also notes that your "insurance company or creditors may require you to keep them longer than the IRS does."

1099s: the threshold changed for 2026

If you pay contractors, your books decide your 1099s. You file Form 1099-NEC when what you paid someone who isn't your employee for services during the year exceeds the reporting threshold. Per the IRS:

• Payments made before 2026: $600.
• Payments made in 2026: $2,000.
• Payments made in 2027: $2,100, the inflation-adjusted figure the IRS published in Rev. Proc. 2026-35.

Totals by contractor are easy to pull from books that are current, and hard to rebuild from a year of bank statements.

Monthly books and your estimated taxes

Business owners generally pay tax during the year through estimated payments. IRS Publication 505 (2026) says: "People who are in business for themselves will generally have to pay their tax this way."

• Federal (2026): in most cases you must pay estimated tax if you expect to owe at least $1,000 after withholding and refundable credits, and your withholding and credits will be less than the smaller of 90% of your 2026 tax or 100% of your 2025 tax. That 100% becomes 110% if your 2025 AGI was over $150,000 ($75,000 married filing separately).
• New Jersey (2026): you must pay estimates "if you estimate that you will owe more than $400."
• Due dates for 2026, federal and NJ: April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027.

Each payment rests on an estimate of your full-year tax. With the books closed every month, that estimate starts from real year-to-date numbers. With the books a year behind, it's a guess.

Getting your number

To get a quote, our pricing page explains the process: "After a consultation and a review of your prior-year return, you'll receive a written quote before any work begins." The full plan details are on the pricing page.

This is general information, not advice for your specific situation. Tax rules change; this post reflects the rules as of November 2026.

Want to know what monthly bookkeeping would cost for your business? Talk to Henry CPA.