Should you DIY your bookkeeping or hire a bookkeeper?
If you’re a healthcare professional, consultant, or small business owner juggling contracts, charts, and compliance, the very thought of doing your own books can feel like “just one more thing to worry about.” With so many DIY tools out there, it’s tempting to figure your bookkeeping out by yourself. But is it the smartest choice?
This guide breaks down when business bookkeeping services are worth it and when DIY bookkeeping might still work.
Doing small business accounting yourself: advantages & disadvantages
Saving money by doing small business bookkeeping by yourself
For many small business owners (especially new 1099 contractors), the main appeal of doing your own bookkeeping is how much small business accounting costs.
Software like Wave, Xero, or QuickBooks can be more affordable than hiring help. You stay hands-on, track expenses in real-time, and save money during your building phase.
And if you’re naturally very well organised, have a steady schedule, and enjoy getting into the nitty gritty of your numbers, then a DIY system may be manageable, at least to start.
Saving time by hiring a small business accountant
But let’s be real, depending on your industry and how much specialism your role requires, reconciling the numbers, keeping track of receipts, figuring out what’s deductible and what’s not is the last thing you want to spend your non-work time doing. At our firm, we’ve seen that most healthcare professionals don’t have time to reconcile bank statements between shifts or interpret cash flow while traveling for locum work.
Hiring a small business accountant or virtual bookkeeper means:
- Clean books each month
- Fewer late-night spreadsheet marathons
- Less panic at tax time
You also free up hours to focus on patient care, consulting, building your business or spending time on holiday or with family. Most professionals choose that instead of scrambling through crumpled receipts in April.
Being compliant without a bookkeeper
Increased risk of mistakes through DIY business bookkeeping
Bookkeeping isn’t just about neat spreadsheets; it’s also about compliance.
If you miscategorise expenses, forget to track quarterly taxes, or skip a payroll filing… the IRS doesn’t care that you’re busy or doing it all by yourself. DIY business bookkeeping can quickly become risky, especially if:
- You work across multiple states
- Your income fluctuates
- You have business write-offs (like licensing, travel, CME)
Mistakes can mean unexpected fees, audits, or overpaying in taxes.
Business insight in mind when outsourcing bookkeeping to a small business accountant
By hiring someone who truly understands small business accounting services, especially one in your specific niche (for NTC Accounting Firm, that’s often healthcare professionals or 1099 contractors), you’re buying peace of mind.
A skilled bookkeeper can spot missed deductions, prepare audit-ready reports, and create systems tailored to your workflow.
That insight is gold, especially when your business grows faster than your ability to do admin..
How to choose a business bookkeeper
What to look for in a bookkeeper
Not all bookkeepers are equal. You want someone who:
- Understands your industry (especially if you are in an industry with compliance and regulations like healthcare or law)
- Offers monthly reviews, not just year-end cleanups
- Uses secure, cloud-based software
- Communicates clearly and responds quickly
- Uses their understanding of your industry to help you with tax strategy
It’s also helpful if they collaborate with your CPA (or offer a full suite of small business accounting services in the first place) so they can support your tax planning and strategy directly.
Red flags with small business bookkeeping services
Be cautious if a provider:
- Charges a very low flat fee but offers no monthly contact
- Promises “one-size-fits-all” packages
- Doesn’t ask questions about your business model, industry or goals
The right bookkeeper should feel like a strategic financial partner, not just someone ticking boxes.
Additional financial services offered by Bookkeepers
Bookkeepers vs Accounting Firms
Larger accounting firms often offer bookkeeping as a basic add-on, but you may feel like another number in a system. Communication may be slow. And your industry nuances? We’ve noticed something from our clients who have left very large accounting firms to work with us. The huge firms often missed possible write-offs and opportunities for our clients. They don’t do it intentionally, they just often have someone separate on bookkeeping, tax strategy, investment planning, etc, so they operate as individuals. This means on their own, they aren’t invested in creating the ultimate comprehensive strategy for the client… They just need to tick off the basic boxes for their specific area.
Smaller, but still comprehensive, providers provide business bookkeeping services, financial strategy, tax planning and even wealth management, but they tend to offer more personal attention and better adaptability to your day-to-day reality or niche.
Speciality in bookkeeping: e.g. Healthcare bookkeeper or Dental practice bookkeeping
NTC Accounting Firm, for example, doesn’t try to serve everyone; we serve you.
We specialise in supporting CRNAs, physicians, locum providers, and other high-responsibility professionals. We also provide niche services like bookkeeping for dentists or practice managers navigating high-income and lean teams.
When your bookkeeper understands what CME, licensing, and credentialing fees are, you get systems that actually make sense. And you stop losing money to generalist firms that don’t know your world like we do.
📌 Thinking about hiring a bookkeeper?
At NTC, we offer judgment-free, full-service small business accounting services designed for busy, brilliant people like you. Book a no-pressure consultation to see how we can help your finances stay calm, compliant, and in control.