Open for business · East Mesa & remote
Investment & Fit
We do not sell a catalog of packages. We match an engagement shape to your situation after a free consult. Here is how work usually looks — so you can plan budget before we talk.
Baseline professional rate: $125–$150/hour · Details settled in writing after the fit call
Optional fixed start
Books Health Check — $350 flat
Written diagnostic with severity ratings and a phased fix plan. Often the right first paid step after the free call — not required to talk.
How engagements usually look
Scenario-based — not a shopping cart. Find the shape that sounds like you, then book a fit call so we can confirm scope and numbers.
Short-term consultant
Rescue, setup, or a sharp second opinion
You need defined help now — QBO rebuild, bank-feed chaos, vendor cleanup, or “is this even salvageable?”
Rates start at $125/hour. Most rescues use a 10-hour minimum block ($1,250). Complex work may be quoted as a fixed block after the free fit call.
Done when: Target accounts cleaned through an agreed date, or a written diagnostic with prioritized fixes.
Middle projects
Weeks to a few months
Catch-up across months, migration, AP/AR redesign, or layered automation while the business keeps running.
Typically billed biweekly, with payment due before the next work window. Deliverables move draft → your review → close. We pause and re-scope rather than surprise-bill.
Done when: Phased milestones you approve as we go — not a black box for 60 days.
Year-round caretaker
Established processes, calm continuity
Books and workflows already exist. You need a reliable steward: monthly close, reconciliations, CPA-ready continuity, light tuning.
Fixed monthly retainer sized to hours needed — often mid-hundreds to low thousands per month. Predictable work sits toward the efficient end of the rate band.
Done when: Clean closes on schedule, month to month, without a rebuild program.
Full attention package
AI + accounting ops + year-end readiness
Growing businesses that want books as infrastructure: clean closes, document hygiene, AP discipline, automated intake, and a year-end pack your CPA can move through without archaeology.
Higher fixed monthly or hybrid retainer + year-end surge. Exact scope designed after the fit call — this is the destination most owners say they want once DIY stops working.
Done when: Ongoing ops plus a structured handoff your tax preparer can trust. AI-assisted, human-accountable. Not tax advice or CPA signing.
What moves the number
- Transaction volume and number of accounts
- How far behind the books are (and how messy)
- Entities, inventory, payroll complexity
- Urgency and whether you need hands-on AP/AR
- Automation & AI tooling to build vs. steady care only
AI as the multiplier
Years across models, finance, AP, and messy data — paired with agentic tools that are becoming table stakes for operators of every size.
- • Transaction / vendor triage with human review
- • Document intake and exception queues
- • Recon and anomaly assists
- • Month-end SOP checklists
- • CPA handoff packs that zip through year-end
Always AI-assisted, human-accountable — never a black-box promise.
Ballpark hour estimator
Illustrative only — your written engagement after the fit call is the real number.
Ballpark estimator
Illustrative only — final scope is confirmed after your free fit call.
Baseline professional rate: $125/hour. Complex advisory or full-attention Shield work may land toward $150/hour in your written proposal. Sprint rescues often start with a 10-hour minimum ($1,250).
Steady caretakers often land around 4–12 hrs/month. Catch-up and Shield builds run higher while systems are being set.
Every engagement includes:
- Written scope and a clear “done when”
- Human-reviewed AI assists on routine triage where they help
- Direct access — East Mesa Bookkeeping, a DBA of Penguin Protect LLC
Included with every engagement
- Written scope and a clear “done when” before paid work begins
- Bank & credit card reconciliation for in-scope periods
- Clear reporting owners can use for decisions
- Security-first data handling — least privilege, MFA, careful access
- Honest handoff to your CPA — we do not file taxes
Pricing FAQ
Why not a simple menu of packages to buy online?
Every file is different. A fixed “Buy Growth for $750” button often sells the wrong scope. We publish how pricing works and what engagements usually cost, then write a clear engagement after a free fit call — so you are not guessing and we are not underscoping.
What is the baseline rate?
Professional time starts at $125/hour. Advisory, complex systems, or full-attention Shield work may land toward $150/hour within the engagement we propose. Written scope always comes before paid work.
Is there anything I can buy for a fixed number today?
Yes — the optional Books Health Check is a flat $350 written diagnostic (severity ratings + phased plan). Everything else is scoped after the free consult so the number matches your situation.
Do you file my taxes?
No. We are not a CPA and do not provide tax strategy or filing. We prepare clean, CPA-ready books and handoffs so your preparer can move faster.
How does AI change what I pay for?
Agentic tooling (triage, intake queues, recon assists, month-end checklists) reduces wasted hours on routine work — with every material judgment human-reviewed. You pay for outcomes and accountability, not a black-box bot.
Ready to open the conversation?
Free 30-minute fit call. Clear next step. Written pricing after we understand your books.
East Mesa Bookkeeping · a DBA of Penguin Protect LLC · Not a CPA