New York · Catch-Up Bookkeeping
Catch-up bookkeeping in New York, from Erie County to New York City
For New York businesses whose books stopped months or years ago: every missed month entered from statements, every account reconciled, and New York sales tax and payroll checked against what was filed. One fixed fee, priced per month of backlog.
Certifications
Current certifications held by TechBrot’s founder: Intuit QuickBooks Certification Level 2 and QuickBooks Workforce Certification — verification on request. Intuit’s ProAdvisor program becomes Intuit ProPartner Accountants in early 2027; the certifications continue.
The short version.
New York catch-up bookkeeping brings books that stopped at a known point up to the current month: every missed month entered from bank and card statements, every account reconciled month by month, and New York sales tax and payroll checked against the returns that were filed. It is priced per month of backlog as one fixed fee, $2,000–$20,000+ in total, and delivered remotely for businesses anywhere in the state, from Erie County and Buffalo to New York City.
TechBrot brings the books current and coordinates with your CPA, who files; it does not file New York State or NYC tax returns.
If any of these sound familiar, the answer is yes.
The books stopped when a bookkeeper left.
Nothing has been entered since, but what was entered before looks sound.
A New York sales tax return is due and the books can’t support it.
The quarter’s sales and tax collected have to come from somewhere other than a guess.
A lender, buyer or CPA wants current statements.
And the last reconciled month is months, or years, ago.
You moved to QuickBooks and never finished the history.
The new file starts mid-year and the months before it live in bank statements.
New York catch-up bookkeeping, in five questions.
What is catch-up bookkeeping in New York?
Bringing books that stopped at a known point up to the current month: entering every missed month from statements, reconciling each account month by month, and checking New York sales tax and payroll against what was filed.
How much does it cost?
One fixed fee priced per month of backlog: $2,000–$20,000+ in total, depending on how far behind the books are and whether payroll, inventory or several states are involved.
How long does it take?
Two to ten weeks for most: three to six months behind in two to three weeks, twelve to twenty-four months in four to six, a multi-year backlog in eight to ten.
Do you serve Erie County and Buffalo?
Yes, remotely, the same way as every other part of New York: the work is done in your own QuickBooks file.
Do you file the late New York returns?
No. The catch-up shows what was collected and what was filed, period by period; your CPA or EA files any late or amended returns from those figures.
Erie County, Buffalo and the rest of New York.
Most catch-up work is the same anywhere: enter the missing months, reconcile each one to its statement, and tie the liabilities out. What is New York’s is the tax calendar. Most businesses file sales tax quarterly, due the 20th after each quarter, and must file even with zero sales; upstate counties such as Erie charge their own combined rate rather than New York City’s. A catch-up checks the sales tax recorded in the books against the returns actually filed, period by period, so your CPA can see what, if anything, needs correcting.
The work is done remotely in your own QuickBooks file, for businesses in Buffalo and across Erie County the same way as in New York City or anywhere else in the state.
How a New York catch-up runs.
- STEP 1
Find the last good month
A short diagnostic sets the starting point, lists every bank, card and loan account, and checks which statements can still be retrieved. The fixed fee, priced per month of backlog, comes in writing.
- STEP 2
Gather the statements
Bank, card and loan statements for every month behind, payroll provider reports, and the New York sales tax returns that were filed.
- STEP 3
Enter and reconcile, month by month
Each month is reconciled to its statement before the next is opened; a difference is investigated and documented, never plugged.
- STEP 4
Tie out the liabilities
Sales tax recorded in the books is set against the returns filed; payroll liabilities against the provider’s reports. Differences are listed for your CPA.
- STEP 5
Hand off current books
Statements through the current month, a written summary of what was caught up and the periods covered, and recommendations for staying current.
What it costs, and how long it takes.
Catch-up is priced per month of backlog and complexity, as one fixed fee scoped in writing: $2,000–$20,000+, with small businesses a few months behind toward the lower end and businesses with payroll, inventory or multi-state sales tax higher.
Most catch-ups take two to ten weeks. A three-to-six-month backlog typically clears in two to three weeks; twelve to twenty-four months in four to six; a multi-year backlog in eight to ten.
Not in the fee: correcting entries already in the file that are wrong (that is cleanup, scoped first when a file needs both), filing late or amended returns (your CPA or EA), and monthly bookkeeping once the books are current (optional, priced separately).
Who does the work.
Every engagement has a named TechBrot bookkeeper, controller or advisor, introduced once you sign, and every close is reviewed before it reaches you. TechBrot does not file taxes; CPAs and EAs are referral partners.
What a year of catching up looked like.
Case study · from the client’s review on Clutch
A credit-card reconciliation cleanup: duplicates found, balances aligned.
A business-services company’s 2025 credit-card records: dozens of duplicate transactions identified and resolved, and categorization corrected, including transfers that had been treated as expenses. In the CEO’s words, “all balances are now aligned with bank statements.”
From the CEO’s review on Clutch (project Mar.–Apr. 2026); the client is not named. Read the case study
Around New York.
New York QuickBooks ProAdvisor & bookkeeping
The state page: services, industries, cities and the New York tax terms in one place.
Also in New York:Bookkeeping services · Monthly bookkeeping.
New York cities:Buffalo · Brooklyn · Queens — served remotely, in your own QuickBooks file.
Not sure where your file stands? Start with the free QuickBooks file review · how New York compares: state-by-state tax quirks.
New York catch-up bookkeeping questions.
How far behind can the books be?
Do I need to be in Buffalo or Erie County to work with you?
What if New York sales tax returns were filed late, or not at all?
Catch-up or cleanup: which do I need?
What happens after the books are current?
Talk to a ProAdvisor
One call tells you exactly where your books stand.
Tell us what’s wrong with the books. We’ll tell you whether cleanup, catch-up or monthly bookkeeping fits.
Reply within one business day · Written fixed-fee scope in 3 business days · No hourly billing
- You talk to a ProAdvisorSomeone who works in QuickBooks files like yours, every day.
- We review your fileWe look at what’s actually in your QuickBooks and what it needs.
- You get a written scopeA written scope you can accept, change or decline.
Let’s see how far behind your New York books are.
Start with a discovery call and tell us where the books stand; we recommend the engagement that fits. Prefer to talk first? Call us. Want the file looked at first? Start with the free file review above.