--- title: "How to catch up when your books are months behind | MCC" description: "A practical plan for catching up on months or years of unreconciled bookkeeping: gather statements, reconcile in order, and fix the problems that cause delay." url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/bookkeeping/guides/how-to-catch-up-on-behind-books" --- Bookkeeping guide · Updated October 7, 2026 # How to catch up when your books are months behind Falling behind is common, and it is fixable. The method is the same whether you are three months behind or three years. By [Matthew Coleman](/about), MCC Solutions **Quick answer.** To catch up on behind books, pick the earliest month you need accurate books (for taxes, the start of the tax year in question) and work forward from there, month by month, rather than trying to fix everything at once. Want this handled for you? Monthly bookkeeping, cleanup and year-end close for small businesses. Start with a free health check of your books. [Free health check](/bookkeeping/health-check)[Get a quote](/bookkeeping/#interest) **Related:** [Owner contribution or loan](/bookkeeping/guides/owner-equity-and-capital-contributions) · [Closing entries and retained earnings](/bookkeeping/guides/closing-entries-and-retained-earnings) · [Void vs delete a transaction](/bookkeeping/guides/voiding-vs-deleting-transactions) **Free tools:** [True cost of an employee](/bookkeeping/employee-cost-calculator) · [Contractor vs employee cost](/bookkeeping/contractor-vs-employee-cost-calculator) Working through a backlog? The [QuickBooks Cleanup Kit](/toolkits/quickbooks-cleanup-kit) is a step-by-step checklist, a reconciliation log and a READY or NOT READY page for your books. [![Intuit ProAdvisor Gold tier badge](/img/credentials/intuit-proadvisor-gold.png)](https://proadvisor.intuit.com/app/accountant/search?searchId=matthew-coleman77)Gold tier in Intuit's ProAdvisor program. [See my Intuit listing](https://proadvisor.intuit.com/app/accountant/search?searchId=matthew-coleman77) Keeping your own books? Tallyfinch does invoices, bank import and reports on your computer. [See Tallyfinch](/bookkeeping/mcc-books-downloadable-bookkeeping-software) ## Step 1: Decide the start date Pick the earliest month you need accurate books. For taxes, that is the start of the tax year in question. Work forward from there rather than trying to fix everything at once. ## Step 2: Gather the source documents Get statements for every business bank account, credit card, loan and payment processor for each month. If you are missing any, download them from the institution's website. Collect payroll reports, sales tax filings and any records of cash transactions. ## Step 3: Check the opening balances The first month has to start from the right balances. If the software shows a balance that does not match the statement, fix that first. Wrong opening balances cause errors in every month after. ## Step 4: Reconcile month by month, in order Categorize each month's transactions, then reconcile to the statement ending balance before moving on. Do not skip ahead. If a month will not reconcile, find the difference now. Common causes are duplicate entries from a bank feed and a manual import, transfers recorded twice, and missing transactions. ## Step 5: Clean up the loose ends Clear uncategorized and "ask my accountant" items, match payments to invoices and bills, and check loan balances, sales tax payable and payroll liabilities against actual filings and statements. ## Step 6: Keep it current Once you are caught up, set a monthly rhythm. If you fell behind because it never gets done, that is the signal to hand it off. MCC Solutions offers cleanup projects with a written quote, followed by monthly bookkeeping. ## Common questions **How much does a cleanup cost?** It depends on the number of months, accounts and transactions, and the state of the file. We review first and give a written quote. Our bookkeeping page lists starting prices for cleanup. **Will the IRS care that I'm behind?** Late tax filings can carry penalties regardless of your books. If you have unfiled returns, talk to a tax professional promptly. This guide is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rules, fees and due dates change; check with the IRS, the NJ Division of Taxation or a licensed professional for your situation. Let us handle it [### Monthly bookkeeping Categorizing, reconciling and monthly reports, with cleanup, payroll and NJ filings available. Bookkeeping →](/bookkeeping/) [### QuickBooks Online Monthly bookkeeping, cleanup and reconciliation in QuickBooks Online for New Jersey small businesses. Your account stays in your name. QuickBooks →](/bookkeeping/software/quickbooks-online) More guides - [How to reconcile a bank account (and why it matters)](/bookkeeping/guides/how-to-reconcile-a-bank-account) - [New Jersey sales tax for small businesses](/bookkeeping/guides/nj-sales-tax-for-small-businesses) - [New Jersey payroll taxes and filings for small employers](/bookkeeping/guides/nj-payroll-taxes-and-filings-for-small-employers) - [1099 contractors: a checklist for New Jersey businesses](/bookkeeping/guides/1099-contractors-checklist-for-nj-businesses) Free tool - [Bookkeeping health check](/bookkeeping/health-check) [All guides](/bookkeeping/guides) Reach small business owners, freelancers and bookkeepers who read this guide: [advertise here](/advertise#bookkeeping). Do it yourself ### QuickBooks Cleanup Kit A structured way to clean up books that got away from you, and a status page that says plainly whether they are ready for tax prep or a lender. [See what's inside ($29)](/toolkits/quickbooks-cleanup-kit)14-day full refund Reviewed by a person ### Books Health Review Send us one period of reports from QuickBooks, Xero or Excel. A person reads them and emails a written list of what to fix, in order. [See what is included ($129)](/bookkeeping/books-health-review) Tallyfinch ### Books you keep on your own computer Tallyfinch does invoices, bills, bank import, reconciliation and the main reports, in a file you own. $99 once, then $5 a month for updates; the app keeps working if you stop the plan. It does not do payroll or sales tax filing. The free download records up to 60 entries. [See Tallyfinch](/bookkeeping/mcc-books-downloadable-bookkeeping-software) [Download it free](/tools/pro/trial/mccBooks) [Compare the three apps](/software) ## Rather have us keep the books? Ask for a quote. [Get a Quote](/bookkeeping/#interest)[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)