--- title: "Years Behind on Bookkeeping? Catch-Up Help (NJ) | MCC" description: "One, two or five years of unreconciled books? Catch-up bookkeeping for any type of New Jersey business: sort the backlog, reconcile, and get current." url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/bookkeeping/help/years-behind-on-books" --- Catch-up bookkeeping # Years behind on your books? Start here Shoeboxes of receipts, bank accounts nobody has reconciled, a deadline coming. It's more common than you'd think, and it's fixable. The work is methodical, and it works the same whatever your business does. [Get a Quote](/bookkeeping/#interest) [![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) ![Matthew Coleman, founder of MCC Solutions](/img/matthew-coleman.jpg) **Matthew Coleman**, QuickBooks ProAdvisor, accounting and finance degree. Cranford, NJ. Start with a free health check of your books. You get a quote after we review your books, before any work starts. Keeping your own books? Tallyfinch does invoices, bank import and reports on your computer. [See Tallyfinch](/bookkeeping/mcc-books-downloadable-bookkeeping-software) ## What catch-up work looks like We start from the source documents: bank and card statements, payment-processor reports, loan statements and whatever receipts exist. We rebuild each period in order, categorize, and reconcile every account to its statement so the numbers can be trusted. Where records are missing, we flag the gap and ask rather than guess. ## What we need from you Statements for every business bank, credit card and loan account for the period, exports or access for your payment platforms, prior-year tax returns if you have them, and a short note about anything unusual. ## How long it takes It depends on volume and how much is missing. We scope it after looking at your accounts and give a quote before work starts. We won't promise a deadline until we've seen what's there. ## After you're current Once the backlog is done, monthly upkeep is a fraction of the effort, and you get reports you can read: profit and loss, balance sheet and cash position. ## Taxes and filings We're a bookkeeping firm, not a CPA firm. We don't give tax advice or file returns. We hand clean books to your tax professional, which usually makes their work faster. ## Before you send us anything Gather the statements first. Download every business bank, credit card and loan statement for the period, even the ones with no activity, and note any account that was closed. Open a folder for each year. Missing statements can usually be requested from the bank, and that is a better use of an afternoon than sorting receipts. ## What to do about deadlines in the meantime Late filings can add penalties each month, so do not wait for perfect books to talk to your tax professional. Tell them the books are behind. They may file an extension or an estimated return while the backlog is cleared, and they decide what is best for your situation. Our [tax deadline calendar](/bookkeeping/tax-deadlines) shows the dates that apply to your business type. ## How the work is organised We usually work year by year, most recent first, because current numbers help you decide things now. Each year is reconciled to the bank before we move to the next. You get a short list of questions at each stage, such as an unfamiliar deposit or a payment we cannot identify, so you answer in batches instead of constantly. ## Questions to ask any bookkeeper doing catch-up Will you reconcile every account to its statement? How do you handle missing records? Will I get a written list of what you changed? Who will be doing the work? What happens if the backlog is bigger than quoted? The answers tell you more than the price does. Our [catch-up and cleanup page](/bookkeeping/catch-up) explains how we handle each. ## Related - [Bookkeeping health check](/bookkeeping/health-check) - [Books that won't reconcile](/bookkeeping/help/books-that-wont-reconcile) - [Tax notice and the books](/bookkeeping/help/tax-notice-need-records) - [Bookkeeping guides](/bookkeeping/guides) - [Catch-up and cleanup](/bookkeeping/catch-up) - [Free QuickBooks cleanup kit](/toolkits/quickbooks-cleanup-kit) General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency, lender or your professional. Updated October 2026. FAQ ## Common questions **Is a business ever too far behind to fix?** Rarely. We'd rather see the records and tell you what's possible than guess. **Do I have to find every receipt?** No. Bank and card statements carry most of the story. We'll tell you which gaps matter. **Do you file the late returns?** No. We prepare the books; a CPA or tax preparer files returns. **Should I file taxes before the books are done?** That is a decision for you and your tax professional. Filing on time, or filing for an extension, usually matters more than waiting for finished books. **Can you work on one year only?** Yes. If only one year is needed, for a lender or a tax notice, we can scope just that year and say what it leaves out. 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) ## Want clean books? [Get a Quote](/bookkeeping/#interest)[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)