Services
Straightforward accounting support, from startups to experienced business owners.
Bookkeeping, tax preparation, CFO advisory, training, and payroll & compliance — all delivered directly by Susan, a licensed California CPA. One person, one client at a time, no hand‑offs.
- California CPA License #96754
- Licensed since 2007 · In the field since 1999
- Redding & Shasta County
Seven services. One licensed CPA.
Each service below is handled personally by Susan — not passed to a junior preparer or offshore team. Click any to jump to the details.
Bookkeeping
Always know where you stand.
Each service below is handled personally by Susan — not passed to a junior preparer or offshore team. Click any to jump to the details.
Tax Preparation
Filed accurately, on time, every time.
Personal and business returns prepared by a licensed CPA — with planning baked in so April isn’t a surprise.
Individual Tax Preparation
Your personal return, done right.
1040 returns for W-2 employees, retirees, and self-employed filers — accurately, on time, and with every deduction accounted for.
Small Business Accounting
One CPA for your whole financial picture.
From entity structure to year-end reporting, Susan handles the accounting side of your business so you can focus on running it.
IRS Representation
Got a letter? Don’t ignore it.
Susan is a licensed CPA with full authority to represent you before the IRS — something a bookkeeper or unlicensed preparer legally cannot do.
CFO & Advisory
Big decisions, made with confidence.
Forecasting, pricing, hiring and growth questions answered with real numbers — not gut feel.
Training & Support
Stop fighting QuickBooks.
Hands-on training for you or your team so the books stay clean between sessions and the software actually helps.
Payroll & Compliance
Stay on the right side of every deadline.
Payroll runs, filings and compliance handled correctly — including the things most preparers forget about.
01 · Bookkeeping
Books that are clean, current, and actually useful.
Most small business owners don’t need fancier reports — they need accurate ones, delivered on time, by someone who actually understands what the numbers mean. That’s the job.
- Monthly reconciliation of bank, credit card and merchant accounts so the books match reality.
- Categorized transactions coded to a chart of accounts that makes sense for your industry.
- Monthly P&L and balance sheet delivered with a short note from Susan on what changed and why.
- Catch-up bookkeeping if you’re months (or years) behind — rebuilt cleanly, not patched.
- QuickBooks Online or Desktop — whichever your business already runs on.
Best for
- Small business owners doing it themselves and falling behind
- Companies in growth mode that need monthly numbers they can trust
- Owners switching CPAs and inheriting messy books
What it’s not
A login to a portal you’ll never check. You get a real human who knows your business.
Best for
- Households with rental property, K-1s, or multiple income streams
- Anyone who got a notice from the IRS or California FTB
- Owners tired of finding out what they owe two weeks before the deadline
Why a CPA matters
Only a licensed CPA, EA, or attorney can represent you before the IRS. A bookkeeper or unlicensed preparer cannot.
02 · Tax Preparation
Tax season without the knot in your stomach.
A licensed CPA prepares and signs every return personally. No software-only filing, no junior preparer, no surprises in April — just clean returns and a plan for next year.
- Individual returns (Form 1040) for W-2 employees, retirees, self-employed and rental owners.
- Business returns — Schedule C, partnerships (1065), S-corps (1120-S) and C-corps (1120).
- California state returns and multi-state filings when needed.
- Year-round tax planning so the return reflects decisions you made on purpose.
- IRS & FTB representation — Susan can speak directly to the agency on your behalf.
03 · CFO & Advisory
A finance partner for the decisions that actually move the business.
Most small businesses don’t need a full-time CFO — they need one good conversation a month with someone who knows the numbers. That’s what this is.
- Monthly review meetings walking through the P&L, cash position and what to act on.
- Cash-flow forecasting so you see payroll cliffs and tax bills well in advance.
- Pricing & margin analysis — what’s actually making money and what’s quietly bleeding it.
- Hiring, equipment and growth decisions stress-tested against real numbers, not optimism.
- Entity structure & owner-comp planning as the business grows.
Best for
- Owners crossing $500K–$5M in revenue who feel they’re flying blind
- Businesses thinking about a hire, a loan, or a major purchase
- Founders preparing for a sale, succession, or partner change
Format
Monthly or quarterly meetings, in person in Redding or via video. Always with Susan — never a junior associate.
Best for
- Owners who want to keep books in-house but get them right
- Office managers or admins inheriting QuickBooks duties
- Businesses migrating from spreadsheets or Desktop to QBO
Software
QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, primarily. Other platforms case-by-case.
04 · Training & Support
Get the most out of the software you’re already paying for.
If your team is doing the day-to-day bookkeeping, the difference between “clean books” and “a mess every quarter” usually comes down to a few habits. Susan teaches them.
- QuickBooks setup & cleanup — chart of accounts, products/services, sales tax, banking feeds.
- Hands-on training sessions for owners or bookkeeping staff, in person or screen-share.
- Process documentation — a written playbook for your team to follow each month.
- Quarterly reviews to catch issues before they become tax-season problems.
- On-call support for the “wait, how do I record this?” moments.
05 · Payroll & Compliance
Payroll handled correctly — and nothing falls through the cracks.
Payroll mistakes are expensive and they don’t go away on their own. Susan handles it the same way she handles everything else: carefully, on schedule, and with real accountability.
- Payroll processing on a regular schedule, with direct deposit and stub generation.
- Federal & California payroll tax filings (941, DE 9, DE 9C, W-2, W-3) prepared and submitted on time.
- 1099 / 1099-NEC preparation for contractors at year-end.
- Sales tax filings for California businesses that collect it.
- New-hire reporting, EDD correspondence and notice response.
Best for
- Small businesses with 1–25 W-2 employees
- Owners who got bitten by a missed filing or a notice
- Companies running payroll in QuickBooks or Gusto already
Quiet but important
Penalty & interest from a missed payroll filing usually costs more than a year of having it done right. Don’t guess at this one.
Best for
- W-2 employees with more than a simple return
- Retirees with pensions, Social Security, and investment income
- Self-employed individuals and sole proprietors
Why it matters
A licensed CPA reviews every line and signs the return. You’re not handing your taxes to software — you’re handing them to a professional who is accountable.
06 · Individual Tax Preparation
Filing your personal return doesn’t have to be stressful.
Susan handles individual 1040 returns for W-2 employees, retirees, and self-employed filers — accurately, on time, and with every deduction accounted for.
- Form 1040 preparation for employees, retirees, rental owners, and self-employed individuals.
- Schedule C, D, and E — side income, investment sales, and rental property all handled correctly.
- California FTB returns prepared and filed alongside your federal return.
- Prior-year returns if you’re behind — filed correctly with penalty minimization where possible.
- Year-round access to ask questions, not just a file-and-forget relationship.
07 · Small Business Accounting
One CPA for your whole financial picture.
From entity structure to year-end reporting, Susan handles the accounting side of your business so you can focus on running it.
- Entity structure advice — sole prop, LLC, S-corp — set up correctly from the start or restructured as you grow.
- Chart of accounts setup tailored to your industry so your reports actually make sense.
- Monthly and quarterly financial statements that tell you what’s happening, not just what happened.
- Year-end close and tax prep handled by the same person who knows your books.
- Business tax returns — Schedule C, 1065, 1120-S, or 1120, depending on your structure.
Best for
- New businesses that want to start clean
- Growing companies outgrowing a part-time bookkeeper
- Owners who want one trusted advisor across books, taxes, and planning
The difference
When your books and your taxes are handled by the same CPA, nothing falls through the cracks at year-end — and your tax return actually reflects the business you ran.
Best for
- Anyone who received an IRS or FTB notice and doesn’t know what to do
- Business owners facing a payroll tax audit or assessment
- Individuals with unfiled years or outstanding balances
Important
Only a licensed CPA, EA, or attorney can represent you before the IRS. A bookkeeper or unlicensed preparer cannot legally appear on your behalf.
08 · IRS Representation
Got a letter from the IRS? Don’t ignore it.
Susan is a licensed CPA with full authority to represent you before the IRS — something a bookkeeper or unlicensed preparer legally cannot do.
- IRS notice response — Susan reads the letter, explains what it means, and drafts the reply.
- Audit representation for correspondence audits and in-person examinations.
- Back taxes and payment plans — installment agreements and currently-not-collectible status where applicable.
- California FTB representation for state-level notices, audits, and assessments.
- Penalty abatement requests when the IRS assesses penalties that can be challenged.
A simple process, from first call to better books.
No 14-page onboarding packet. No mystery. Here’s exactly how working with Susan starts.
01
A free 15-minute call
You explain where things stand — the books, the taxes, the worry. Susan listens, asks a few specific questions, and tells you honestly whether she’s the right fit. No pitch.
02
A clear, flat-fee proposal
Within a few days you’ll get a written scope and a flat monthly or project fee. No hourly billing surprises, no “starting at” pricing — just a number you can decide on.
03
Onboarding & cleanup (if needed)
Susan gets access to what she needs, brings the books current, and flags anything that looks off. Most engagements start with a short cleanup so the ongoing work runs smoothly.
04
Ongoing partnership
Monthly close, regular check-ins, and a CPA you can text when something comes up. The goal: you stop thinking about accounting and get back to running the business.
Common questions about working with Susan.
If you’re wondering, you’re probably not the first. Quick answers below.
How is your pricing structured?
Most engagements are flat monthly or flat per-project fees — not hourly. You’ll know the cost before you sign anything, and the fee won’t change because Susan answered an extra email.
Do I have to be in Redding to work with you?
No. Susan works in person with clients across Shasta County — Redding, Anderson, Shasta Lake, Palo Cedro, Cottonwood — and virtually with small business owners across California. Most ongoing work happens by email and scheduled video calls.
My books are months (or years) behind. Is that a problem?
Not a problem — it’s common. Catch-up bookkeeping is a normal first engagement. Susan rebuilds the books cleanly rather than patching, so the ongoing monthly work is solid.
Will I be working with Susan personally, or with staff?
With Susan, personally. This is a one-CPA practice on purpose. There’s no junior preparer, no offshore team, no partner who shows up only for the sales meeting.
Can you handle just one piece (like taxes), or do I have to bundle everything?
You can absolutely engage Susan for a single service — tax prep only, payroll only, a one-off cleanup — and many clients start that way. If it makes sense to expand later, that conversation happens when you’re ready.
What software do you work in?
Primarily QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. Susan also works with Gusto for payroll and is comfortable in most common small-business stacks. If you’re on something different, ask — it’s usually fine.
Ready to hand the books to
someone who’ll actually own them?
Schedule a free 15-minute conversation with Susan. No pitch, no pressure — just an honest read on where things stand and whether she can help.