Frequently Asked Questions

Questions? Let’s Make Things Clear.

Straightforward answers about working together, our services, and what to expect.

Clarity in your numbers.
Confidence in your decisions.

Getting Started

What services do you provide?

We provide accounting and bookkeeping, accounts payable and receivable, tax preparation and planning, sales and use tax compliance, payroll and 1099 filings, and fractional CFO advisory. Most clients work with us across more than one of these as their needs grow.

Who do you typically work with?

We work with small and growing businesses, including e-commerce and multi-channel sellers, as well as individuals who need coordinated tax and accounting support. Every engagement is professional-led.

How do I get started?

Schedule a consultation and we’ll talk through your business, your current systems, and where things stand today. From there we confirm the services, systems, and reporting rhythm that fit your situation.

What happens during the initial consultation?

It’s a short conversation to understand your business and current financial setup, not a sales pitch. There’s no special preparation required. Just bring your questions and a general picture of where things stand.

Accounting & Bookkeeping

Which accounting platforms do you work with?

We work in QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, Zoho Books, and Sage, and can set any of these up correctly from day one or clean up an existing file. We are QuickBooks ProAdvisor and Xero Certified.

Can you clean up bookkeeping that’s fallen behind?

Yes. We review the current chart of accounts and records, identify what’s out of balance or miscategorized, and bring everything current before moving into ongoing monthly work.

Do you handle accounts payable and receivable, not just bookkeeping?

Yes, that’s a dedicated service. We handle bill entry and payment scheduling, customer invoicing and collections, AP and AR aging reports, and vendor and customer reconciliations, with approval routing built in where needed.

Do you work with businesses that sell across multiple platforms?

Yes, we regularly reconcile sales, refunds, fees, and payouts from channels like Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, eBay, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, and the payment processors behind them, back into one clean set of books.

How often will I get financial statements?

Monthly financial statements and month-end close support are part of our standard bookkeeping service. The exact reporting rhythm is confirmed with you when we agree on scope.

US Tax & Compliance

What types of tax returns do you prepare?

Individual returns (Form 1040), business returns (1120, 1120S, and 1065), trust and estate returns (1041), and multi-state returns. Preparation and planning are handled together as one coordinated strategy rather than a once-a-year filing.

What if I’m behind on filing previous years’ returns?

We can review prior-year filings and help identify what still needs to be filed or corrected. Catching up starts with understanding where things currently stand.

What documents do I need to get started?

Typically prior-year returns, current income statements such as W-2s, 1099s, and K-1s, and records of deductible expenses. We’ll confirm the exact list for your situation once we understand your circumstances.

Do I need to file if I had little or no income?

Filing requirements depend on your income, filing status, and other factors, not just how much you earned. We can help determine whether a filing is required in your situation.

What happens if the IRS sends a notice after filing?

We can review the notice, explain what it means, and help determine the appropriate response within the engagement agreed.

Payroll & 1099 Filings

Can you take over payroll from another provider or from in-house?

Yes. We review your current pay schedules, tax accounts, and prior filings, then recommend a switchover date that keeps your filings consistent from one provider to the next.

What do you need from me each pay period?

The changes since the last run: new hires, terminations, raises, bonuses, hours, and time off. We agree on cut-off dates and the format during setup so each run stays on schedule.

How do you decide whether someone is an employee or a contractor?

We walk through the factors the IRS and your state look at, such as control, independence, and how the work is done, and flag roles that look risky. Where a role is unclear, we say so and help you document the decision.

When are W-2s and 1099s due?

W-2s and 1099-NEC forms are generally due to recipients and the IRS by January 31. We track the exact dates each year and ask for what we need well before them.

What if I’ve missed payroll tax deposits or filings?

Tell us as early as you can. We can review what was missed, help you understand any notices, penalties, and interest, and coordinate the catch-up filings within the engagement agreed.

Sales & Use Tax

How do I know which states I need to collect tax in?

It depends on nexus: a physical presence in a state or, in many states, sales or transaction levels above that state’s threshold. We review where you sell, compare it with each state’s rules, and tell you where you need to register.

If I sell on marketplaces, do I still have to file?

Often, yes. Many states require marketplaces to collect tax on sales made through them, but you may still have registration and reporting duties, and sales on your own website or other channels are yours to handle. We map it channel by channel.

Can you help if I haven’t been filing?

Yes. We review past sales to estimate your exposure, discuss options such as voluntary disclosure programs where a state offers them, and then get you registered and current.

What do you need from me each period?

Typically sales reports by channel and state, plus resale or exemption certificates for any exempt sales. We agree the exact reports and timing when we set up.

What happens if a state sends me a notice or audit letter?

Send it to us as soon as it arrives. We review what the state is asking, help gather documentation such as exemption certificates, and coordinate the response within the engagement agreed.

E-commerce Accounting

Which sales channels and payment processors can you reconcile?

We work with sales channels including Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, eBay, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, and payment processors such as Stripe, PayPal, Square, Shop Pay, and Amazon Pay, reconciling sales, refunds, fees, and payouts back to your accounting platform.

Can you help track inventory and product-level profitability?

E-commerce bookkeeping is built around records that stay connected across every channel, so cost of goods and product-level results can be reviewed accurately rather than estimated.

Do you handle sales tax for e-commerce and multi-channel sellers?

Yes, sales and use tax is a dedicated service, including nexus analysis, marketplace and multi-state filing, and exemption certificate management, built for how e-commerce businesses actually sell.

My payouts from different platforms never match my bank deposits. Can you fix that?

That’s a common e-commerce bookkeeping problem, since a single payout often bundles sales, refunds, and fees from several days. We reconcile each platform’s settlement activity down to the transaction level so your books match what actually happened.

Working Together

What does Fractional CFO support include?

Financial analysis and forecasting, cash flow and KPI oversight, budgeting and financial modeling, investor-ready reporting packages, scenario planning, and growth and profitability planning: senior-level financial strategy without a full-time hire.

How do engagements typically work?

After an initial conversation, we agree on scope (the services, the systems we’ll work in, and the reporting rhythm that suits you), then settle into a monthly or quarterly rhythm with a professional who responds when you need one.

Is my financial information kept secure and confidential?

Yes. Your financial information is handled as confidential, and we work inside the access controls and security practices of the platforms you already use, such as QuickBooks, Xero, and your banking and payroll systems.

How is pricing determined?

Pricing depends on the scope of the engagement (which services are involved, complexity, and reporting needs) and is confirmed with you upfront as part of agreeing on scope, before any work begins.

How can I get in touch if I have more questions?

Schedule a consultation and we’ll go through your specific questions directly, or email us at info@keyurshahcpa.com.

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If your question isn’t covered here, tell us what you’re dealing with and we’ll walk you through it.