Common Questions
Accounting and tax questions don’t have to be confusing. Here are the answers you need—simple, straightforward, and built for businesses like yours.
Accounting FAQ's
All CPAs are accountants, but not all accountants are CPAs. The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is administered state by state, but all states require the CPA exam to be passed and a certain amount of college credits to have been taken.
A traditional monthly accounting process includes ongoing tasks like paying bills, recording receipts, processing and recording payroll, then month-end close procedures to include accruals, depreciation, prepaid expense amortization, bank reconciliations, and preparation of financial statements
Outsourced accounting allows small businesses and nonprofits to access a team of experienced financial professionals without the need to hire a full-time or even part-time internal accountant. It offers a flexible, cost-effective solution for organizations that need expert support but want to stay within their budget. Because many accounting topics are highly intricate, outsourcing ensures you have the right knowledge and services tailored to your specific needs. With outsourced accounting, you gain confidence in your financial management while focusing more time and energy on growing your organization.
Likely! Let’s chat. Whether you already have a financial technology stack in place or you're exploring new solutions, we can help ensure your accounting processes are streamlined and connected to the rest of your business operations. Our team can also advise you on the best accounting technology for small businesses to support your goals and growth. If you're unsure whether your current systems are the right fit, we’re happy to discuss and recommend solutions tailored to your needs.
Absolutely! We specialize in bookkeeping cleanup, catch-up accounting, and reconciling past-due books. We’ll work with you to ensure your records are complete, accurate, and ready for whatever’s next - whether it’s tax filings, audits, or making better business decisions. No matter how far behind you feel, we’re here to help you get back on track with confidence.
Getting started is simple! We'll schedule a meeting to learn more about your business, discuss your specific needs, and then prepare a tailored proposal. Thanks to our proactive staffing approach, we can typically begin onboarding within the same month. The accounting onboarding and setup process timeline varies depending on the size and complexity of your business, but with the help of our dedicated onboarding specialist, we work to make the transition as smooth and efficient as possible. Our goal is to get your outsourced bookkeeping services up and running quickly so you can stay focused on your business.
GAAP compliant reports should include a full set of financial statements, including a balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, and statement of changes in equity. These reports must follow Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to ensure consistency, accuracy, and transparency. You can learn more about GAAP standards here.
Finance FAQ's
We focus on building long-term partnerships with clients who value consistent, proactive financial guidance, not just occasional check-ins. Strategic planning is most effective when it's grounded in real-time data and regular conversations, which is why we offer ongoing advisory services as part of our monthly engagements. If you’re looking for a deeper financial relationship with regular insights and forward-looking support, we’re a great fit.
We specialize in remote accounting and use cloud-based bookkeeping tools to collaborate securely and efficiently. Our team primarily works through Microsoft Teams for meetings, but we’re flexible and can also join Zoom, Google Meet, or other platforms. For secure document sharing and requests, we use ShareFile and Financial Cents to keep everything organized and protected. With our technology-driven approach, you’ll have real-time access to your financials and seamless communication with your team.
Strong KPIs act like a financial compass - they show you where you are, what’s working, and where you need to course-correct. While the right metrics can vary depending on your business, the goal is always the same: to build a healthier, more resilient operation.
We work closely with our clients to surface the KPIs that actually matter, not just what looks good on paper. Whether you're aiming to boost profitability, increase your liquidity ratio, manage growth, or simply gain more clarity, we help you focus on the numbers that drive smart, sustainable decisions.
Timely financial analysis gives business leaders the clarity they need to make forward-thinking decisions with confidence. From identifying revenue trends and cost drivers to managing cash flow and planning for growth, strong financial reporting connects the dots between day-to-day operations and long-term strategy.
At Cascade, we provide our clients with monthly financial insights, not just quarterly snapshots, because we believe better data leads to better decisions. Whether you're thinking about hiring, expanding, or investing in capital projects, real-time financial visibility turns guesswork into guidance.
Tax FAQ's
Yes. If you're audited by the IRS or a state agency, we’ll guide you through the process. We help gather the necessary documentation, represent you in communications with the taxing authority, and work to resolve the issue efficiently and professionally.
Yes, we regularly work with clients who are behind on their taxes and need help catching up. We can file multiple prior-year returns at once and guide you through the process with clarity and support.
Our team helps you get organized, address IRS compliance issues, and minimize penalties where possible. From back taxes to past-due filings, we offer practical tax resolution services that help you move forward with confidence and peace of mind.
We take a proactive, personalized approach to tax planning, there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. Depending on your business, we may recommend maximizing deductions, leveraging tax credits, optimizing your entity structure, timing income and expenses, or contributing to retirement plans.
What sets us apart is how we educate our clients along the way. We break down the laws, options, and trade-offs so you can make informed decisions that support both your short- and long-term goals. It’s not just about filing - it’s about building a tax-efficient strategy that grows with your business.
Having employees or operations in multiple states can create tax obligations in each of those states, including income tax, payroll tax, and sometimes sales tax. Each state has different rules, so it's important to understand where you have “nexus” and what filings are required. We help businesses navigate multi-state tax compliance with clarity and confidence, so nothing falls through the cracks.
Yes. We help businesses manage complex multi-state tax issues, including registration, filings, and ongoing compliance for sales tax, payroll tax, and income tax. We’ll help ensure you're meeting requirements in each state where you do business or have employees. Our role is to simplify the complexity and help you stay ahead of evolving state tax rules, with a practical, well-informed approach.
