Monthly Bookkeeping Service That Includes Your Tax Return

Zero Fluff Books is led by Lauren Twitchell, an Enrolled Agent and former IRS Revenue Agent with 4.5 years of examination experience in the IRS SB/SE division. Our monthly bookkeeping service is built around one standard: your books should be able to walk into an IRS examination without a single item needing explanation. That's what tax-ready actually means.

One Engagement. Clean Books. Your Federal Return. IRS Support Included.

Most small business owners handle their bookkeeping one way and their taxes another - and neither one is quite right. Books aren't tax-ready. The return gets rushed. And when the IRS has a question, no one's sure who handles it.

Tax-Ready business fixes all three under one flat monthly fee.

Your books stay clean all year. Your federal return gets prepared from records we actually maintained. And if the IRS has questions about a return we filed, we handle it — that's already included.

Tax-Ready Business is a year-round engagement for small business owners who want their books maintained, their federal return prepared, and their IRS correspondence handled — all by the same professional, all under one predictable monthly fee. No scrambling at tax time. No coordinating between a bookkeeper and a separate preparer. No surprise invoices when the IRS sends a notice. One firm. One standard. One fee.

This service may not be a fit if you:

Only want once-a-year tax filing
Need payroll, sales tax, or state tax services
Want aggressive tax strategies or guaranteed outcomes
Are unwilling to complete onboarding for prior periods
Expect us to collect customer payments, pay bills, or manage cash flow execution
Want standalone IRS representation unrelated to returns prepared under this engagement

Tax-Ready Business is structured around the calendar tax year.

Services run from the start of engagement through December 31
Monthly fees apply only for the months you are engaged
A new engagement is issued each January for the upcoming tax year

Clients who begin mid-year commit to service through December 31 of the current tax year.

IRS correspondence or representation related to returns prepared under this engagement is included when appropriate and within scope.

Pricing

$1,150 per month

Includes preparation and e-filing of the individual Form 1040 with Schedule C

What's Included

Monthly Services:

Monthly bookkeeping
Account reconciliations
Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet
Tax-ready categorization
Documentation guidance (what to keep and why)
Email support for bookkeeping and tax-readiness questions

Periodic Reviews:

Quarterly check-ins to:

Review financial trends
Discuss upcoming tax considerations
Identify issues early

Tax discussions are educational and planning-oriented in nature. No specific tax outcome is guaranteed.

Year-End Deliverables:

Year-end tax-ready financials
Federal business tax return preparation and e-file

Federal tax return preparation is included only if the client remains active and in good standing through year-end and the return remains within agreed scope.

IRS Representation (Limited Scope)

Representation before the IRS for notices, inquiries, or examinations directly related to returns prepared and filed under this engagement, provided the client remains active an in good standing.

Representation does not include matters arising prior to engagement, unrelated filings, criminal investigations, or positions taken outside the scope of services.

$1,750 per month

Includes preparation and e-filing of the Federal Form 1120-S and up to two related shareholder federal Form 1040s (limited to reporting income from the business).

What's Included

Monthly Services:

Monthly bookkeeping
Account reconciliations
Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet
Tax-ready categorization
Documentation guidance (what to keep and why)
Email support for bookkeeping and tax-readiness questions

Periodic Reviews:

Quarterly check-ins to:

Review financial trends
Discuss upcoming tax considerations
Identify issues early

Tax discussions are educational and planning-oriented in nature. No specific tax outcome is guaranteed.

Year-End Deliverables:

Year-end tax-ready financials
Federal business tax return preparation and e-file
Included K-1's where applicable
Included shareholder Form 1040's where applicable

Federal tax return preparation is included only if the client remains active and in good standing through year-end and the return remains within agreed scope.

IRS Representation (Limited Scope)

Representation before the IRS for notices, inquiries, or examinations directly related to returns prepared and filed under this engagement, provided the client remains active an in good standing.

Representation does not include matters arising prior to engagement, unrelated filings, criminal investigations, or positions taken outside the scope of services.

$1,850 per month

Includes preparation and e-filing of the Federal Form 1065 and up to two related partner federal Form 1040s (limited to reporting income from the business).

What's Included

Monthly Services:

Monthly bookkeeping
Account reconciliations
Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet
Tax-ready categorization
Documentation guidance (what to keep and why)
Email support for bookkeeping and tax-readiness questions

Periodic Reviews:

Quarterly check-ins to:

Review financial trends
Discuss upcoming tax considerations
Identify issues early

Tax discussions are educational and planning-oriented in nature. No specific tax outcome is guaranteed.

Year-End Deliverables:

Year-end tax-ready financials
Federal business tax return preparation and e-file
Included K-1's where applicable
Included partner Form 1040's where applicable

Federal tax return preparation is included only if the client remains active and in good standing through year-end and the return remains within agreed scope.

IRS Representation (Limited Scope)

Representation before the IRS for notices, inquiries, or examinations directly related to returns prepared and filed under this engagement, provided the client remains active an in good standing.

Representation does not include matters arising prior to engagement, unrelated filings, criminal investigations, or positions taken outside the scope of services.

$1,950 per month

Includes preparation and e-filing of the Federal Form 1120 and up to two officer federal Form 1040s (limited to reporting income from the business).

What's Included

Monthly Services:

Monthly bookkeeping
Account reconciliations
Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet
Tax-ready categorization
Documentation guidance (what to keep and why)
Email support for bookkeeping and tax-readiness questions

Periodic Reviews:

Quarterly check-ins to:

Review financial trends
Discuss upcoming tax considerations
Identify issues early

Tax discussions are educational and planning-oriented in nature. No specific tax outcome is guaranteed.

Year-End Deliverables:

Year-end tax-ready financials
Federal business tax return preparation and e-file
Included officer Form 1040's where applicable

Federal tax return preparation is included only if the client remains active and in good standing through year-end and the return remains within agreed scope.

IRS Representation (Limited Scope)

Representation before the IRS for notices, inquiries, or examinations directly related to returns prepared and filed under this engagement, provided the client remains active an in good standing.

Representation does not include matters arising prior to engagement, unrelated filings, criminal investigations, or positions taken outside the scope of services.

Additional Information

Tax-Ready Business covers ongoing services only.

If your business was operating before we begin working together, a one-time onboarding fee may be required to bring your books up to our tax-ready standard.

Typical onboarding ranges:

Light cleanup (3 - 6 months): $450 - $900
Heavier cleanup (6+ months): $900 - $1,800 +
Clean, reconciled books: $0 - $300

Onboarding fees are quoted separately and billed upfront (or amortized by agreement).

Billing:

Invoices are issued on the 1st of each month
Payment is due upon receipt
Services may be paused for non payment

Early termination:

If the engagement is terminated before December 31:

Monthly fees already billed are not refunded
Included tax return preparation is void
Completed work through the termination date will be delivered

Scope Assumptions:

This service assumes:

One business entity
Reasonable transaction volume
No payroll, sales tax, or employment tax filings
Federal tax returns only
Client-maintained bookkeeping software subscription (Xero or QuickBooks Online)

Material scope changes may require repricing or a separate engagement

Excluded Services:

Tax-Ready Business does not include:

State or local tax returns as a standalone service
Payroll or employment tax filings (Forms 941/940)
Sales tax services
Bill pay or invoicing
IRS matters unrelated to returns prepared under this engagement
Criminal tax matters or investigations

Clients agree to:

Provide complete and accurate information
Upload documents in a timely manner
Maintain access to required financial accounts
Maintain an active subscription to an approved bookkeeping platform (QuickBooks Online or Xero)
Grant-accountant level access for bookkeeping and reporting purposes
Notify us promptly of significant business changes
Promptly notify us of any IRS notices received relating to returns prepared under this engagement

Delays, missing information or loss of system access may impact timelines or scope.

Tax Planning Disclaimer:

Tax planning discussion are general and educational in nature and based on information provided by the client.

No tax outcome is guaranteed.

What is Tax-Ready Business?

An ongoing service that combines monthly bookkeeping, tax-ready financials, and federal tax return preparation under one predictable monthly fee.

What if I start mid-year?

That's fine. Your monthly fee applies from the start of our engagement forward. If your business operated earlier in the year, a one-time onboarding or cleanup fee may be required before ongoing services begin.

Is this just bookkeeping?

No. This is a year-round service designed to keep your books clean and prepare your federal tax return using records maintained throughout the year.

Is tax planning included?

We include general, educational tax planning discussions during periodic reviews.

No outcomes are guaranteed, and planning is not aggressive or speculative.

Does this include my personal tax return?

Yes.

Schedule C: Your Form 1040 is included
1120-S: Up to two shareholder Form 1040's included (flow-through only)
1065: Up to two partner Form 1040's included (flow-through only)
1120: Up to two officer returns are included.

Additional personal returns are quoted separately.

What does "flow-through only" mean?

Included owner returns cover income originating from the business (K-1's, W-2's from the entity). Other entity activity (i.e., Schedule C) or complex situations may require additional fees.

Do you handled invoicing or bill pay?

No. We reconcile accounts receivable and accounts payable for reporting purposes only. Clients remain responsible for issuing invoices, collecting payments, and paying vendors.

What happens if I stop service before year-end?

Monthly fees already paid are not refunded
Included tax preparation is void
Any completed work through the termination date is delivered

Do you provide QuickBooks or Xero subscriptions?

No. Clients are responsible for maintaining their own bookkeeping software subscription. This ensures clients retain full ownership and access to their records.

Why is there an onboarding fee?

Onboarding covers historical cleanup or verification work.

Monthly pricing applies only to ongoing services.

Do you communicate with the IRS for me?

Yes - for IRS notices, correspondence, or examinations directly related to returns prepared under the Tax-Ready Business engagement. Representation does not include matters arising prior to engagement or unrelated IRS issues.

How do I get started?

Book a short review call so we can confirm fit and walk through next steps.

This Is the Service Most of Our Clients Were Looking For Before They Found Us

Book Your Tax Ready Business Call

Send Us A Message

Monthly Bookkeeping Service That Includes Your Tax Return

One Engagement. Clean Books. Your Federal Return. IRS Support Included.

Most small business owners handle their bookkeeping one way and their taxes another - and neither one is quite right. Books aren't tax-ready. The return gets rushed. And when the IRS has a question, no one's sure who handles it. Tax-Ready business fixes all three under one flat monthly fee.

Your books stay clean all year. Your federal return gets prepared from records we actually maintained. And if the IRS has questions about a return we filed, we handle it — that's already included.

Pricing

Additional Information

This Is the Service Most of Our Clients Were Looking For Before They Found Us

Most small business owners handle their bookkeeping one way and their taxes another - and neither one is quite right. Books aren't tax-ready. The return gets rushed. And when the IRS has a question, no one's sure who handles it.

Tax-Ready business fixes all three under one flat monthly fee.