Answers to the questions we get every week.
Honest answers about what we do, how we charge, what makes us different, and where we draw our practice boundaries.
About the Firm
Are you a CPA firm?
No. Troy Accounting is a professional accounting firm, not a CPA firm. We do not issue audit opinions, reviews, or other attestation reports that require a CPA license. We deliver bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation and planning, business advisory, audit-readiness, and compliance work, all with the same documentation discipline as a top-tier CPA firm. For engagements that legally require a licensed CPA, we coordinate seamlessly with our vetted CPA partner network.
How long have you been in business?
Troy Accounting has been serving businesses for more than 15 years. We have closed books, filed returns, and advised clients through three recessions, two pandemics, and dozens of regulatory shifts. That continuity matters when you are picking a financial partner.
Are there industries you do not serve?
Yes. We do not serve adult entertainment, bars and alcohol distributors, gambling and gaming operations, cannabis and dispensaries, tobacco and vape retail, firearms, payday lending, and certain other categories. These restrictions reflect regulatory complexity, banking constraints, and our practice standards. A full list with context appears on our Industries page.
What size businesses do you work with?
From pre-revenue startups to companies in the $40M+ range. Every engagement is custom-priced to reflect your entity, complexity, and service mix. For businesses above $40M in revenue, we build bespoke engagements that may include fractional CFO leadership.
Are you remote, in-person, or both?
Primarily cloud-based and remote. Modern accounting work happens through QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Gusto, Bill.com, and similar tools. Video calls handle the rest. For clients in regions where we maintain physical offices, in-person reviews are available on request.
Pricing & Engagements
Is the instant quote really binding?
Yes, assuming the inputs are accurate. If we discover material differences during discovery, we will explain the variance before signing. Most quotes go through unchanged.
Do you charge hourly?
No. All engagements are flat monthly fees. Out-of-scope work (audit defense, M&A diligence, special projects) is quoted as a fixed fee before any work begins, never billed as open-ended hours.
What does "all-inclusive" actually include?
Your selected services, unlimited email access to your account team, monthly close and reconciliation, quarterly business review calls, ad-hoc questions, software subscriptions for accounting tools we provide, and annual tax filings if tax is in your bundle.
What is the contract length?
No multi-year lock-ins. After an initial 90-day onboarding period, engagements are month-to-month. Most clients stay for years because the work earns it, not because they are locked in.
Onboarding & Switching
How long does onboarding take?
Most clients are fully onboarded within ten business days. If books are very behind or you have urgent deadlines, we can compress this timeline.
What does onboarding involve?
Three things. First, we get read-only access to your accounting software, bank accounts, and payroll system. Second, we clean up or rebuild your chart of accounts and reconcile the starting balances. Third, we run the first monthly close in parallel with your old setup, then switch over.
Can you take over from my current bookkeeper or firm?
Yes, frequently. We do this transition every month. We handle the data export, the cleanup, and we coordinate with your prior provider so nothing falls through the cracks during the handoff.
What if my books are a mess?
We have a separate one-time cleanup engagement that runs in parallel with the first month or two of monthly work. The instant quote tool estimates this fee transparently.
Security & Confidentiality
How is my data protected?
We use bank-grade encryption for all data in transit and at rest. Access is logged, multi-factor authentication is enforced for every team member, and we follow the AICPA's Statement on Standards for Tax Services for confidentiality. We do not sell or share client data with any third party.
Is my information shared with the IRS or anyone else?
Only when required by law (such as filing your tax return) or when you explicitly authorize a disclosure (such as providing financials to a lender). Otherwise, your information stays with our firm.
Where is your staff located?
Our senior staff and your dedicated account lead are based in the United States. Some routine back-office workflows may be supported by vetted partners, but no offshore team has unsupervised access to client financial data.
Working Together
How often will I hear from you?
Monthly financial close package, quarterly business review call, and unlimited email access in between. Advisory clients receive weekly 13-week cash forecasts. Most clients hear from us more than they expected, never less.
Will I have a dedicated person, or just a "team"?
You will have a named account lead, a senior accountant, and (if applicable) a tax specialist. Direct contact information, real responsibility, same people every month.
What software do you use?
Whatever serves your business best. We are certified across QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Gusto, ADP, Paychex, Rippling, Bill.com, Ramp, Brex, Stripe, Square, Shopify, and more. We will recommend the right stack during onboarding.
What if I am unhappy with the engagement?
Tell us. The first thirty days are a trial period, walk away with no questions asked. After that, we hold ourselves to monthly accountability. We would rather lose a client who is unhappy than retain one we are not serving well.