Bookkeeping and Accounting for Genealogists
Looking for a bookkeeper and accountant for your genealogy business? We handle your books, so you can dedicate more time to uncovering family histories. Try us for free.
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How Bench works with genealogists
Uncover your bookkeeping, income tax prep, and filing solutions with experts—powered by one robust platform. Bench intricately works just like genealogists do with your records.
We get you set up
Our devoted team takes the effort to meticulously comprehend your genealogy business, respond to your inquiries, assist you in connecting your accounts, and demonstrate how Bench simplifies your bookkeeping.
We do your bookkeeping
Each month, your dedicated bookkeeper arranges your genealogy business transactions and prepares detailed financial reports. If they require additional information or documents from you, they’ll promptly reach out.
We deliver tax-ready financials
Our team of experts is well-versed in the specific tax regulations related to genealogists and will tailor their approach to your business' distinct requirements.
Here’s why genealogists like you trust Bench with their bookkeeping and accounting
Get fast, unlimited support from our expert advisors
We will provide you with regular updates on your bookkeeping progress as a genealogist. Got urgent inquiries that require quick responses? Trust that we'll be back with a resolution in less than a business day.
Guaranteed accuracy in every detail
Our platform simplifies the process of organizing financial data inputs, preventing common errors often encountered by genealogists. We collaborate with prominent platforms like Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast, and more—ensuring your financial records are always accurate and up-to-date.
See where you’re spending. Make smart decisions
Wave farewell to stacks of historical records and hours spent manually tracing family ties—Bench Accounting simplifies your process by automating input directly from linked accounts. All your valuable data is collated in one central dashboard, providing a clear view of your genealogical research. This not only aids in easily understanding the connections and lineages you’re studying, but also empowers you to make calculated, strategic decisions. Trust Bench Accounting to streamline your genealogy efforts.
Bench integrates with your favorite small business tools
We sync seamlessly with your financial accounts and tools to keep your books up-to-date and save you the time and effort of manually uploading documents.
Trusted by 25,000+ American small business owners
CHRIS RONZIO
DR. BUKKY KOLAWOLE
HEATHER SHOLL
We know bookkeeping for genealogists
Bench understands the unique accounting needs of genealogists. There’s a great deal of specific work-related expenses, such as subscription services, travel, research resources, and certifications, that need careful monitoring and accurate recording. Additionally, genealogists often deal with complicated project-based revenues that present unique bookkeeping challenges. With Bench on your team, you can untangle this financial web with ease. Our intuitive software paired with real, human bookkeepers, proficient in industry-specific tax laws and common bookkeeping issues, will make your finances simple and approachable, freeing up more time for you to focus on unearthing ancestry and lineage.
Our mindful approach to accounting extends to understanding the frequent changes in laws governing data privacy and copyright issues involved in your profession. We meticulously ensure legal compliance while maximizing your tax deductions, an area that many genealogists struggle to navigate. Our expert team will review all the expenses you occurred throughout the year and help identify eligible tax deductions. At Bench, we make tax season painless for small business owners with direct filing and audit assistance. And just like you trace ancestry lines, we track all your financial details, providing you with clear and precise insights into your business earnings and growth.
Simple, straightforward pricing for everything your business needs.
Get bookkeeping, tax prep, advisory, and filing with Bench's powerful, easy-to-use platform.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as a genealogist, there are specific tax deductions you should be aware of. Some of these could include costs related to research materials, travel expenses for genealogical research, professional memberships, home office expenses, computer and software, and advertising and promotional costs. Each country, and even states or provinces within those countries, will have specific rules, so we would recommend consulting with a Bench bookkeeper to ensure you're deducting everything accurately.
For a genealogy business, the best type of accounting system would be cloud-based accounting software. This is due to the unique nature of genealogy businesses which often require location flexibility, involvement of various professionals from different areas, and the need for efficient data sharing. A cloud-based system provides convenient accessibility from anywhere and offers indispensable features for tracking expenses, invoices, and reporting, which can significantly simplify the bookkeeping process for a genealogy business. However, the specific choice may also depend on the size and other business needs.
Managing and tracking of travel and subscription-related expenses can be broken down into a few steps:
- Create a Budget: It’s critical to establish a budget for travel and subscription services. This should take into consideration average travel costs, the price of various genealogy databases, and your income.
- Separate Personal and Business Expenses: Make sure to keep your personal and business expenses separate. This will simplify expense tracking and make your bookkeeping more accurate.
- Track Spending: Every time there’s a purchase made for travel or database subscription, it should be recorded. This provides an overview of expenses and allows for easier management.
- Organize Receipts: Maintain a file with all the pertinent receipts pertaining to travel and database subscriptions. Digital or physical records can both be effective.
- Use Accounting Software: There are many software programs that can help automate the bookkeeping process. These programs also allow you to easily categorize your expenses into different sections like 'Travel' and 'Subscriptions'
- Hire a Professional: Consider hiring a professional bookkeeper or accountant if tracking expenses becomes too complex.
Implementing these strategies can help you keep track of your expenses and maintain your bookkeeping with ease.
Nope! All bookkeeping is completed in-house.
Your bookkeeper will be your main point of contact, but at times you might hear from another member of your team. This is usually when your bookkeeper goes on vacation, is sick, or otherwise unavailable.
We handle the bookkeeping for you but sometimes we’ll need your input, especially at year-end. On average, expect to spend 15 minutes each month answering questions for your bookkeeper, or uploading supporting docs.
Bookkeeping Services for Genealogists
Sign up for a Bench trial, and get one month free. If you decide to go with us, we’ll take bookkeeping off your plate—for good.
No credit card required. By clicking ‘Get Started’, I agree to Bench’s Terms & Privacy Policy.