Bookkeeping for Consultants and Creative Professionals
Scarlet Ibis Bookkeeping provides bookkeeping for consultants, designers, coaches, and other creative or professional service providers with project-based, retainer, or variable income. We track income by client and project, keep expenses categorized correctly, and give you financial reports you can actually use to price your work and plan ahead.
Who we serve
Consultants
Independent consultants and agencies billing by project, retainer, or hourly rate.
Designers and creative freelancers
Graphic designers, web designers, and other creative professionals with mixed income sources.
Coaches and advisors
Business coaches, career coaches, and advisors who bill clients on recurring or one-off terms.
Solo and small professional practices
One- or two-person service businesses that need accurate books without hiring in-house.
Challenges we solve
- Income that varies month to month makes it hard to know what is really profit versus what needs to be set aside for taxes.
- Project and retainer billing can get tangled with personal or business expenses if there is no consistent system.
- Tracking which clients or projects are actually profitable takes more than a bank balance.
- Estimated quarterly taxes are easy to underpay when income is inconsistent.
- Software subscriptions, contractor payments, and home office costs pile up and get miscategorized.
Bookkeeping built for project and retainer income
Consultants and creative professionals rarely have the same income twice in a row. One month is a big project, the next is a handful of smaller retainers. We set up your books to track income by client and project so you can see which work is actually paying off, not just what landed in the bank account.
We also keep an eye on the details that matter for service businesses: contractor payments, software subscriptions, mileage, and home office expenses. When those are categorized correctly from the start, tax season is faster and your CPA has less to untangle.
Numbers you can use to price and plan
Once your books are current and organized, you get monthly reports that show what is coming in, what is going out, and where you stand. That makes it easier to decide when to raise your rates, take on a bigger retainer, or set aside cash for a slow month.
How we help
- Income tracked by client or project, not just a lump bank balance
- Expenses categorized correctly for consultants and creative freelancers
- Monthly reports that show which work is actually profitable
- Support for estimated tax planning with variable income
- QuickBooks Online set up and maintained correctly from the start
Common questions
Do you work with freelancers who bill by the project instead of a flat monthly rate?
Yes. We build your books around how you actually bill, whether that is project fees, retainers, hourly work, or a mix of all three. Income gets tracked by client and project so you can see what is profitable.
Can you help me figure out what to set aside for quarterly taxes?
We keep your books current and your profit and loss accurate, which is the foundation for estimating quarterly taxes. We coordinate with your CPA or tax preparer on the actual filing.
I use a mix of software tools to invoice and get paid. Can you still keep my books clean?
Yes. We reconcile whatever accounts and platforms feed into your business bank account and make sure everything lands in QuickBooks correctly categorized.
My income changes a lot month to month. Will that make bookkeeping harder?
It makes consistent bookkeeping more important, not harder for us. We reconcile every month regardless of how much came in, so you always have an accurate picture instead of guessing based on your bank balance.
Ready for books that match how you actually work?
Book a free consultation and we will map out bookkeeping that fits your project and retainer income.