The Seaside Blog
Straight, useful answers on bookkeeping, taxes, payroll and cash flow for owners of small businesses — in English and Spanish.
Bookkeeping Basics
Contractor BookkeepingCatch-Up Bookkeeping for Contractors: Getting Months (or Years) Behind Back on Track
Behind on your contractor books? How catch-up bookkeeping works, what it costs, and how to get months or years of records clean — a bilingual Jacksonville bookkeeper.
QuickBooksQuickBooks a Mess? How to Clean Up a Contractor's Books
Unreconciled accounts, a stuffed 'Ask My Accountant', no job costing? The step-by-step QuickBooks cleanup for Jacksonville contractors and trades.
Taxes & Compliance
Contractor BookkeepingDo I Give My Subcontractors a 1099? A Contractor's Guide
Do you owe your subs a 1099? The new $2,000 rule for 2026, W-9s, the Jan 31 deadline, and 1099 vs W-2 classification — explained for Jacksonville contractors.
Florida TaxDo Florida Contractors Charge Sales Tax? What the Trades Need to Know
Do Florida contractors charge sales tax? Usually not on real-property jobs — you pay it on materials. Jacksonville's ~7% rate, use tax, and audit basics.
Payroll & Employees
Bilingual BookkeepingWhy Your Construction Business Needs a Bilingual Bookkeeper (Not Just a Translator)
Why Spanish-speaking Jacksonville contractors do better with a bilingual bookkeeper — job costing, 1099s, and IRS letters explained in your language.
Financial Clarity
Cash FlowWhy Contractors Run Out of Cash Mid-Job (and How to Fix It)
Profitable Jacksonville contractors still run out of cash mid-job. Here's why — retainage, draw timing, materials — and the fixes that catch it early.
Contractor BookkeepingDid That Job Actually Make Money? Job Costing for Contractors
Which jobs made money? How Jacksonville contractors set up job costing — chart of accounts, labor burden, WIP, retainage — and read profit per job.
Business Growth & Strategy
Pricing GuideHow Much Does a Bookkeeper Cost? (2026 Guide)
Typical 2026 bookkeeping rates in Jacksonville: monthly ranges, what drives the price, why cheapest isn't best, and how to get a real number free.