Advertise on podcast: The (Not Boring) Boring Small Business Bookkeeping and Accounting Podcast

The chart of accounts keeps popping up in business news feeds, so our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, is taking a fresh look at it. Paul shares why he always designs it for the client, even if some accountants complain about all those subaccounts. Then Paul gets honest about write-ups, the simplest (and his least favorite) form of bookkeeping. He also answers a question he hears a lot: is there a standard chart of accounts?  Want more on the chart of accounts? Check out Season 1, Episode 7, and the two-part series in Season 2, Episodes 8 and 9. About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop and adapting to the world of cloud-based QuickBooks Online. He shares practical, in-the-weeds lessons from real client files every episode. ✍️ The Bookkeeper Mensch's Corner on Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Kicking off the next 100 episodes, our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, shares a cautionary tale about what happens when third-party software quietly works against you. A client's industry-specific CRM was secretly exporting her invoices into QuickBooks Online as sales receipts. That doubled her sales, threw off undeposited funds, and nearly meant she would pay extra 2026 taxes for no reason. Two three-hour cleanup sessions later, the books are fixed, but it raises a bigger question: just because software CAN connect to QuickBooks, SHOULD it? Paul walks through the third-party tools he actually likes, including inventory programs like Fishbowl and SOS Inventory, outside payroll companies, DAVO for sales tax, and hosting for QuickBooks Desktop. He also covers the ones that make him nervous, from receipt scanners that are "only" 99.9% accurate to AI tools that promise to learn your patterns and create rules for fixed assets. Along the way he looks at merchant fees, the new free edition of QuickBooks Online, Tabby, and Syncabill, and makes his case for keeping the H.I. (Human Intelligence) in bookkeeping. Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

One hundred episodes in, our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, is taking a moment to thank YOU, the listeners, who turned this independent podcast into something much bigger than a weekly recording. After years of teaching in classrooms, Paul has found a new classroom behind the microphone, a place where he can keep sharing what he knows, connecting with people in the field, and talking about the work he still genuinely loves. This milestone isn’t a goodbye, it's a celebration. Paul reflects on what reaching 100 episodes means to him, the unexpected recognition the podcast has received along the way, and why he plans to keep going as long as the passion is still there. He’s also inviting listeners to help shape what comes next by sending in the bookkeeping and business topics they’d like him to tackle in the next 100 episodes. Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Reaching 100 podcast episodes wasn’t something our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, ever expected when he started the show in 2022. In this special 99th episode, Paul sits down with Stephanie Fuccio, Podcast Discovery Strategist, to look back at how and why the show changed and what he’s learned from the listeners who keep coming back for more.  But this isn’t just a look back. A few unexpected moments turn the conversation in directions neither Paul nor listeners will see coming, while revealing more about the people, experiences, and decisions that shaped the show along the way. It’s a celebration of the 100 episode that comes out next week.  Frank's Earworthy newsletter: https://podalization.substack.com/Salad With A Side Of Fries: https://pod.link/1476096152Frank's review of Paul's podcast: https://vocal.media/trader/why-an-indie-accounting-podcast-is-not-boringSend us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Tariff refunds may be going back to big companies, but that doesn’t mean a check is coming to us. Our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, looks at what those refunds could mean for prices at stores like Walmart, Target, Lowe’s, and Home Depot, and why consumers still need to pay attention to where the savings actually show up. As retailers decide what to do with that money, shoppers have a new reason to compare prices, question where the savings went, and vote with their wallets. Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

If rising prices have you blaming inflation for everything, it may be worth looking at the spending habits that have become normal. Our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, looks at the difference between expenses we can’t control and the choices that still belong to us. Ultimately, affordability includes how we decide what we need, want, and can actually afford. With convenience making it easier than ever to spend without thinking much about it, Paul looks at where everyday choices can start stretching a budget too far. From credit cards to routine purchases that no longer feel optional, he brings the conversation back to one simple question: does your spending actually fit the money you have? It’s a timely reminder to look at those habits now, before they become even harder to change. Episode mentioned: S9E8: The Hidden Bookkeeping Money Decisions You Make Every Day https://pod.link/1688000860/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xOTMzNDg0OA Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Some bookkeeping projects don’t just fill the calendar, they make you feel 20 years younger. Our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, shares why difficult bookkeeping cleanup projects still give him adrenaline, purpose, and the deep satisfaction of knowing a client’s books are finally right. As he considers slowing down, he’s realizing that the work that lights you up may be exactly the reason not to step away too soon. Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

If you assume “clean books” means accurate books, it’s worth checking that assumption now, before tax deadlines or an IRS problem force the issue. Three previous bookkeepers had called the books clean, but our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, is still finding major problems underneath, including missing credit card transactions, $15,000 in unexplained invoice payments, and a $25,000 shareholder loan that was being counted as taxable revenue. As he works through the mess, he shows how quickly one bad assumption can ripple through the books, especially when QuickBooks misses transactions, personal and business payments get mixed together, or a single deposit lands in the wrong category. That same pattern shows up in a second cleanup, this time involving a business that started as a sole proprietorship before becoming a corporation in 2023. Unpaid sales tax, unfiled taxes, and business expenses running through personal accounts have turned the job into a years-long reconstruction. Together, these two projects make the larger point clear: bookkeeping is much more than reconciling accounts, and business owners need someone who understands the accounting behind QuickBooks, asks the right questions, and knows when the numbers don’t make sense. The longer those mistakes sit, the harder and more expensive they become to untangle. Part 1: https://pod.link/1688000860/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xOTUwMjg1NQ Part 2: https://pod.link/1688000860/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xOTU3MDIzNA Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Choosing between a Roth and Traditional IRA comes down to one question: what tax bracket do you expect to be in when you withdraw. Our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, breaks down the tax treatment, contribution limits, and Required Minimum Distribution rules for both, plus a quick look at how inherited IRAs work differently. A short, practical primer for anyone weighing retirement savings alongside their business finances. Schwab IRA calculator: https://www.schwab.com/ira/ira-calculators Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

When the accountant sent these books back as unusable, and three previous bookkeepers had all called them clean, our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum,  knew this cleanup would take a lot of time. Now he's deep into it and the books are starting to come together. Picking up where Part 1 left off, Paul walks through the hands-on work of the last several weeks: two of six tangled credit cards now fully reconciled through 2025, months of "buy now, pay later" purchases separated out from cost of goods sold, and adjusting entries created to make beginning-of-year balances finally match reality. Along the way, he uncovers a compliance issue that goes beyond typical cleanup: one business partner had been running a separate, wholly-owned LLC that was billed as a subcontractor to the company. This is something that the IRS doesn't allow when that partner also owns a stake in the business being billed.  With the profit and loss nearly finished, Paul turns to the balance sheet: sorting out the equity split between two partners, tracking down company assets and home-office expenses that were never recorded, and weighing a tricky judgment call on categorizing meals between business partners, all against unclear new 2026 rules on meal deductions. This is a grounded look at what it actually takes to turn a multi-year mess into books a tax preparer can trust. No shortcuts, and no AI required. Part 1: https://pod.link/1688000860/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xOTUwMjg1NQ Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Who is responsible for deciding whether a business expense is tax deductible: the client, the bookkeeper, or the tax preparer? In this episode, our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, shares his approach to handling missing receipts, client gifts, business meals, and other bookkeeping gray areas. He touches on where professional responsibility begins and ends, and whether bookkeepers should rely on client information or use their own judgment when categorizing expenses.  Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Three bookkeepers said the books were clean. The accountant said otherwise. Bad bookkeeping creates business problems, not just accounting problems. Inaccurate financial records can lead to overpaying taxes, missing valuable tax deductions, making decisions based on unreliable numbers, and creating challenges when applying for loans or funding. Our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, is here to explain why accurate books matter long before tax season arrives and why getting the numbers right can save businesses significant time, money, and stress. Using a real bookkeeping cleanup project as a case study, Paul shares how what initially appeared to be a routine cleanup uncovered missing bank accounts, unrecorded credit cards, unreconciled transactions, and financial reports that couldn't be trusted. Along the way, he explores the importance of tax loss carryforwards and demonstrates why bookkeeping is far more than data entry. Accurate books provide the foundation for business decisions, tax planning, financial reporting, and long-term growth. Paul continues untangling this client's books in the episodes ahead, working through the credit cards, balance sheet, and compliance issues that emerge along the way. Mentioned in this episode: Does Bookkeeping Need To Be More Regulated? S7E4 https://pod.link/1688000860/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xODcxMTY0Ng Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Nobody likes thinking about death, but getting your finances in order now can make things much easier for the people you leave behind. To help with this, our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, is here to explain the basics. He covers which debts are typically forgiven when someone dies, when an estate is responsible for paying what's owed, why family members usually aren't liable for debts they didn't co-sign, and how naming a beneficiary on a bank account can help avoid probate. It's a practical look at an uncomfortable topic that's worth planning for.  Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Online computerized accounting changes almost everything about bookkeeping. But don’t worry, our favorite Bookkeeping Mensch, Paul Rosenblum, is here to help you navigate the potential problems to come from these “advancements.” For example, QuickBooks Online creates problems that QuickBooks Desktop never had, like duplicate sales, mismatched credit card merchant fees, phantom accounts receivable, and sales tax reports that quietly go wrong. Paul draws on 30 years of hands-on bookkeeping experience to outline the challenges the transition creates for business owners and bookkeepers. And of course, he’s got advice on what to look out for to make sure things run smoothly for your QBO experiences.  Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...

Wondering where you fall in the 2026 tax brackets? In this quick episode, Paul Rosenblum walks through the latest tax rates for single and joint filers and explains how they apply to different business structures. It's a simple way to get ahead on tax planning before next year's filing season arrives. Tax brackets: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/p/bookkeeping-rates-for-single-and Send us Fan Mail Support the show About the host Paul Rosenblum has been doing hands-on bookkeeping for over 30 years, starting with QuickBooks Desktop.  👀 Why Niche Podcasts Are The Bedrock Of The Industry: https://podalization.substack.com/p/why-niche-podcasts-are-the-bedrock 😄 Send Paul a text or 📞 voice message (include your contact info if you want a reply) https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2188873/open_sms 📨   Email:   [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://paulrosenblum.substack.com/ 💸  Website: https://bookkeepermensch.com 🎧 Get help with your podcast with PodcastSteph https://podcaststeph.substack.com/p/the-5-paths-to-podcast-discoverability  🎵 Music: SourceAudio: https://www.sourceaudio.com/ 🔉 Sound effects: https://freesound.org  Interview with Mary:     ...