Confidential · fixed-fee first phase
Forensic Bookkeeping: Find Out What Actually Happened in Your Books
Quick answer: When the numbers don’t add up, we rebuild your ledgers from bank records, POS exports and payroll data — independent of the books you were handed — then trace and document every discrepancy. You get a written verdict on what the records actually show, organized for your CPA, attorney or insurer. First phase is fixed-fee and scoped on a free confidential call.
When you need forensic bookkeeping
Something in the books doesn’t add up: cash that never hit the bank, vendors nobody remembers hiring, payroll for people you can’t place, balances that drift no matter how often they’re “reconciled.” Forensic bookkeeping is the discipline of reconstructing what actually happened in your ledgers — transaction by transaction — so you know whether you’re looking at sloppy bookkeeping, a broken process, or something worse.
Common triggers we see: a bookkeeper leaving abruptly (or being let go on suspicion), partners disputing distributions, a lender or buyer questioning the numbers during due diligence, unexplained cash-flow pressure in a profitable business, or the warning signs in our guide to the 15 signs a bookkeeper may be stealing.
What we actually do
- Reconstruct the ledger — rebuild the books from bank and card statements, POS exports and payroll records, independent of whatever the current file claims.
- Trace the discrepancies — match every deposit and withdrawal to a real document; isolate unmatched transactions, altered entries, deleted transactions and voided-check patterns in QuickBooks’ audit trail.
- Quantify and document — a written summary of what we found, how much is unexplained, and the exact transactions behind it, organized so a CPA, attorney or insurer can pick it up directly.
- Lock the process down — user permissions, approval flows and monthly close controls so the same gap can’t open twice.
What we are — and what we’re not
Straight answer: we are bookkeeping and QuickBooks specialists, not Certified Fraud Examiners or expert witnesses. If your matter is headed to litigation or an insurance claim that requires credentialed forensic accounting testimony, you’ll want a CFE or forensic CPA — and the ledger reconstruction we deliver is exactly the groundwork that makes their (much more expensive) hours efficient. Many cases never need to go that far: most engagements end with a clear explanation, cleaned books and tighter controls.
Cost context is in our guide to what forensic accounting services cost in the USA; the definitional overview is in what a forensic accountant does.
How an engagement starts
Confidential first call — tell us what feels wrong and what records exist. We scope a fixed-fee first phase (usually a targeted reconstruction of the suspect period), and you get a written verdict on what the numbers show before deciding whether to go further. No hourly meter running while you wonder.
Common questions
Is forensic bookkeeping the same as a fraud investigation?
It's the financial-records layer of one. We reconstruct and document what the ledgers show; if the findings need to support litigation or an insurance claim, a credentialed CFE or forensic CPA builds on our workpapers.
Can you tell if my bookkeeper was stealing?
We can show you exactly what the records support: unmatched withdrawals, altered or deleted entries, payees that don't correspond to real vendors. Whether that constitutes theft is a legal conclusion - we give you the documented facts to act on.
Do you work with our CPA or attorney?
Yes - that's the normal setup. We do the transaction-level reconstruction; they use it. It typically cuts their billable investigation hours substantially.
How much does it cost?
The first phase is fixed-fee, scoped from the size of the suspect period and the state of your records on a free confidential call. See our cost guide for typical US market ranges.