A bookkeeper records what happened. A CPA makes sure it's reported and taxed correctly. A fractional CFO uses those numbers to plan what happens next. They aren't competing for the same job. They hand off to each other, and the best results come when all three work from the same numbers.
The three roles side by side
| Bookkeeper | CPA | Fractional CFO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main question | What happened? | Is it reported and taxed correctly? | What should we do next? |
| Looks at | The past, day to day | The past year, for compliance | The next 3–24 months |
| Typical work | Recording transactions, reconciling accounts, invoicing, payroll support | Tax returns, tax planning, compliance, financial statements | Cash forecasts, budgets, KPI dashboards, decision models, variance reviews |
| How often | Weekly or monthly | Quarterly and at year end | Monthly, or per project |
How they hand off
Your bookkeeper closes the month. Those clean numbers feed the CFO's dashboard, forecast, and budget vs. actual review. When a decision has tax consequences, like buying equipment or changing how the business is structured, the CFO models the business side and your CPA weighs in on the tax side. Each role makes the others more useful.
Which one do you need first?
- A bookkeeper, as soon as you have regular transactions. Everything else depends on current books.
- A CPA, for tax returns and tax planning, usually from your first year.
- A fractional CFO, once you're growing, cash gets unpredictable, or big decisions start piling up. See seven signs it's time.
How we work with your team
Perry & Partners doesn't keep books or prepare taxes. We start from the work your bookkeeper and CPA already do and coordinate with them when it helps you, so nothing gets duplicated and everyone is working from the same numbers.
Common questions
- Do I need all three?
- Not necessarily, and not all at once. Most small businesses need a bookkeeper and a CPA first. A fractional CFO comes in once the questions shift from "what happened?" to "what should we do next?"
- Does Perry & Partners do bookkeeping or taxes?
- No. We're not a CPA firm and we don't prepare tax returns or keep the books. We work alongside your bookkeeper and CPA and use their work as our starting point.
- Which one should I hire first?
- A bookkeeper. Everything else depends on accurate, current books.