A smooth audit starts well before the fieldwork begins. Use this checklist to get your books, records, and team ready, and to avoid last-minute scrambles.
How to Prepare for a Successful Financial Statement Audit
If audit season makes you groan, you’re not alone. The word “audit” carries a lot of baggage, but a well-planned audit can be one of the most useful things that happens to your organization all year. Here is a practical guide to preparing, drawn from a GGFOA presentation on getting audit-ready.
Staying Ahead of GASB 87 & 96: Let Us Help Manage the Details
Lease and subscription arrangements can be easy to overlook—but keeping an accurate, up-to-date listing of lease and subscription liabilities is an important part of maintaining reliable financial records.
Our firm offers a nonattest service designed to help governmental clients stay organized and keep pace with the requirements of GASB 87, Leases, and GASB 96, Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements (SBITAs).
Non-profits: Guide to reporting in-kind donations
Securing in-kind donations is vital for any non-profit or charitable organization, but just as important is accounting for them properly. In June 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board introduced changes to the General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for documenting and presenting the value of in-kind donations in financial statements. This article provides an overview of the changes and what you need to know.
The October 15th Deadline: A Good Time to Get Ahead for Next Year or the Last Chance to Maintain Compliance
As the 2026 calendar closes in on the October 15th deadline, many plan administrators are unsure if their employee benefit plan requires an audit. Our team can help you determine if your plan requires an audit or if your plan is approaching the audit threshold for the first time. With this knowledge, we can either act quickly and efficiently to ensure your audit is completed before the October 15th deadline or work with you to ensure you are properly prepared for your first audit in 2027.
Does Your Georgia Nonprofit Need Reviewed or Audited Financial Statements for State Registration?
If your organization solicits or accepts donations in Georgia, there’s a good chance you have a registration requirement you may not know about — and a reporting obligation that scales with how much your nonprofit brings in.
Here’s what Georgia nonprofits need to know.
Rushton Recognized Among the Nation’s Top Accounting Firms by Inside Public Accounting
Rushton Recognized Among the Nation’s Top Accounting Firms by Inside Public Accounting
Elisabeth Baldwin named Managing Partner of Rushton Wealth Management
Rushton names Elisabeth Baldwin Managing Partner of Rushton Wealth Management
A quick guide on how to scan documents with your phone
A Hard Conversation Made Easy
A Hard Conversation Made Easy Throughout previous stages of life, you might have become accustomed to keeping your financial matters fairly close to the chest. Now, however, would be a good time to start involving your family as you develop and effectuate your estate...
Client Accounting Services: Finance Support Without the Overhead
Client Accounting Services: Finance Support Without the Overhead
Most growing businesses reach a point where the books can no longer be a side task. You’re up late reconciling accounts, a part-time bookkeeper is stretched thin, and nobody is sure whether the numbers are right until tax season. Client Accounting Services (CAS) exists for this moment.
What are Client Accounting Services?
CAS is an outsourced accounting function delivered by a dedicated team. Instead of hiring a full in-house accounting department, you work with professionals who handle your day-to-day financial operations and give you reliable reporting.
Typical services include:
• Bookkeeping and transaction coding, with bank and credit card feeds connected and reviewed regularly
• Monthly reconciliations and close, so your books are finalized on a predictable schedule
• Accounts payable management
• Financial statements and management reporting
• Payroll coordination and sales tax support
• Software setup and conversion, such as moving from spreadsheets or legacy systems to QuickBooks Online
• Advisory support, including budgeting, cash flow review, and KPI tracking
Why businesses choose CAS
Timely, accurate numbers. Decisions about hiring, pricing, and expansion are only as good as the data behind them. A consistent monthly close means you're steering with current information, not last quarter's.
A team, not a single point of failure. One bookkeeper going on vacation or leaving shouldn't put your finances at risk. With CAS, there are processes, reviewers, and backups.
Scalable support. As your transaction volume and complexity grow, your service level can grow with you without a recruiting cycle.
Cleaner tax season. When books are maintained and reviewed throughout the year, year-end becomes a wrap-up instead of a cleanup project.
More time for the business. Owners and managers get hours back to spend on customers, operations, and strategy.
What good CAS looks like
Not every provider is the same. When evaluating a firm, look for:
1. Clear scope and expectations. You should know what's included, what the deadlines are, and what you're responsible for providing, such as receipts, approvals, and access.
2. Documented processes. Standard procedures mean consistent results regardless of who does the work.
3. Review layers. Work should be prepared and then reviewed by a supervisor or senior team member.
4. Responsive communication. A defined point of contact and a regular cadence of check-ins keep surprises to a minimum.
5. Technology fluency. Strong CAS teams use modern tools for bank feeds, document collection, and workflow tracking to reduce manual work and errors.
Getting started
A strong onboarding typically moves through a few stages:
1. Discovery. Review your current setup, pain points, and goals.
2. Cleanup and conversion. Correct historical issues, link accounts, and set up your chart of accounts and software.
3. Process setup. Agree on the monthly calendar, communication channels, and reporting package.
4. Ongoing service. Regular closes, reporting, and check-ins, with advisory conversations as needs evolve.
The bottom line
Good accounting shouldn't be a bottleneck or a mystery. With the right CAS partner, your financials become a dependable foundation for growth. If your books are behind, your reports aren't trusted, or you're spending more time on bookkeeping than on your business, we are here to help.
Ready to see what a consistent, well-run finance function could look like for your business? Contact us today at info@rushton.cpa or give us a call at 770-287-2700.
Audit Readiness Checklist: 9 Steps to Prepare Before Your Auditors Arrive
A smooth audit starts well before the fieldwork begins. Use this checklist to get your books, records, and team ready, and to avoid last-minute scrambles.
How to Prepare for a Successful Financial Statement Audit
If audit season makes you groan, you’re not alone. The word “audit” carries a lot of baggage, but a well-planned audit can be one of the most useful things that happens to your organization all year. Here is a practical guide to preparing, drawn from a GGFOA presentation on getting audit-ready.
Staying Ahead of GASB 87 & 96: Let Us Help Manage the Details
Lease and subscription arrangements can be easy to overlook—but keeping an accurate, up-to-date listing of lease and subscription liabilities is an important part of maintaining reliable financial records.
Our firm offers a nonattest service designed to help governmental clients stay organized and keep pace with the requirements of GASB 87, Leases, and GASB 96, Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements (SBITAs).
Non-profits: Guide to reporting in-kind donations
Securing in-kind donations is vital for any non-profit or charitable organization, but just as important is accounting for them properly. In June 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board introduced changes to the General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for documenting and presenting the value of in-kind donations in financial statements. This article provides an overview of the changes and what you need to know.
The October 15th Deadline: A Good Time to Get Ahead for Next Year or the Last Chance to Maintain Compliance
As the 2026 calendar closes in on the October 15th deadline, many plan administrators are unsure if their employee benefit plan requires an audit. Our team can help you determine if your plan requires an audit or if your plan is approaching the audit threshold for the first time. With this knowledge, we can either act quickly and efficiently to ensure your audit is completed before the October 15th deadline or work with you to ensure you are properly prepared for your first audit in 2027.
Does Your Georgia Nonprofit Need Reviewed or Audited Financial Statements for State Registration?
If your organization solicits or accepts donations in Georgia, there’s a good chance you have a registration requirement you may not know about — and a reporting obligation that scales with how much your nonprofit brings in.
Here’s what Georgia nonprofits need to know.
Rushton Recognized Among the Nation’s Top Accounting Firms by Inside Public Accounting
Rushton Recognized Among the Nation’s Top Accounting Firms by Inside Public Accounting
Elisabeth Baldwin named Managing Partner of Rushton Wealth Management
Rushton names Elisabeth Baldwin Managing Partner of Rushton Wealth Management
A quick guide on how to scan documents with your phone
A Hard Conversation Made Easy
A Hard Conversation Made Easy Throughout previous stages of life, you might have become accustomed to keeping your financial matters fairly close to the chest. Now, however, would be a good time to start involving your family as you develop and effectuate your estate...