Bookkeeping Boundaries: What Therapists Should (and Shouldn’t) Be Doing Themselves
Bookkeeping Boundaries: What Therapists Should (and Shouldn’t) Be Doing Themselves
When you started your private practice, you probably did everything yourself—intake calls, website edits, scheduling, maybe even taxes. That’s normal. But over time, the tasks that keep your practice running can slowly become the thing that keeps you from showing up fully for your clients.
Bookkeeping is one of the biggest stress points for solo and small-group therapists. And it’s one of the most important to set boundaries around.
Here’s what you should know about where to draw the line—and how to protect your time, energy, and focus.
🟢What’s Okay to DIY (At Least for Now)
These tasks are reasonable for a therapist to manage early on or in very small practices:
Categorizing your income and expenses monthly
Reconciling bank and credit card accounts (if low volume)
Saving receipts and invoices in one place
Reviewing your financial statements monthly
Setting aside money for taxes (ideally in a separate account)
Paying your staff through a payroll platform
💡 Tip: Even these tasks take time. If you’re skipping months or dreading logins, that’s a signal you may need support.
🔴 What to Let Go Of (Sooner Than You Think)
If any of these apply to your practice, it’s time to pass things off:
Filing payroll returns
Handling sales tax filings
Building custom reports for your business
Making adjusting journal entries
Catching up on months of missing data
Manually updating spreadsheets to track income
You’re a therapist—not an accountant. These tasks are not just time-consuming—they’re high-stakes. Errors here can lead to fines, overpayments, or missed deductions.
The Real Cost of Doing It All Yourself
When therapists handle their own books long-term, they often:
Miss red flags (like overspending or unpaid invoices)
Underpay themselves
Dread tax season
Waste hours Googling things that a bookkeeper could answer in minutes
Your time is better spent in your zone of genius—working with clients, resting, or growing your practice intentionally.
What a Bookkeeper Can Do for You
Hiring a professional doesn’t just “take tasks off your plate.” It gives you:
Monthly reports you can actually understand
A clear tax savings strategy
A second set of eyes on your numbers
Peace of mind that things are being done right
And if you’re working with someone who understands private practice? Even better. You don’t have to explain what a session note is or how seasonality works in therapy.
Ready to Share the Load?
If bookkeeping is becoming a stressor—or if you’re simply ready to create more space in your life and practice—I’d love to support you.
Let’s set some boundaries that serve your business and your peace of mind.
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