Terms of Service
Each client engagement requires the purchase of a base package: “Bookkeeper Basic”, “Bookkeeper Advanced”, or “Controller”. The fee for the base package will be communicated to the client after initial consultation with Smetana & Bardes and will be determined based on the scope of the services to be provided and your transaction volume. Additional services are available in addition to a base package in order to fulfill all of the needs of your business.
All services are billed on a prepaid basis and must be paid via credit card or ACH debit. The first month's service fee and a one-time setup fee are required to be paid at the beginning of the engagement. Your monthly service fees will be the total of your base package plus any optional services you select. Once you make your initial payment, you will receive an email with instructions on how to proceed. Upon receiving the email, clients should begin providing all data requested to ensure we have sufficient time to process the information. Failure of the client to provide requested data in a timely fashion will prevent the performance of service by Smetana & Bardes. Smetana & Bardes assumes no liability to client for their failure to submit the requested data. Smetana & Bardes will not issue refunds for failure of client to provide requested data.
On the first of each month following set up, client's monthly recurring prepayment will be charged via method originally set up by client (i.e. credit card or ACH debit). The recurring monthly billing will continue until the service is terminated by client or Smetana & Bardes. Client may cancel their service arrangement at anytime. All future recurring billing will be immediately stopped at time of termination.
Accounting services will start during the month you request, so long as prepayment has been processed. These accounting services will continue as long as your prepayment status is maintained. Failure to make the monthly prepayment will result in a disruption of service.
Smetana & Bardes reserves the right to cancel service at anytime. If Smetana & Bardes cancels your service agreement a pro-rated refund would be issued from the last month Smetana & Bardes has provided services.
Accounting services require clients to submit required source accounting data to be processed for accounting, compliance or tax purposes. If clients do not submit data then processing services cannot and will not be performed. Upon submission of the accounting data a timely service processing will be done. Smetana & Bardes is not responsible for client's failure to submit required source accounting data.
Different packages have different levels of communication available. We offer communication via various means. A client’s communication method(s) with Smetana & Bardes will depend on which package the client selects and how frequently they need they’re accounting information processed. We will determine our timeline during our initial consultation and honor these promised communications timelines.
Additional services require additional information for the client to submit. If an Additional service is selected, client will receive immediate contact via email with directions to client's next steps. Following receipt of Smetana & Bardes client service instructions, client should provide all data requested to ensure a timely quality service environment. Failure of client to provide requested data will prevent performance of service by Smetana & Bardes. Smetana & Bardes assumes no liability to client for their failure to submit requested data.
Personal CPA & Small Business/Non-Profit Consulting Services are available and billed at an hourly rate. Once you select a personalized CPA & Consulting Service, we will contact you to setup your initial consultation. Clients must be reasonably available and responsive for this highly customized process to work. Once the CPA understands your needs at your initial consultation, a work plan will be developed based on the consultation discovery. Client will receive notification when prepayment has been fully used. Your CPA should be able to give you a reasonable estimate of how long it will take to do various items. Sometimes estimated time is not possible given the nature of some needs. When an estimate is given, keep in mind these are still estimates. Actual rates will be based on actual time spent on the Personal CPA & Small Business/Non-Profit Consulting Services. Client can cancel these services at anytime.
Employee Benefits & Group Insurance Services are provided by our affiliate. All work will be contracted directly with them and Smetana & Bardes assumes no liabilities relating to any dispute between client and affiliate.
Packages vary based on scope of service. Each package assumes a certain amount of accounting data to be submitted for processing. If client selects a lower volume package then subsequently client actually submits a higher monthly processing than allowed by the package client selected, a processing surcharge of $150 will apply to client's monthly recurring fee. Initial setup month includes additional volume for catch-up needs and is not subject to this charge. This surcharge applies only to recurring monthly volumes after setup. For example if client selects a package that includes 150 items and client then submits 350 items monthly, they will need to upgrade their base package or be subject to the surcharge.
Our “Bookkeeper Advanced” package includes access to client's hosted QuickBooks file. We host the client files on our secure servers. If client desires access to QuickBooks in this hosted environment they will be required to provide the license number of their QuickBooks software. Client is legally required to license QuickBooks to have access to hosted platform. All Versions of QuickBooks are not available and client may be required to upgrade.
Each service package includes a setup fee. This is because the establishment of your service engagement is labor intensive. During the setup phase client will need to assume a heighted awareness and responsiveness to Smetana & Bardes request for information. This phase includes additional scanning volume to accommodate and discounted monthly fees for backwork months that are processed simultaneously. It is imperative that client dedicates resources to this process to get their service into its normal monthly routine. Setup fees are non-refundable.