Question 1

How much does a bookkeeper in Lake Mary cost?

Accepted Answer

Bookkeepers serving Lake Mary and Seminole County typically bill $200 to $500 a month, and a separate CPA then bills $800 or more at tax time to reconcile what the bookkeeper produced. I price the combined job from $500 flat per month, software included, with the return quoted separately — one professional, no handoff, no cleanup invoice.

Question 2

Do you offer bookkeeping services near Lake Mary?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I'm about 35 minutes up I-4 in Mount Dora and work with Lake Mary professionals almost entirely online — the portal handles documents, e-signatures, and real-time reporting, which fits corridor schedules better than office visits anyway.

Question 3

What's the difference between a bookkeeper and a CPA in Lake Mary?

Accepted Answer

A bookkeeper records and categorizes transactions; a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a state-licensed accountant who can also sign tax returns, represent you before the IRS, and provide tax strategy. For corridor professionals the difference shows up in planning: a bookkeeper can't model your RSU year or your S-Corp election. I do the recording and the strategy under one Florida license (#AC62625).

Question 4

Do you have an office in Lake Mary?

Accepted Answer

The office is in Mount Dora, about 35 minutes north on I-4. Lake Mary clients rarely need it — the engagement flows through the encrypted portal (documents, dashboards, automatic bank feeds) — but I am a short drive away when a sit-down matters.

Question 5

How much does a CPA cost in Lake Mary?

Accepted Answer

Tax preparation for individuals starts at $425, S-Corp returns at $1,625, and monthly bookkeeping at $500/month. Lake Mary tax planning engagements (RSU strategy, equity comp, retirement sequencing) are quoted per project. Use my free pricing calculator at timcpa.com/pricing-calculator for an instant estimate.

Question 6

Do you handle RSUs, stock options, and equity compensation?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and this is exactly the kind of work Lake Mary is full of. RSU vest planning, ISO/NQSO exercise timing, AMT projections, ESPP qualifying vs. disqualifying dispositions, 83(b) elections, and dual-income married-couple strategy. If you work at AAA, Deloitte, Chase, Liberty Mutual, Verizon, or any of the corridor employers, your return needs more than a storefront tax preparer.

Question 7

Do you work with Lake Mary consultants who bill through an LLC?

Accepted Answer

Constantly. Corridor consultants — IT, finance, project management — usually start as a single-member LLC on Schedule C. Once net income clears roughly $50,000–$60,000, an S-Corp election with reasonable-comp payroll typically saves real money. I run the projection, handle the election paperwork, and then do the payroll-and-books cycle that makes it stick.

Question 8

I have a side business on top of a W-2 — should I elect S-Corp status?

Accepted Answer

Probably yes, once net self-employment income clears about $50,000–$60,000 a year. The breakeven depends on your reasonable comp, payroll-tax savings, and whether the side business is structured cleanly. I run the projection before any election so you know the actual dollar impact in your situation.