Childcare runs on money received before the service is delivered — registration fees, deposits, prepaid tuition, and summer programs billed ahead — while subsidy payments for the same children arrive weeks or months late from a state program. Books that record cash as it moves show a strong autumn and a hollow spring, and cannot answer the only question that matters: what does a filled seat actually earn.
Tuition earned, not banked
Prepaid tuition released as the weeks are delivered.
Subsidy tracked
Payments reconciled to the children and periods they cover.
Food money separated
Reimbursements recorded as reimbursement, not revenue.
Per-room economics
Revenue and staff cost by classroom, where the margin lives.
What we handle
- Prepaid tuition and registration fees held as deferred revenue and released as earned
- Subsidy and voucher payments tracked as receivables against the families they cover
- Food program reimbursements recorded as the reimbursement they are, not as revenue
- Revenue and cost per classroom or age group, so ratios can be priced properly
- Staff cost tracked against required ratios, which is where the margin lives
Common problems we fix
- Deposits and prepaid tuition booked as income on receipt, distorting every month
- Subsidy payments impossible to reconcile to the children they were for
- Food reimbursements mixed into revenue, inflating both income and food cost
- No per-room view, so an underenrolled classroom hides inside the total
Why your state matters here
Bookkeeping for childcare and preschools is not the same in every state. Sales tax rates and what is taxable, registration and licensing, payroll rules, and filing cadence all vary — and for this industry those differences change real work, not just a number on a form. Pick your state below for specifics.
We keep the books. You run the business.
Categorization, reconciliation, month-end close, and clean financial statements — with nothing left for you to chase.
View pricingHow It Works
Free review
We look at how your childcare and preschools books are set up today.
Fix the structure
Chart of accounts rebuilt around how your industry actually earns and spends.
Catch up
Anything behind gets cleaned up at a fixed quoted price.
Close monthly
Current, reconciled books every month — ready for your CPA.
Childcare & Preschools Bookkeeping by State
Sales tax nexus and taxability, licensing, payroll rules, and filing cadence differ by state. Pick yours for a state-specific guide.
Childcare & Preschools — Frequently Asked Questions
Do you understand childcare and preschools specifically?
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Do you work in my existing accounting file?
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Can you help if I am months behind?
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Bookkeeping built for childcare and preschools
Book a free consultation and we will tell you what your books need — and what it costs.
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- Solo or group
- Nationwide
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