Melton Bookkeeping and Accounting Services LLC

Melton Bookkeeping and Accounting Services LLC CPA | QuickBooks Online Level 2 ProAdvisor. Monthly bookkeeping | QuickBooks cleanup | Catch-up bookkeeping. I would love to work with you.

Helping service-based businesses clean up messy QuickBooks, catch up overdue bookkeeping & keep accurate, tax-ready books. I’m Paula Melton — a CPA who’s been helping business owners make sense of their numbers since 2003. I know bookkeeping and taxes can be stressful, but that’s where I come in! At Melton Bookkeeping and Accounting Services, I help small businesses get their books cleaned up, org

anized, and tax-ready so they can focus on what they do best — running their business. Whether it’s bookkeeping clean-up, monthly bookkeeping services, or preparing tax-ready reports for your CPA, I’ve got you covered. I love helping clients feel confident about their finances and showing them how good bookkeeping can actually save them money (and a few headaches). I believe in building relationships that matter!

Is your QuickBooks file a mess?Maybe the bank accounts haven't been reconciled in months. Maybe there are old transactio...
09/05/2026

Is your QuickBooks file a mess?

Maybe the bank accounts haven't been reconciled in months. Maybe there are old transactions sitting in Undeposited Funds, strange balances on the Balance Sheet, or you're not even sure whether the numbers in QuickBooks are right.

The good news? You don't have to carry those problems into another year.

September and October are a great time to clean up QuickBooks—before year-end and before your tax preparer needs accurate books.

I help business owners straighten out messy QuickBooks files, reconcile accounts, correct old transactions, and get their books organized and tax-ready.

If you've been putting it off because you're embarrassed about how far behind things have gotten, please don't be. I've seen messy books before. That's why cleanup services exist.

If you'd like to talk about getting your QuickBooks cleaned up before year-end, call Melton Bookkeeping & Accounting Services at (417) 630-0057.

📅 September 15 Tax Deadlines Are Coming!Business owners, September 15 is an important date to have on your calendar.Due ...
09/04/2026

📅 September 15 Tax Deadlines Are Coming!

Business owners, September 15 is an important date to have on your calendar.

Due September 15, 2026:

💰 Third Quarter Estimated Tax Payments
The third-quarter estimated tax payment is due for self-employed individuals and business owners who are required to make quarterly estimated tax payments.

📄 Extended Business Tax Returns
If an extension was filed, September 15 is the filing deadline for:

• Partnerships — Form 1065
• S Corporations — Form 1120-S

Don’t let an important tax deadline sneak up on you. A little preparation now can help you avoid last-minute scrambling later.

📌 Save this post as a reminder, and follow us for practical bookkeeping, accounting, and business tax tips throughout the year.

🚨 QuickBooks Mistake of the Week 🚨❌ The Mistake:Ignoring a difference between your QuickBooks sales tax liability and th...
09/03/2026

🚨 QuickBooks Mistake of the Week 🚨

❌ The Mistake:
Ignoring a difference between your QuickBooks sales tax liability and the amount your state says you owe.

⚠️ Why It's a Problem:
If the balance in QuickBooks doesn't agree with your sales tax return, something is usually wrong. Filing without finding the difference can result in overpaying, underpaying, penalties, interest, or inaccurate financial statements.

✅ The Correct Way:
Before filing your sales tax return, compare your QuickBooks Sales Tax Liability Report to the return you're preparing.

If the numbers don't match, investigate the cause before filing. Common reasons include:
• Comparing different date ranges
• Cash vs. accrual reporting differences
• Taxable sales entered incorrectly
• Missing or deleted transactions
• Changes made after a prior return was filed
• Incorrect sales tax codes or sales tax adjustments

Once you identify the cause, correct the underlying transaction rather than forcing the numbers to match.

💡 CPA Insight:
When I find a sales tax discrepancy, I don't immediately make an adjustment. I first ask why the numbers are different. In most cases, the discrepancy points to an underlying bookkeeping issue that should be corrected—not covered up with a journal entry.

📌 Pro Tip to Avoid It:
Reconcile your Sales Tax Liability Report every filing period before submitting your return. Catching small differences early is much easier than trying to unravel months of sales tax activity later.

QuickBooks has a helpful guide explaining how to review the Sales Tax Liability Report and compare it to the Pay Sales Tax window before filing:
https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/sales-taxes/sales-tax-liability-report-pay-sales-tax-window/L6zxcU5ol_US_en_US

Have you ever discovered your QuickBooks sales tax didn't match your state return? Tell us what caused it in the comments!

The busier your business gets, the easier it is for bookkeeping to get pushed to the bottom of the list.A few transactio...
09/02/2026

The busier your business gets, the easier it is for bookkeeping to get pushed to the bottom of the list.

A few transactions don’t get categorized.
A bank reconciliation gets skipped.
Then another month goes by.

Before long, you’re not quite sure whether the numbers in QuickBooks are numbers you can actually rely on.

That’s where we can help.

Whether your books are a little behind or need a more thorough cleanup, we can help get everything caught up, reconciled, organized and back on track.

And once they’re cleaned up, we can help keep them that way every month.

You focus on running your business. We’ll focus on making sure the books accurately reflect what’s happening in it.

Ready to get your bookkeeping off your to-do list?

Give Melton Bookkeeping & Accounting Services a call at 417-630-0057 to talk about how we can help.

When to Use Journal Entries in BookkeepingJournal entries are one of the most useful tools in bookkeeping - but they are...
09/01/2026

When to Use Journal Entries in Bookkeeping

Journal entries are one of the most useful tools in bookkeeping - but they are also one of the easiest tools to misuse.

A journal entry may seem like a quick way to fix an account balance, move an amount, or make a reconciliation work. But using one when a normal QuickBooks form should have been used can bypass important details, distort reports, and make the books harder to understand later.

Use journal entries when a transaction truly requires a debit-and-credit adjustment, such as:

• Recording depreciation, accruals, deferrals, or other period-end adjustments
• Correcting or reclassifying an amount between accounts
• Recording certain owner equity or intercompany transactions
• Entering year-end adjustments provided by your CPA or tax preparer
• Recording a transaction that cannot be entered properly with a standard QuickBooks form

Whenever QuickBooks has a dedicated form - such as an invoice, bill, expense, check, deposit, credit card payment, payroll transaction, or sales tax payment - use that form. Journal entries should not be used to force a reconciliation, clear an unexplained balance, or avoid correcting the original transaction.

Every journal entry should include a clear memo and supporting documentation. Before saving it, confirm that total debits equal total credits and review how the entry affects both the Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet.

What type of journal entry do you find the most confusing or challenging? Share your answer in the comments.

Save this post for later and follow for more practical QuickBooks, bookkeeping, and business finance tips.

🍂 Hello, September!We’re entering the final month of the 3rd Quarter, which means year-end will be here before we know i...
09/01/2026

🍂 Hello, September!

We’re entering the final month of the 3rd Quarter, which means year-end will be here before we know it.

September is a great time to check in on your business, see where you stand, and make sure you’re on track for the final months of 2026.

This month, take a little time to:

🍁 Review your August financials
🍁 Get your bookkeeping caught up and reconciled
🍁 Compare your year-to-date results to your revenue and profit goals
🍁 Take a good look at cash flow
🍁 Start looking for a bookkeeper or tax professional now if you’ll need help at year-end
🍁 Make a list of year-end deadlines and anything you need to accomplish before December 31

There’s still plenty of time left in 2026 to make progress—but it’s much easier to make good decisions when you know where your business stands today.

What’s one business goal you’re working toward this September?

08/31/2026

📈 Do you know your biggest business numbers?

Before August ends, take a few minutes to review where your business stands.

Look at your:

• Revenue compared with last month, last year, and your annual goal
• Year-to-date profit
• Cash available for the next 30 days
• Accounts receivable
• Accounts payable
• Estimated tax obligations

Also make sure all bank and credit card accounts are reconciled. Record and categorize any outstanding checks you have written, and investigate uncategorized transactions.

With the September 15 estimated tax deadline approaching, review your year-to-date profit, estimate what you may owe, and set aside the money now.

Knowing these numbers helps you make better decisions before year-end—and helps prevent unpleasant surprises.

Not sure where to find these numbers in QuickBooks or whether they are accurate?

Melton Bookkeeping & Accounting Services can help you get your books organized, reviewed, and ready for the months ahead.

Book a call using the link in our profile or comment “numbers” below.

Be honest...which one gets ignored the most in your business?

1️⃣ Revenue
2️⃣ Profit
3️⃣ Cash Flow
4️⃣ Accounts Receivable
5️⃣ Accounts Payable
6️⃣ Tax Planning

Reply with the number. No judgment! 😊

Running a business is hard enough—your bookkeeping doesn't have to be.Every week we share practical QuickBooks tips, boo...
08/30/2026

Running a business is hard enough—your bookkeeping doesn't have to be.

Every week we share practical QuickBooks tips, bookkeeping best practices, tax reminders, and common mistakes to help business owners keep their books accurate and tax-ready.

Whether you're using QuickBooks Online every day or just trying to make better financial decisions, you'll find simple, practical advice you can actually use.

If you enjoy helpful, no-nonsense accounting tips, be sure to follow our page so you don't miss our weekly posts!

💻 QuickBooks Tip Tuesday
⚠️ QuickBooks Mistake of the Week
📊 Bookkeeping & tax insights
💡 Practical tips for small business owners

Running a business is hard enough without wondering if your bookkeeping is accurate.If you're spending evenings catching...
08/29/2026

Running a business is hard enough without wondering if your bookkeeping is accurate.

If you're spending evenings catching up on QuickBooks, putting off reconciliations, or crossing your fingers at tax time, it may be time to hand it off.

We can help with:

✔ QuickBooks Online setup and cleanup
✔ Monthly bookkeeping and account reconciliations
✔ Accurate financial statements you can actually use
✔ Books that stay organized and tax-ready all year
✔ Ongoing support from an experienced CPA

When your books are up to date, you can make better business decisions with confidence—and spend more time focusing on growing your business.

Visit our website to learn more or schedule a consultation today.

📍 Melton Bookkeeping & Accounting Services

Happy Birthday to the man who made this dream possible. ❤️When people see someone start a business, they usually see the...
08/28/2026

Happy Birthday to the man who made this dream possible. ❤️

When people see someone start a business, they usually see the owner.

They don't always see the person standing quietly beside them.

Last year, my mom's decline in health led me to make the decision to leave full time employment and start my own business. I needed flexibility.

I was scared to death!

Without hesitation, my husband looked at me and said, "Don't worry about leaving your job. We've got this. We'll do it together."

Those words changed the course of my life.

Because of his faith in me, I was able to take the plunge. And when it came time to build my own accounting firm, I never had to wonder if I had someone in my corner.

This first year of business has had its share of long days, uncertainty, and challenges. Through every one of them, he's been my biggest supporter, my sounding board, my encourager, and the one reminding me to keep believing in myself.

Today is his birthday, and I want to celebrate him.

I also want to celebrate all of the husbands, wives, partners, and families who quietly cheer from the sidelines, pick up the slack at home, listen to business ideas over dinner, and believe in our dreams even when we struggle to believe in them ourselves.

Small businesses are rarely built by one person.

They're built by families.

Happy Birthday, Dwight. I love you and appreciate you and don't know what I would have done without you. ❤️

Thank you for believing in me before I fully believed in myself.

Address

976 Cedarbrook
Marshfield, MO
65706

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4am
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+14176300057

Website

, ,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Melton Bookkeeping and Accounting Services LLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Melton Bookkeeping and Accounting Services LLC:

Shortcuts

Share

Category