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Back to the home page and map, from TryOwning · Bookkeeping and tax practice · Lesson 5
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Bookkeeping and tax practice · 14 min

Growing past yourself

One person fills up. The next client needs someone else's hours, more software, and a plan for the day something goes wrong, because with more people, something will.

Ticket 01 · The guess

How small do practices stay?

Some bookkeepers hire. In 2023, of the US bookkeeping and accounting locations with paid staff (not CPA offices, tax-only or payroll-only), what share had fewer than five employees?

20%
0%100%

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Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

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Sources and every number (3)

Sources

  • County Business Patterns 2023, U.S. file: establishments with paid employees by industry and employment size (NAICS 541211 Offices of CPAs, 541213 Tax Preparation Services, 541219 Other Accounting Services; 621210 Offices of Dentists, 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors, 722511 Full-Service Restaurants, 812112 Beauty Salons, 541110 Offices of Lawyers, 621111 Offices of Physicians) · U.S. Census Bureau, 2023
  • Nonemployer Statistics 2024, U.S. file: businesses with no paid employees by industry and receipts size (NAICS 541211 Offices of CPAs, 541213 Tax Preparation Services, 541219 Other Accounting Services) · U.S. Census Bureau, 2024
  • Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022: firms, employment (mid-March), annual payroll and receipts by industry and enterprise receipts size (NAICS 541211 Offices of CPAs, 541213 Tax Preparation Services, 541219 Other Accounting Services) · U.S. Census Bureau, 2022

Every number

  • 78.5%census.gov ·2023 · Worked out from County Business Patterns: bookkeeping and other accounting locations (not CPA offices, tax-only or payroll-only) with fewer than five employees, as a share of all of them with paid employees, 2023. Counted by location.
  • 69.1%census.gov ·2023 · Worked out from County Business Patterns: tax preparation locations with fewer than five employees, as a share of all of them with paid employees, 2023. Counted by location.
  • 64.8%census.gov ·2023 · Worked out from County Business Patterns: CPA offices with fewer than five employees, as a share of all of them with paid employees, 2023. Counted by location.
  • 258,557census.gov ·2024 · US businesses with no paid employees in other accounting services (bookkeeping and accounting firms that aren't CPA offices, tax-only or payroll-only), 2024.
  • 106,403census.gov ·2024 · US tax preparation businesses with no paid employees, 2024.
  • 4.9 employeescensus.gov ·2022 · Worked out: employees of US CPA firms taking in half a million to a million dollars a year, divided by how many firms there were, 2022. Counted in mid-March, in tax season.
  1. Lessons›
  2. Industries›
  3. Bookkeeping and tax practice
  • ·Before this: Finding and keeping clients
  • ·Free guide: How bookkeepers and tax preparers make money
Skip to the lesson
Back to the home page and map, from TryOwning · Bookkeeping and tax practice · Lesson 5
Part 1 of 3Part 1 of 3, 0 done

Bookkeeping and tax practice · 14 min

Growing past yourself

One person fills up. The next client needs someone else's hours, more software, and a plan for the day something goes wrong, because with more people, something will.

Ticket 01 · The guess

How small do practices stay?

Some bookkeepers hire. In 2023, of the US bookkeeping and accounting locations with paid staff (not CPA offices, tax-only or payroll-only), what share had fewer than five employees?

20%
0%100%

Spot something wrong?

Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

We'll also send this page, the lesson, ticket 1, so we can find it. Nothing else. Privacy

·
Sources and every number (3)

Sources

  • County Business Patterns 2023, U.S. file: establishments with paid employees by industry and employment size (NAICS 541211 Offices of CPAs, 541213 Tax Preparation Services, 541219 Other Accounting Services; 621210 Offices of Dentists, 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors, 722511 Full-Service Restaurants, 812112 Beauty Salons, 541110 Offices of Lawyers, 621111 Offices of Physicians) · U.S. Census Bureau, 2023
  • Nonemployer Statistics 2024, U.S. file: businesses with no paid employees by industry and receipts size (NAICS 541211 Offices of CPAs, 541213 Tax Preparation Services, 541219 Other Accounting Services) · U.S. Census Bureau, 2024
  • Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022: firms, employment (mid-March), annual payroll and receipts by industry and enterprise receipts size (NAICS 541211 Offices of CPAs, 541213 Tax Preparation Services, 541219 Other Accounting Services) · U.S. Census Bureau, 2022

Every number

  • 78.5%census.gov ·2023 · Worked out from County Business Patterns: bookkeeping and other accounting locations (not CPA offices, tax-only or payroll-only) with fewer than five employees, as a share of all of them with paid employees, 2023. Counted by location.
  • 69.1%census.gov ·2023 · Worked out from County Business Patterns: tax preparation locations with fewer than five employees, as a share of all of them with paid employees, 2023. Counted by location.
  • 64.8%census.gov ·2023 · Worked out from County Business Patterns: CPA offices with fewer than five employees, as a share of all of them with paid employees, 2023. Counted by location.
  • 258,557census.gov ·2024 · US businesses with no paid employees in other accounting services (bookkeeping and accounting firms that aren't CPA offices, tax-only or payroll-only), 2024.
  • 106,403census.gov ·2024 · US tax preparation businesses with no paid employees, 2024.
  • 4.9 employeescensus.gov ·2022 · Worked out: employees of US CPA firms taking in half a million to a million dollars a year, divided by how many firms there were, 2022. Counted in mid-March, in tax season.
  1. Lessons›
  2. Industries›
  3. Bookkeeping and tax practice
  • ·Before this: Finding and keeping clients
  • ·Free guide: How bookkeepers and tax preparers make money