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CFO vs CPA vs Accountant vs Bookkeeper

🧑‍💼 CFO vs CPA vs Accountant vs Bookkeeper?

Who Does What—And Who Do You Really Need?

 

At FPG-USA, we often hear this question:
“Who should I hire to help with my business finances—a CPA, a CFO, an accountant, or a bookkeeper?”

 

The answer depends on what stage your business is in and what kind of help you need—day-to-day bookkeeping, tax filing, financial reporting, or strategic guidance.
This quick guide breaks it down, so you can choose the right financial partner (or partners) for your goals.

— Richard Kahn, Founder & CFO, FPG‑USA

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1. What Does a Bookkeeper Do?
2. What Does an Accountant Do?
3. What Does a CPA Do?
4. What Does a CFO Do?

1️⃣ 🧾 What Does a Bookkeeper Do?

​A bookkeeper handles the day-to-day financial tracking of your business.

Common bookkeeping tasks:

  • Recording income and expenses

  • Managing Accounts Receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP)

  • Reconciling bank accounts and credit cards

  • Categorizing transactions for tax readiness

  • Keeping your books clean and current

 

At FPG-USA, we offer Monthly QuickBooks Bookkeeping and Catch-Up & Cleanup Services for businesses that need help getting organized.

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2️⃣ 📊 What Does an Accountant Do?

An accountant bridges the gap between bookkeeping and financial reporting.

​What an accountant typically handles:

  • Reviewing and adjusting the bookkeeper’s entries

  • Preparing monthly financial statements (Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, Cash Flow)

  • Ensuring compliance with accounting standards

  • Managing month-end and year-end closings

  • Supporting the CPA with tax-ready financials

At FPG-USA, our Monthly Accounting Services help clients move beyond basic bookkeeping to gain accurate, strategic financial reports—without hiring in-house staff.

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3️⃣ 🧑‍💼 What Does a CPA Do?

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is licensed to provide:

  • Tax preparation and filing

  • Financial statement audits (when required)

  • Representation before the IRS (if you’re audited)

  • Advisory on complex tax issues

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Important note:

Many CPAs do not provide day-to-day bookkeeping, monthly financials, or financial strategy.
They typically focus on compliance, tax filings, and audits.

FPG-USA works with your CPA or tax professional to ensure your books are tax-ready—but we do not prepare tax returns unless engaged for specialized tax services like FIRPTA.

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4️⃣ 🧠 What Does a CFO Do?

A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) focuses on financial strategy and decision-making.

What a Fractional CFO helps with:

  • Forecasting cash flow and profits

  • Interpreting financial data to guide business strategy

  • Advising on pricing, growth, and scaling decisions

  • Supporting investor and lender communications

  • Helping businesses turn numbers into actionable insight

At FPG-USA, our Fractional CFO Advisory services provide this leadership without the cost of a full-time hire.

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5️⃣ 🧰 How Do These Roles Work Together?

Think of your financial team like this:

 

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5. How Do These Roles Work Together?
6. How FPG-USA Supports Your Financial Team
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6️⃣ 🤝 How FPG-USA Supports Your Financial Team

At FPG-USA, we help businesses:

  • Maintain clean books for tax readiness

  • Prepare accurate monthly financial reports

  • Interpret the numbers to make smarter decisions

  • Plan for growth, profitability, and risk management

Whether you need bookkeeping, accounting, CFO-level guidance, or a full financial health checkup, we’re here to support your goals.

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📌 Related Links

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🚀 Curious what your business needs most right now?

Let’s have a friendly, no-pressure conversation with our CFO.

👉 Schedule Your Free CFO Strategy Call ›

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Ph:  417-862-4710
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