Harper Tax and Bookkeeping

No shame, no jargon, just clarity.

Who Do I Work With?

Simply put, I do accounting for business owners who are tired of avoiding their numbers. Sharing finances can be vulnerable, so I prioritize a relational rather than transactional collaboration. Your books will be clean and taxes up to date, but more importantly you’ll know how your business is doing.

Serving clients virtually throughout Western North Carolina and nationwide.

A view of the Blue Ridge Mountains taken at sunrise from Tenant Mountain

  • You're a stylist, salon owner, nail tech, esthetician, or tattoo artist building something of your own. You rent your building or chair, your income comes from services, tips, and retail, and your whole business runs through GlossGenius, Square, or Vagaro. I keep your numbers clear and your quarterlies on track, so tax season is just another appointment on the books.

  • You became a therapist to help people heal, not to reconcile payment processors. But somewhere between private-pay and insurance clients, superbills, and CEU deadlines, you accidentally became a business owner, too. You hold space for your clients all day and you shouldn't have to do the same for your books at night. That's where I come in.

  • I didn't build this business for a certain industry, but for a certain kind of person. If you run a service-based business such as lawn and garden care, auto repair, handyman services, home remodeling, or construction, and you're honest and hardworking, a little overwhelmed by the money side, and ready to feel clear and confident instead, we're going to get along great.

Let's chat

What Can I Help With?

  • Monthly Bookkeeping

    Keeping your books in sync with your bank accounts makes tax time easier, but more importantly, it gives you the real-time information you need to confidently make bold business decisions.

  • Financial Reports

    Documents like a balance sheet and profit and loss don't have to be overwhelming. I'll provide you meaningful insights that show you what's working, what could be tweaked, and where to invest your energy.

  • Quarterly Taxes

    We’ll gameplan for the whole year. I'll tell you when and where to file. You'll actually understand why you're paying these taxes, and how to avoid fines and penalties come tax time.

  • Set Up, Catch Up, Clean Up

    Maybe you need your books cleaned up at the end of the year. Maybe you opened a QuickBooks account and got overwhelmed. Maybe your Xero file hasn't been touched in months. Maybe you haven't had a chance to start at all. Wherever you are, I'll get you where you want to be.

  • Annual Taxes

    Tax time doesn't have to be filled with uncertainty and unease. As an Enrolled Agent, I'll prepare your return and file it with the IRS. And since we've already handled your quarterly taxes, there won't be any surprises.

  • Entity Selection Guidance

    Should you stay a sole proprietor, operate as an LLC, or consider an S-Corp election? I'll bring clarity to your options, help you understand what makes sense for your business today, and set goals for where you're headed.

A woman with brown hair and tattoos on her arms, wearing a gray t-shirt and dark pants, standing outdoors by a wooden surface with trees and fall foliage in the background.

Hi, I’m Liz Harper, and I always joked about becoming an accountant.

I was an academic archivist and tenured professor who loved doing my own budget, getting lost in research, and educating others. My running joke was that once all the books were online and no one needed libraries anymore, I’d become an accountant. Luckily, books and libraries are still thriving, but after 14 years in the field, I decided it was finally time to take the leap.

I passed the three exams required to become an Enrolled Agent, admitted to represent taxpayers before the IRS, and earned an Accounting and Finance certificate from my local community college. These credentials complement my Master of Science in Information from the University of Michigan. I genuinely love learning, but I love making complicated things make sense even more.

I’m passionate about financial empowerment and tax literacy. I believe people should have the tools and knowledge to understand their own finances and taxes. And, when someone is comfortable preparing their own return, I’m happy to point them toward resources like FreeTaxUSA or the IRS VITA program.

I’m a proud resident of Canton, North Carolina, where I live with my husband, Phillip; our Shiba Inu, Baby; and Skinny Ed, the stray the cat distribution system assigned us. I’m still an avid reader, a sock knitter, and a happily slow runner.

If you’re ready to feel clear, and maybe even a little excited, about your business finances, I’d love to hear from you. No shame, no jargon, just clarity and a conversation about where you are and where you’d like to go.

Support For Every Stage of Growth

  • Quarterly Insight - starting at $300/month

    For newer or straightforward businesses that want a steady rhythm. Monthly bank reconciliations, quarterly tax estimates, quarterly financial statements, and a quarterly video summary covering trends and goals. Knowing your income and expenses are up to date and taken care of frees you up to focus on what you're passionate about.

  • Strategic Partnership - starting at $500/month

    For owners ready to use their numbers as a decision-making tool. In addition to monthly bank reconciliations, you'll receive monthly financial statements showing trends, benchmarks against your goals, quarterly tax estimates and a 30-minute video call each quarter to recap. This tier lets you turn your data into real-time, actionable insight.

  • Support on Demand - starting at $100/hour

    Maybe you need a full year of catch-up before tax time. Maybe you want someone to set up QuickBooks and provide training. Maybe you handle your own books but just have a question or two. Or maybe you just want a one-time diagnostic. Reach out, and we'll design a package that meets your needs and gets you feeling confident.

  • Annual Tax Filing - starting at $300

    I file individual returns (Form 1040), including returns for Schedule C businesses or W2 employees. You don't need to be a monthly bookkeeping client. I don't currently file S-Corp or partnership returns, but I provide your CPA a tax-ready trial balance, profit and loss, information on any acquired assets, and can coordinate year-end adjustments directly with them.

Let's chat

Questions are encouraged

  • Nope! If you already have a system you're using, I'm happy to hop in and work with it. And if you don't, I'll help you get set up with something simple that works the way your brain works. I have experience with QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Wave.

  • Sometimes! If you need a bookkeeping system built from scratch or have a lot to catch up on, there's a one-time $400 onboarding fee. We'll discuss that before we get started. Already set up? Then there's no onboarding fee—we just dive in.

  • Many small business owners feel comfortable keeping track of their own numbers, and increasingly, people feel comfortable letting AI handle their financial information. A dedicated bookkeeper is for the business owner who wants a trusted partner to take day-to-day tasks off their plate, bring them meaningful monthly insight, and free them up to focus on what they do best—the products or services they're passionate about.

  • I am not a Certified Public Accountant and do not hold myself out as a CPA. My services do not include attest, audit, review, or compilation services, and I do not provide services that require a CPA license.

  • Almost every business expense is a deductible expense. But don't worry about memorizing categories. I'll help you sort it all in a way that fits your specific work, and until we do, the rule of thumb is simple: when in doubt, save the receipt.

  • Yes, and please don't panic. I'll help you understand what they're asking for and plan your next steps. As an Enrolled Agent, I have unlimited representation rights before the IRS, so I can even handle it directly for you. Reach out for a consultation and we’ll see if this is a good fit.

  • No, I do not record any of our calls, nor do I use AI meeting transcription tools. I promise you’ll hear me typing away on the keyboard taking notes. :)

  • Audits can be targeted, or simply random. Having audit-ready books means that your transactions are categorized correctly, your financial statements are clear, and each expense has appropriate documentation. I can walk you through doing this on your own, or we can partner on a workflow.

Let’s chat!

If any of this resonates, message or schedule a free 30-minute call to see if working together is the right fit with zero pressure.

Use the calendar below to find a time to have a phone call or video meeting, your choice. Once you reach out, I’ll send you a short questionnaire. If you’re interested in bookkeeping, it will be about your current systems and goals. If you’re interested in tax, I’ll ask you to upload a copy of your most recently filed return to my secure portal. You can also message me using the form below.

If, after our chat, we decide to move forward, I’ll prepare a clear project outline and scope with a monthly or one-time fee.