Probably. If you’re asking the question, something isn’t working. Either the books are behind, you’re not sure what the numbers mean, or the time you spend on it is pulling you away from actual work.

Here’s the honest math. If you’re doing $250K or more in revenue, you’re likely spending five to ten hours a month on bookkeeping. Maybe more if things are messy. Your time has a value. If that value is higher than what a bookkeeper costs, you’re losing money by doing it yourself.

You need a bookkeeper when your books are more than a couple months behind, when you dread tax season because nothing is organized, when your CPA has to fix things before filing your return, when you can’t answer basic questions about cash flow or profitability, or when “doing the books” keeps getting pushed to next week.

Small businesses in certain industries feel this sooner than others. Contractors dealing with job costing. Restaurants tracking tips and food costs. E-commerce sellers reconciling multiple platforms. The complexity stacks up fast.

The goal isn’t perfect books for their own sake. The goal is knowing your numbers well enough to make good decisions. If you don’t have that now, a bookkeeper gets you there. If you do have it but it’s eating your time, a bookkeeper gives that time back.