Outsourced Controller Review Services
Keep your accounting team. Add the oversight layer they are missing.
Controller Review Only is independent controller review for companies that already have a bookkeeper or in-house accounting staff and need senior oversight of the monthly close.
This is not day-to-day bookkeeping, and it is not tax preparation, audit, or CPA sign-off.
All accounting packages →Book the diagnostic →Compare with Bench →
Is this the right fit?
- Companies with an in-house bookkeeper or accounting staff already in place
- Owners who suspect the numbers are close but not dependable
- Teams that need a senior reviewer without adding headcount
Scope is set after the Financial Operations Diagnostic, based on transaction volume, entity count, and reporting complexity.
- Independent controller review of the monthly close
- Reconciliation, accrual, and cut-off testing before financials are issued
- Financial statement review with findings and corrections log
- Close calendar, checklist, and documentation build-out
- Coaching and workpaper standards for your existing accounting staff
- Monthly review call with Michael Belote on results and risks
What this firm is not
- Not tax preparation — we do not file returns or provide tax advice
- Not audit or attest services
- Not CPA signoff on financial statements
Accounting preparation is performed by our dedicated accounting team. Michael Belote — 10+ years across accounting, investment management, private equity, and operating finance — performs the final review and handles client advisory directly. That is the difference from a software dashboard with a bundled generalist call.
Find the level of support that fits.
Monthly Accounting Essentials
Complete monthly accounting, closed on a calendar you can plan around.
View package →Accounting and Controller
Monthly accounting plus real controller oversight and forward-looking reporting.
View package →Outsourced Finance Department
A complete finance function — accounting, controller, and CFO-level guidance.
View package →Controller Review Only
Keep your accounting team. Add the oversight layer they are missing.
You're hereFrequently asked questions
How is this different from a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper records transactions. We run the full monthly accounting cycle and add controller-level oversight on top of it: reconciliations are reviewed, accruals and cut-off are applied, and the financial statements are examined by Michael Belote before they reach you. You get numbers that have been interrogated, plus the context to act on them — not just a categorized ledger.
Do you replace my CPA or tax preparer?
No. We are not a tax practice and we do not file returns or provide tax advice. We keep the books, close the month, and produce clean, reconciled financials — which typically makes your CPA's work faster and cheaper. We coordinate directly with your tax preparer at year end and hand over the support they need.
What size company is this for?
U.S.-based founder-led companies with roughly $1M to $20M in annual revenue. That is the range where transaction volume has outgrown a part-time bookkeeper but a full-time controller or CFO is still hard to justify. Below $1M the work is usually lighter than our engagement model; well above $20M you generally want in-house finance staff we can support.
How do you scope an engagement?
We start with the Financial Operations Diagnostic: a review of your current books, close process, systems, and reporting needs. From there we recommend one of four packages — Monthly Accounting Essentials, Accounting and Controller, Outsourced Finance Department, or Controller Review Only — based on transaction volume, entity count, and reporting complexity.
How long does onboarding take?
Most engagements are producing a normal monthly close within 30 to 60 days. The first weeks cover access to systems and banks, a review of the existing books, chart of accounts clean-up, and agreeing the close calendar and reporting package. If prior periods need catch-up or correction, we scope that separately so it does not delay current-month reporting.
Is my data secure with your team?
Our accounting team works inside your systems under named, permissioned accounts — not shared logins — with access limited to what each task requires. Nothing is delivered to you without Michael Belote's final review. Documents stay in your accounting and document platforms rather than being copied to local machines.
Start with the Financial Operations Diagnostic.
A working session on your close, cash, and reporting — and a clear recommendation on whether Controller Review Only is the right package for you.