Clear books.
Clear mind.

Part-time bookkeeping services for small businesses in South Orange County — accurate, reliable, and personal.

20+ years experience
Certified Intuit ProAdvisor
Responsive & reliable
Local South OC focus

What I Do

Services

Straightforward bookkeeping support so you can focus on running your business.

Monthly Bookkeeping

Ongoing transaction categorization, bank and credit card reconciliation, and monthly profit & loss reporting — so your books are always current.

Catch-up Bookkeeping

Behind on your books? I'll work through your backlog to bring your records up to date — clean, accurate, and ready for tax time.

Financial Reporting

Clear, readable profit & loss statements and balance sheets that give you a real picture of where your business stands.

Bank Reconciliation

Monthly reconciliation of all bank and credit card accounts to ensure your records match your statements and nothing slips through the cracks.

QuickBooks Setup

New to QuickBooks Online? I'll get your chart of accounts, products and services, and settings configured correctly from the start.

Payroll Processing

Full-cycle payroll management for your team — from setup and scheduling to filings and W-2 preparation. Accurate, on time, and fully compliant.

Why Lantern Bookkeeping

Local. Personal.
Experienced.

I'm Julie Smith, owner and bookkeeper at Lantern Bookkeeping. Based in the Lantern District of Dana Point, I work with small businesses across South Orange County who need accurate books without the overhead of a full-time hire.

With 20+ years of accounting experience and deep familiarity with QuickBooks Online, I bring professional-grade bookkeeping to businesses that deserve it — on a schedule and budget that works for you.

20+
Years experience
QBO
Certified ProAdvisor
Local
South OC Focused
1:1
Personal service

Transparent Pricing

Simple, honest rates.
No surprises.

Starter
Up to 50 transactions / mo
$275–$350
per month
  • Bank & CC Reconciliation
  • Transaction Categorization
  • Monthly P&L + Balance Sheet
  • Accounts Payable / Receivable
  • Job Costing / Class Tracking
  • Payroll Processing
  • Quarterly Close & Tax-Ready Reports (+$75–$100/qtr)
  • Year-End Close & CPA Handoff
Full-Service
150+ transactions / mo
$650–$900+
per month
  • Bank & CC Reconciliation
  • Transaction Categorization
  • Monthly P&L + Balance Sheet
  • Accounts Payable / Receivable
  • Job Costing / Class Tracking
  • Payroll Processing
  • Quarterly Close & Tax-Ready Reports
  • Year-End Close & CPA Handoff
Note: Final monthly rate is confirmed after a brief onboarding review of your current books, transaction volume, and any catch-up needed. Rates shown are ranges — your exact fee will be stated in your signed engagement agreement.
À La Carte & Add-On Services
Available to any tier client, billed separately.
Service Rate
Initial Cleanup / Catch-Up Bookkeeping$65/hr (min. 2 hrs)
QBO Initial Setup & Chart of Accounts$350–$500 flat
Job Costing / Class Tracking Setup$200–$350 flat
Payroll Setup (new clients)$150 flat
Sales Tax Filing (monthly or quarterly)$75–$125 / filing
1099 Preparation (per vendor)*$15/vendor + $50 base
W-2 Preparation (per employee)*$15/employee + $50 base
Ad Hoc Consulting / Advisory$65/hr
* Includes 1099/W-2 forms, printing, and mailing hard copies.

Get in Touch

Let's talk about your books.

Whether you're behind on bookkeeping, starting fresh with QuickBooks, or just looking for reliable monthly support — I'd love to hear about your business.