Bookkeeping for Private Practices in Washington, DC
Bookkeeping for therapists, psychologists, and group practices in Washington, DC. Books kept current, clear, and tax-ready by Aretha Dirden.
Bookkeeping for DC Private Practices
I am Aretha Dirden, and I do private practice bookkeeping for mental health professionals around the country, including practice owners in Washington. My office is in Lancaster, California, and every part of the work happens remotely, so the distance changes nothing about how we work together. You give me access to what I need, and I keep your books current month after month.
Washington keeps clinicians busy. Federal agencies, the Hill, law firms, nonprofits, hospitals, and advocacy work all run on people carrying a heavy load, and the caseloads in this city show it. Most owners who call me are booked solid and have not opened their bookkeeping file in months. That is the part I take off your plate so you can stay in the clinical work.
Monthly Bookkeeping
Monthly Bookkeeping
Transactions categorized, bank and credit card accounts reconciled, and a monthly report you can read between sessions. You end up knowing what the practice brought in, what it spent, and what it kept. Starting at $165 a month.
Books That Have Fallen Behind
Books That Have Fallen Behind
Some practices have books that were never done. Others have books that were done badly, with miscategorized entries and accounts nobody has reconciled in a year. I handle both, get you current, and then keep you there.
Payroll for Practices With Staff
Payroll for Practices With Staff
If your payroll system is already up and running, I process each pay period so associates and admin staff are paid on time and the payroll lands correctly in your books. Payday stops living in your head.
Ready for Your Tax Preparer
Ready for Your Tax Preparer
I do not prepare returns. What I do is hand your preparer books that are complete, reconciled, and organized, so tax season turns into a simple handoff instead of a scramble through a year of bank statements.
Washington Practices I Work With
DC has a real density of private practice. Office suites around Dupont Circle and Cleveland Park, small practices near Capitol Hill and Adams Morgan, prescribers running medication management panels, psychologists doing assessment work, and plenty of clinicians seeing clients from a home office. Many of them hold licenses in DC, Maryland, and Virginia because their clients cross those lines every day, which quietly adds renewals, subscriptions, and platform costs the books need to keep straight.
Most of my clients are therapists and counselors in solo practice or small group practices with one to ten people. I spent more than fifteen years as a licensed nurse working in mental health before I started keeping books, so you will not need to explain your world to me. If any of this sounds like your practice, book a consultation and we can talk it through.
Solo Therapists and Counselors
Solo Therapists and Counselors
One clinician, a full caseload, and a waitlist. I reconcile the deposits from your practice management system against the bank, keep business and personal spending separated, and show you what a week of clinical hours actually earns.
Group Practices With Associates
Group Practices With Associates
Splits, salaries, W-2 staff, and 1099 associates all recorded correctly. Reporting that shows margin by clinician so you know whether adding the next associate is helping the practice or just adding work.
Private Pay and Out of Network Practices
Private Pay and Out of Network Practices
A lot of DC practices bill clients directly. I handle invoicing and payment tracking so statements go out promptly, payments get matched, and you can see what is still outstanding without digging for it.
Telehealth Practices
Telehealth Practices
Video platform fees, EHR subscriptions, and merchant processing charges add up faster than most owners expect. I reconcile the payouts, record the recurring costs honestly, and keep home office records clean for your tax preparer.
Questions About This Area
You are in California. Can you really keep the books for a practice in Washington?
Yes. All of my work is remote and always has been. My clients are spread across the country and we handle everything through secure file sharing, email, and scheduled calls. You work directly with me, so nothing gets passed off to a team you have never met.
What does bookkeeping cost?
Full-service monthly bookkeeping starts at $165 a month. Payroll starts at $150 a month for practices whose payroll system is already running. Catch-up and clean-up work is priced per engagement once I have looked at what you have. You will get a real number before you commit to anything.
My books are months behind. Is that going to be a problem?
No. It is the most common reason a practice owner reaches out to me. We record and reconcile the past periods first, then move into steady monthly work so the backlog does not build up again. I have no interest in making anyone feel bad about how the books got that way.
Do you prepare tax returns?
No. I keep your books clean, current, and tax-ready, and your tax preparer takes it from there. I am also not an insurance biller, so claims, credentialing, and coding stay with whoever handles that side for your practice. I record what actually lands in the practice bank account.
Can you run payroll for my group practice?
Yes, as long as your payroll system is already set up and running. I process each pay period so your clinicians and staff are paid on time and the entries land correctly in the books. I do not build new payroll systems from scratch.
Helping the People Who Help Others
Let's Start With
a Short Conversation
Tell me where your books stand right now, even if the honest answer is that nobody has looked at them in a year. I'll ask a few questions and give you a clear idea of how I can help.
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