Forensic Bookkeeping

What is forensic bookkeeping?

Forensic bookkeeping is the practice of analysing financial records to find irregularities, and reconstructing events through transactions to provide evidence if needed. Traditional bookkeeping records daily transactions in an orderly way. Forensic bookkeeping analyses an organisation’s financial data to uncover hidden errors, fraud or irregularities.

It follows the audit trail and reconstructs financial records accurately and neutrally. It differs from forensic accounting, which has a broader scope including expert witness testimony and valuations. In essence, forensic bookkeeping lays the foundation that forensic accountants and lawyers build on.

When you might need forensic bookkeeping

• You suspect theft or fraud by an employee, contractor or business partner
• Money is missing, or the numbers just don’t add up
• Your records are incomplete and need to be reconstructed
• A business partnership is ending and the finances need to be untangled
• Financial records are needed for a legal dispute or a family law property settlement

How we help

• Review your accounting records and bank statements in detail
• Trace transactions and follow the money trail
• Reconstruct incomplete or missing records
• Identify irregularities, errors and unexplained transactions
• Present our findings in a clear, organised report you, your lawyer or your accountant can use

Why K.I.S.?

Our team includes registered tax agents, bookkeepers and accounting software specialists who work in Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks and Reckon every day. Untangling messy files is what we do: our File Clean-up service is built on the same skills. We approach every engagement with accuracy, neutrality and confidentiality.

We work with businesses across the Illawarra & South Coast, and remotely Australia-wide.