Atascadero · Central Coast · California
Clear books.
A clearer way
forward.
Thoughtful bookkeeping, payroll, and certified payroll support. So you can spend less time sorting the numbers and more time running your business.
Bookkeeping · Payroll · Certified payroll for California contractors

Your long-term bookkeeping partner.
Our services
Practical support for your business finances.
Whether you need to catch up on backlogged transactions or find a long-term bookkeeping partner, we build our services around the way your business works.
Monthly bookkeeping
Reconciled accounts, organized transactions, and clear financials on a dependable monthly schedule.
Learn more about Monthly BookkeepingPayroll
California payroll services for employee pay, direct deposit, payroll tax deposits and year-end filings, connected to your books.
Learn more about California payroll servicesPrevailing wage & certified payroll
California DIR eCPR, certified payroll records, and fringe benefit tracking for public works projects.
Learn more about Prevailing Wage & Certified PayrollCatch-up bookkeeping & QuickBooks cleanup
Rebuild backlogged records, resolve QuickBooks errors, and get a clear path back to current books.
Learn more about Catch-Up Bookkeeping & QuickBooks CleanupSales tax filing
Sales tax tracking, jurisdiction-based calculations, return filing, and remittance support.
Learn more about Sales Tax FilingFinancial reporting
Profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports that help you make informed decisions.
Learn more about Financial ReportingConstruction bookkeeping
Job costing, payroll, certified payroll and sales tax filing support for contractors and trades, connected to monthly bookkeeping.
Learn more about Construction bookkeepingVirtual bookkeeping in California
California bookkeeping services delivered virtually from our Atascadero office, including monthly books, payroll, cleanup and certified payroll.
Learn more about Virtual bookkeeping in California
A personal partnership
A whole team behind your books.
Your account is handled by a team, so you never depend on one person. We bring careful bookkeeping, clear communication, and a personal understanding of your business to the work we do together.
Some local CPAs ask their clients to have Tidwell keep the books. Bookkeeping and payroll are all we do, so your account isn't set aside when tax season hits. We work alongside your CPA to keep your records ready for their tax work.
Meet the teamOur specialty
The details matter. Especially in certified payroll.
Public works projects bring specialized reporting requirements. We help with California DIR eCPR, certified payroll records, and fringe benefit tracking, using the wage rates and classifications you provide.
Explore certified payroll- 01California DIR eCPR submissions
- 02Certified payroll & Davis-Bacon reporting
- 03Fringe benefit tracking
- 04Connected bookkeeping & job costing
In our clients’ words
Good work begins
with good relationships.
Personal attention and dependable support, in the words of the people we work with.
Tidwell Bookkeeping has been part of the Semmes & Co Team for over a decade.
They are solid as a rock, making my job easier. With the extensive reporting and legal filings required these days, it is relieving to have their vast experience driving these deliverables, enabling my corporation to operate confidently and without penalty. I speak of the level of competence at Tidwell Bookkeeping with great enthusiasm, however, I certainly would be remiss if I failed to mention how absolutely pleasant and upbeat their staff remains and what a positive impact that has on the morale of my entire team. I would emphatically refer Tidwell Bookkeeping to anyone looking to kick their business up to the next level of professionalism.
We engaged Tidwell Bookkeeping Services for project-based work, and it has worked out better than could be imagined.
Tidwell Bookkeeping is dedicated and focused on doing what it takes to make sure the customer's needs are met. They showed excellent flexibility and provided innovative solutions as the project scope changed and tasks shifted. They are experts in their field: organized, timely, and a real pleasure to work with.
We searched a long time to find a local payroll company while putting up with large services who did not care or have time for a smaller business.
We have been clients of Tidwell for years now and will never go back to the larger companies. They take care of our payroll needs with such professionalism and that personal touch we were looking for. I can not recommend them highly enough.
We've been with the Tidwell Team for 22 years and counting.
Always professional service and Vanessa is the best. From payroll, to 1099s, 941s to bank account reconciliation, she gets it done! I would definitely recommend Tidwell to any business looking for a great all-in-one bookkeeping service.
We have been using Tidwell Bookkeeping for several years now and are extremely happy with all they do for us!
Our business runs way more smoothly since we started having them do several of our bookkeeping task. Everyone is friendly and professional to work with.
After in-house accounting for many years, we switched to Tidwell, who assigned Vanessa Queen to work with us.
With Vanessa's guidance, we reorganized and simplified our systems and priorities. Vanessa understood our needs and helped us increase our overall performance and improve our bottom line. Her experience with businesses larger and smaller than we were proved invaluable as we navigated a volatile (including COVID!) business environment and continued the growth that Madrone has maintained in the years since we began working with Tidwell. We are truly grateful to have found such great collaboration in a bookkeeping service!
A few things you may be wondering.
Can we work together virtually?
Yes. We work remotely across California, with meetings at our Atascadero office by arrangement. Remote payroll uses direct deposit; paper checks are not offered remotely.
Can you help if my books are behind?
Yes. Our catch-up bookkeeping and QuickBooks cleanup services help reconcile historical accounts, correct entries, and organize your records before moving into a regular monthly schedule.
Where should I start?
Schedule a call or send an inquiry. Our team will listen to what you need and discuss a service mix, scope, and next steps for your business.
Areas we serve
Seven counties. One remote team.
We work remotely across San Luis Obispo County and California, with meetings at our Atascadero office by arrangement.
San Luis Obispo County18 towns
Santa Barbara County13 towns
Let’s make room for what’s next
