Gyms & fitness studios

Books and taxes for boxing and kickboxing gyms.

Monthly dues, a rack of heavy bags and gloves that wears out fast, and coaches paid for group class and private mitt work both. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
NovemberExample month
$8,200
what you made

November came in at $8,200. The new set of heavy bags and wraps is booked as equipment, not supplies, since a buy that size should be written off right.

  • Mindbody dues batchMembership dues
  • Private mitt work paymentPrivate training
  • Title Boxing gear orderEquipment
  • Coach payroll batchCoach pay
  • Gym rentRent
Money in$32,700
Money out$24,500
Set aside for taxes$1,900
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

A boxing gym's books go wrong around the gear and the coaches.

A generalist sees dues and a rent bill. Your gym replaces bags, gloves, and wraps constantly, pays coaches for group class and one-on-one mitt work at different rates, and sometimes puts fighters through amateur bouts. When the books miss that, the real cost of running the floor stays hidden.

  1. 1

    Gear replacement looks like random spending

    Heavy bags, wraps, gloves, and mouthguards wear out on their own schedule, so a big gear order can look like a one-off expense instead of the normal, expected cost of running a gym people actually hit things in.

    What we doKeeps gear replacement in one steady category so an order reads as the routine cost it is, not a surprise.
  2. 2

    Coach pay splits between group class and private work

    A coach paid a flat rate for teaching group class, plus a per-round rate for private mitt work, shows up on the bank feed as one lump payroll number, which hides what each side of the business actually costs.

    What we doKeeps group class pay and private session pay in their own lines so you can see what each part of coaching earns against what it costs.
  3. 3

    Amateur fight costs get mixed with regular gym expenses

    Sanctioning fees, travel, and gear for a fighter competing in an amateur bout are real costs tied to that fighter's development, but when they blend into general expenses, you lose track of what the competition side actually costs.

    What we doKeeps competition-related costs in their own line so you can see what developing a fighter actually runs.
  4. 4

    A prepaid membership counted too early

    A member who prepays for six months hands you money for time that hasn't happened yet. Counted all at once, one month looks strong and the ones after it look worse than they are.

    What we doSpreads prepaid dues across the months they actually cover, so no single month is carrying the others.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a boxing or kickboxing gym.

Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Membership duesMonthly EFT drafts through Mindbody or Zen Planner.
  • Private trainingOne-on-one mitt work and pad sessions sold separately.
  • Drop-insSingle-class walk-ins and visiting fighters.
  • RetailGloves, wraps, and apparel sold at the front desk.

Money out

  • Coach payGroup class pay and private session pay, kept apart.
  • EquipmentHeavy bags, gloves, wraps, and ring or cage maintenance.
  • Rent and utilitiesThe building and the power it runs on.
  • SoftwareMindbody or Zen Planner scheduling and payment fees.
  • InsuranceGeneral liability, higher here given the contact involved.
  • Competition costsSanctioning fees and travel for fighters competing in bouts.
  • MarketingLocal ads and referral incentives for new members.

What we watch for you

  • Active member count

    The base the dues number rests on, since class schedules run on a steady roster.

  • Coach pay share

    Group and private pay against total revenue, so coaching cost stays visible.

  • Gear replacement cost

    What's going toward bags, gloves, and wraps each quarter, so it doesn't surprise you.

  • The set-aside

    What you'll owe in taxes, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.

Ask Gus

Things boxing gym owners ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

Just spent $2,400 replacing bags and gloves. Does that come off this year?

Usually it can. I logged it as equipment, not supplies, and flagged it so the accountant makes the call with your whole year in view.

My head coach teaches group class and does private mitt work. Does that change how I pay him?

It changes where the money goes, not what you do. I keep group class pay and private session pay in separate lines so you can see what each side of coaching earns.

One of our fighters has an amateur bout coming up. Do I track that differently?

Yes. Sanctioning fees and travel for a fighter's bout go in their own line, so you can see what developing a fighter actually costs, separate from regular gym expenses.

The tax side

The tax side of running a boxing or kickboxing gym.

Most of what trips up a boxing gym is timing and labels. Gear filed as random supplies, coach pay tangled together, and dues counted before they're earned.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Heavy bags, gloves, and gearA significant gear replacement or a ring or cage build-out can usually be written off in the year it's bought. Bonus depreciation is back to 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
  • Coach or contractorA coach who teaches your class schedule in your gym usually counts as an employee, not a contractor, no matter what the pay arrangement is called. Gus flags it before it becomes a habit.
  • Contractor 1099sA guest coach or seminar instructor not on payroll gets a 1099-NEC by January 31 if paid $2,000 or more in 2026. Gus keeps that list all year.
  • The pass-through deductionMost owners can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when dues, coach pay, and gear are tracked correctly all year.

Deductions boxing and kickboxing gyms miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Heavy bags and gloves
  • Wraps and mouthguards
  • Ring or cage maintenance
  • Mindbody or Zen Planner fees
  • Liability insurance
  • Coach certifications
  • Flooring and mats
  • Business phone and booking line
  • Cleaning service
  • Marketing and referral incentives

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

A boxing gym's year, kept every month.

Fighters train year round. Your taxes come on a fixed schedule. Your team keeps you ahead of both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started, and you get a monthly set-aside so the January signup wave doesn't turn into an April surprise.

  2. April

    Filed. Done.

    Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, because the set-aside has been running since January.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand, what you'll owe, and whether summer competition travel changed the number.

  4. October

    Before year-end

    Before the calendar closes, Gus looks at gear or equipment worth buying before December.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for boxing and kickboxing gyms. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions boxing gym owners ask first.

Can Gus keep gear replacement from looking random?

Yes. Bags, gloves, and wraps get their own steady category, so a big replacement order reads as the normal cost of running the gym, not a surprise expense nobody planned for.

We book everything through Mindbody. Does Gus need us to switch systems?

Nothing on your end. Gus reads straight from your bank statement and Mindbody's EFT batch, and if a deposit doesn't explain itself, he asks once and remembers your answer for next time.

My coaches teach group class and do private mitt work. Does that change the books?

It changes where the money goes, not what you do. Gus keeps group class pay and private session pay in their own lines so you can see what each side of coaching earns.

Does Gus track costs for a fighter competing in a bout?

Yes. Sanctioning fees and travel for competition go in their own line, separate from regular gym expenses, so you can see what developing a fighter actually costs.

My books have been neglected since we opened the gym. Is that a problem?

No. Send the statements from since the gym opened, however many months that covers. Gus sorts through it, the accountant checks his work, and you'll know where things stand within a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever