Gyms & fitness studios

Books and taxes for reformer Pilates studios.

Class packs bought in bulk, a room of financed reformers, and instructors paid per class they teach. 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
SeptemberExample month
$8,800
what you made

September came in at $8,800. A client bought a twenty-class pack this month, and I'm only counting the classes she's actually taken so far, not the whole pack at once.

  • Momence class pack paymentClass packs
  • Drop-in card paymentDrop-ins
  • Reformer financing paymentEquipment
  • Instructor payroll runInstructor pay
  • Monthly studio rentRent
Money in$33,400
Money out$24,600
Set aside for taxes$1,900
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

A reformer studio's books go wrong in a few predictable places.

A generalist sees class payments and a rent bill. Your studio sells class packs used over months, carries a room of reformers on a financing plan, and pays instructors per class they teach. When the books miss that, the real cost of running a session stays hidden.

  1. 1

    A class pack counted the day it's bought

    A client who buys a twenty-class pack for $600 hands you money for classes that haven't happened yet. Counted all at once, the month she buys it looks strong and the months she actually attends look thin.

    What we doCounts class-pack income as classes are actually taken, not the day the pack is bought, so each month reflects real classes taught.
  2. 2

    Reformer financing looks like a flat equipment expense

    Ten reformers on a financing plan can run a payment of a thousand dollars a month or more, but part of that is interest and part is paying down machines you'll eventually own outright.

    What we doSplits the financing payment into principal and interest, so the real cost of the reformers stays separate from the cost of financing them.
  3. 3

    Instructor per-class pay hides inside payroll

    An instructor paid a flat rate per class, on top of a cut of private sessions she teaches, shows up on the bank feed as one lump payroll number, which buries what teaching actually costs against classes filled.

    What we doKeeps per-class pay and private session commissions in their own lines, separate from any base wages, so teaching cost stays visible.
  4. 4

    Teacher training revenue gets mixed with class income

    A studio that runs its own instructor certification program collects tuition that's a different business from class packs and drop-ins, and when it blends together, you can't tell whether the training program pays for itself.

    What we doKeeps teacher training tuition in its own category so you can see whether that program earns its keep.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a reformer Pilates studio.

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

  • Class packsBlocks of classes sold up front through Momence, Mindbody, or Marianatek.
  • Drop-insSingle classes paid by clients trying the studio.
  • Private sessionsOne-on-one reformer sessions sold separately from group class.
  • Teacher training tuitionIf the studio runs its own certification program, kept apart.
  • RetailGrip socks, apparel, and small accessories sold at the desk.

Money out

  • Instructor payPer-class pay and private session commissions, kept apart from wages.
  • EquipmentReformers and financing payments, split into principal and interest.
  • Rent and utilitiesThe studio space and the power it runs on.
  • SoftwareMomence, Mindbody, or Marianatek scheduling and payment fees.
  • InsuranceGeneral liability and professional liability for instructors.
  • MarketingLocal ads and referral incentives for new clients.

What we watch for you

  • Classes used vs sold

    How much of what clients paid for has actually been taken, so income tracks real classes taught.

  • Reformer utilization

    How full classes are running against machine capacity, since each room only holds so many.

  • Instructor pay share

    Per-class pay against total revenue, so teaching cost stays visible.

  • The set-aside

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

Ask Gus

Things reformer studio 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.

A client bought a big class pack. Why doesn't this month look bigger?

Because I only count classes as they're taken, not the day the pack is bought. As she comes in, you'll see it show up class by class, which is closer to the truth.

The reformer financing payment looks huge on the statement. Is that normal?

Part of it is, since it covers both what you owe on the machines and the interest on carrying that balance. I split the two so the equipment's real cost stays clear.

Do I owe a 1099 to the instructor who only subs occasionally?

If she's not on payroll and you pay her $2,000 or more this year, yes, by January 31. I keep that list running so it's ready.

The tax side

The tax side of running a reformer studio.

Most of what trips up a reformer studio is timing. Class packs counted too early, instructor pay tangled with wages, and equipment written off the wrong way.

What your return has to get right

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

  • Reformers and studio equipmentReformers and other studio equipment can usually be written off the year you buy them. Bonus depreciation is back to 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
  • Instructor or employeeAn instructor who teaches your class schedule on your reformers 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 substitute 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 class packs, instructor pay, and equipment are tracked correctly all year.

Deductions reformer Pilates studios miss

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

  • Reformer maintenance and repair
  • Momence or Mindbody fees
  • Liability insurance
  • Instructor certifications
  • Flooring and mirrors
  • Grip socks for retail
  • Business phone and booking line
  • Cleaning service
  • Marketing and referral incentives
  • Website and booking widget

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 reformer studio's year, kept every month.

Clients pack the studio some months and thin out in others. 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 New Year's class-pack rush 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 class attendance is keeping pace with pack sales.

  4. October

    Before year-end

    Before the calendar closes, Gus looks at any reformers 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 reformer Pilates studios. 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 reformer studio owners ask first.

Can Gus track class packs as clients actually use them?

Yes. Instead of counting a pack as income the day it's sold, he tracks it as classes are taken, so your monthly number reflects real classes delivered, not just money collected.

I run scheduling through Momence. Do I have to change anything?

Nothing changes on your side. Gus reads directly from your bank statement and Momence payouts, and if a deposit doesn't explain itself, he'll ask once and remember the answer after that.

My instructors are paid per class plus private session cuts. Does that change the books?

It changes where the money goes, not what you do. Gus keeps per-class pay and private commissions apart from wages so teaching cost stays visible.

Do I write off a new reformer all at once?

Often you can. Studio equipment can usually be deducted in the year you buy it, and sometimes spreading it out is the better call. Gus flags the purchase and the accountant decides with your whole year in view.

My books are a mess from when we first opened. Is that a problem?

No. Whatever you have since opening is plenty to start with. Gus catches the books up, the accountant checks the work, and the studio's real numbers show up within a week or so.

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.

More in gyms & fitness studios

We keep books for the business next door too.

What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for

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