Landscaping & lawn care
Books and taxes for snow removal and plowing companies.
A season contract paid whether it snows or not, per-push billing when a storm actually hits, salt and deicer bought by the ton, and a plow truck that has to start every time. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
January came in at $15,800. The bulk salt order is booked against the season, since it covers storms you have not billed for yet.
- Seasonal contract billingSeasonal contracts
- Per-push storm billingPer-push billing
- Salt and deicer orderSalt and deicer
- Plow blade repairEquipment repairs
- Diesel, plow trucksTrucks and fuel
Why your books are different
Snow removal books go wrong around weather, not the calendar.
A generalist sees route income and a fuel bill. Your business gets paid two different ways for the same work, whether the season is light or brutal, using salt bought well ahead of any given storm. When the books do not track that, a light winter and a heavy one look confusingly similar until it is too late.
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1
Seasonal contracts and per-push jobs get mixed together
A flat seasonal contract paid the same whether it snows twice or twenty times looks identical in the books to a per-push job that only pays when a storm hits, hiding which pricing model is actually protecting you in a light winter.
What we doKeeps seasonal contract income separate from per-push billing, so you can see which pricing model carries the business when snowfall is unpredictable. -
2
A season's worth of salt gets bought in one order
Buying salt and deicer by the ton before the season starts can make an early month look like a big loss, even though the cost covers storms that have not happened yet.
What we doKeeps salt and deicer costs in a steady line and flags when a stock-up, not a bad month, moved the number. -
3
A light winter drains cash nobody planned for
Seasonal contracts assume an average winter, but if a light one hits, per-push jobs bring in far less than expected while trucks, insurance, and payroll keep costing the same.
What we doTracks per-push income against a typical season, so a light winter shows up as a number, not a surprise in March. -
4
Plow damage repairs get lost with routine truck maintenance
A bent blade or a hydraulic repair from a hard winter is a real, recurring cost of the work, but buried with routine oil changes, it is hard to see how much winter wear is actually costing the fleet.
What we doKeeps plow and equipment repairs visible against the season, so wear and tear is a number you can plan around.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a snow removal company.
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
- Seasonal contractsFlat-rate contracts paid regardless of how many storms hit.
- Per-push billingJobs billed each time a storm requires a visit.
- Salting and deicingStandalone salting billed apart from plowing.
- Commercial lot contractsLarger property accounts billed on net terms.
Money out
- Salt and deicerBulk salt and liquid deicer bought ahead of the season.
- Trucks and fuelDiesel, repairs, and insurance for the plow fleet.
- EquipmentPlows, spreaders, and skid steer attachments, logged so they get written off right.
- Equipment repairsBlade, hydraulic, and spreader repairs from winter wear.
- Crew wagesStorm-shift labor, kept apart from equipment costs.
- Liability insuranceCoverage that reflects slip and fall exposure on cleared lots.
What we watch for you
- Contract versus per-push mix
How much income is flat contract versus storm-dependent, so a light winter is not a surprise.
- Salt cost per season
Salt spending against contract and push billing, so pricing reflects real material cost.
- Fleet repair cost
Plow and truck repairs against how many storms hit, worth watching each winter.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so tax season is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things snow removal 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.
I keep per-push income tracked against a typical season, so you can see exactly how far behind a light winter is running, not just feel like it is slow.
That order covers storms you have not billed for yet. I keep salt in a steady line so a big stock-up does not make one month look like a loss.
Yes, equipment repairs are a legitimate business expense. I log it separately from routine maintenance so winter wear is a number you can see.
The tax side
The tax side of a snow removal business.
Most of what goes wrong here is timing across an unpredictable season: salt bought ahead, income that depends on weather, and a set-aside that has to work whether the winter is light or brutal.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Plows and equipmentPlows, spreaders, and skid steer attachments bought for the business can usually be written off the year you buy them. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
- Quarterly estimated taxesWinter profit that lands in a few unpredictable months still owes tax on the IRS calendar, due April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15.
- Contractor 1099sA subcontracted plow driver not on payroll gets a 1099-NEC if paid $2,000 or more in 2026, due January 31.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.
Deductions snow removal and plowing companies miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Salt and liquid deicer
- Plow blade and hydraulic repairs
- Diesel for plow trucks
- Spreader parts and maintenance
- Liability insurance
- Two-way radios and GPS tracking
- Uniforms and cold-weather gear
- Storage yard rent
- Card processing fees
- Bid and contract costs
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 snow removal year, kept every month.
Storms come whenever they come. Your taxes come on a schedule that does not care. Your team keeps you ahead of both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Mid-season check
Right in the middle of the season, Gus shows you where per-push income stands against a typical winter, so you know early if it is light or heavy.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed once the season has wrapped and the year's real snowfall pattern is known.
- July
Off-season check
Where you stand for the year, what you will owe, and what equipment is worth buying before the next season starts.
- October
Before the season starts
Before the first storm hits, Gus looks at contracts signed, equipment bought, and anything worth doing before the season begins.
What you get
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 snow removal and plowing companies. 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 snow removal owners ask first.
How does Gus handle a season with almost no snow?
He tracks per-push income against a typical season, so a light winter shows up clearly as a number, and the set-aside for the year adjusts to what you actually made.
I sell both seasonal contracts and per-push billing. Can Gus keep those separate?
Yes. Each gets its own category, so you can see which pricing model is actually protecting your income when snowfall is unpredictable.
I buy salt in one big order before the season. Does that wreck my books?
No. Gus keeps salt costs in a steady category and flags when a stock-up, not a bad month, is behind a number that looks off.
My season runs opposite most of my other landscaping work. Is that confusing for the books?
No. Gus tracks your actual months, so a winter-heavy season and a summer slowdown both show accurately in your monthly number.
My books are behind from a rough winter. Is that a problem?
No. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them, the accountant checks them, and most owners know where they stand inside 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.
More in landscaping & lawn care
We keep books for the business next door too.
- Hydroseeding
- Land clearing & forestry mulching
- Landscape curbing
- Organic lawn care companies
- Pond, water feature & koi pond builders
- Raised bed & edible garden installers
- Xeriscaping & native plant landscaping
- Aeration & overseeding services
- Certified arborists & plant health care
- Grading & drainage (French drain) contractors
- Leaf removal services
- Mulch, stone & landscape supply yards
- Sod installation
- Stump grinding
- Commercial grounds maintenance
- Irrigation & sprinkler contractors
- Lawn fertilization & weed control
- Mosquito & tick control
- Tree service & removal
- Landscape design & installation
- Lawn mowing & maintenance companies
- Chicken coop & backyard farm structure builders
- Dock & boathouse builders
- Gazebo & pavilion builders
- Outdoor audio & TV installers
- Playground & swing set installers
- Putting green installers
- Retractable screens & motorized shades
- Seawall & bulkhead contractors
- Sport court builders (pickleball, basketball)
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