Wedding & event vendors

Books and taxes for tent rental companies.

Tent inventory that costs tens of thousands per structure, setup and teardown crews hired for the day, fire marshal permits, and storms that can bend a frame. 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
JuneExample month
$19,000
what you made

June came in at $19,000. The new 40 by 80 frame tent is a big buy, so I logged it as equipment since it will go out for years, not a one-time supply.

  • June 20 wedding tent packageTent rental fees
  • Fire marshal permit feePermits and inspections
  • New 40x80 frame tentTent inventory
  • Setup and teardown crew payrollSetup and teardown crews
  • Propane heater restockClimate control equipment
Money in$58,000
Money out$39,000
Set aside for taxes$4,000
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

A tent rental company's books go wrong in the same handful of places.

A generalist sees rental fees and a crew payroll. Your business is a single tent that can cost tens of thousands of dollars, permits some jobs need and others don't, and a storm that can turn a good season into a repair bill. When the books do not know that, the number they hand you is wrong.

  1. 1

    A new tent looks like a supply run

    A frame tent big enough for 200 guests can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and filed as a supply purchase, it wrecks the month and misses the chance to write it off properly.

    What we doFlags tent purchases as equipment, so the accountant can decide how to write it off.
  2. 2

    Setup crews look like steady payroll

    A big tent install needs a crew of four to six for a full day, and if that pay is treated like fixed payroll, you cannot tell what labor actually costs against what the job billed.

    What we doTies crew pay to the specific installs they worked.
  3. 3

    Fire marshal permits get missed as a real cost

    Large tents often require a permit and inspection before an event, and if that fee is buried in general expenses, it is easy to underprice a job that needed one.

    What we doKeeps permit and inspection fees in their own line, tied to the jobs that needed them.
  4. 4

    Weather damage and storm risk are not priced in

    A storm can rip a sidewall or bend a frame, and repair costs from weather damage get lumped into general maintenance, hiding how much risk actually costs your business in a bad season.

    What we doFlags weather-related repair costs separately, so storm risk is visible.
  5. 5

    Climate control add-ons blur with the base tent fee

    Propane heaters or air conditioning units rented alongside a tent are a separate cost and a separate charge, and untracked apart, you cannot tell if those add-ons are priced to actually cover their cost.

    What we doKeeps climate control add-ons in their own line, apart from the base tent rental fee.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a tent rental 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

  • Tent rental feesThe base charge for the tent structure itself.
  • Sidewall and flooring add-onsExtras billed apart from the tent.
  • Climate control add-onsHeaters or air conditioning rented alongside the tent.
  • Lighting and draping add-onsInterior finishing sold on top of the base rental.
  • Delivery and installation feesCharged for getting the tent up and down.

Money out

  • Tent inventoryFrame and pole tents, poles, and stakes bought to rent out.
  • Setup and teardown crewsDay labor hired for installs.
  • Permits and inspectionsFire marshal and occupancy sign-offs for large tents.
  • Vehicle fleet and fuelTrucks that haul tents to and from sites.
  • InsuranceLiability coverage and weather damage protection.
  • Warehouse and storageWhere tents live between events.
  • Climate control equipmentHeaters and cooling units bought or repaired.

What we watch for you

  • Cost per install

    Crew pay and permit fees against what each tent job actually billed.

  • Weather damage repairs

    What storms cost you in a season, tracked apart from routine wear.

  • Inventory replacement rate

    How much goes to replacing worn tents and hardware, so it does not hide in the numbers.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.

Ask Gus

Things tent rental company 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 bought a new 40 by 80 frame tent for $28,000. Does that count as a supply expense?

No, that is equipment. I flag it so it does not wreck the month, and the accountant decides how it gets written off.

My setup crew works long days on big installs and less on smaller ones. How is that tracked?

Tied to the specific install, so you can see what labor actually cost against what the job billed.

A storm bent one of our tent frames last month. Is that worth tracking apart from regular maintenance?

Yes. Weather-related repairs get flagged separately, so you can see what a bad season in storm damage actually costs.

The tax side

The tax side of a tent rental company.

Most of what goes wrong here is a single tent costing as much as a vehicle and permits that only some jobs need.

What your return has to get right

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

  • Tents and structures as business assetsTents, poles, and flooring bought for the business are usually treated as equipment. Bonus depreciation is back to 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025, and the accountant decides how much to take now.
  • Setup crew 1099sCrew members not on payroll get a 1099-NEC if paid $2,000 or more in 2026, due January 31. Gus keeps that list running.
  • Sales tax on rentalsMost states tax equipment rentals like tents, sidewalls, and flooring. Rules vary by state, so the accountant checks what applies to you.
  • Permits as ordinary costsFire marshal permits and inspection fees required for large tents are usually ordinary deductible costs of doing the job. Gus keeps them tied to the install that needed them.

Deductions tent rental companies miss

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

  • Tent and frame inventory
  • Setup and teardown crew wages
  • Permit and inspection fees
  • Sidewalls and flooring
  • Climate control equipment
  • Vehicle fleet fuel and maintenance
  • Liability and weather damage insurance
  • Warehouse and storage rent
  • Website and online quotes
  • Bridal show booth fees
  • Repair parts and stakes
  • Card processing fees

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 tent rental company's year, kept every month.

Spring and fall installs run crews ragged, then winter goes quiet. Your team keeps you ahead of both the calendar and the return. 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, the 1099 list for setup crews is ready, and a monthly set-aside is planned before booking season floods your calendar.

  2. April

    Filed and signed

    Your return is filed and signed right as the spring install season hits, so tax season never competes with your busiest weekends.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand midyear, what you will owe, and whether this year's install count is on pace.

  4. October

    Before the last fall installs

    The busiest fall dates are still ahead. Gus looks at inventory worth buying before December and what the winter months need to cover.

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 tent rental 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 tent rental company owners ask first.

Does a new tent count as a supply expense?

No. Tents are treated as equipment, and the accountant decides how much of the cost to write off in the year you buy it.

My setup crew works longer on big installs. How is their pay tracked?

Tied to the specific install, so you can see the real labor cost against what each job billed.

Are permits for large tents deductible?

Yes, usually. Gus keeps them tied to the job that needed them, alongside your other ordinary business costs.

A storm damaged one of our tents. Is that tracked differently from regular wear?

Yes. Weather-related repairs get flagged separately, so you can see what storm damage really costs across a season.

My books are behind from a busy season. Can Gus catch up?

Yes. Send what you have and Gus sorts it. Most owners know where they 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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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