Pest & wildlife control

Books and taxes for termite control companies.

Termite bonds, WDO inspections, bait station installs, and the fumigator you subcontract for tenting jobs. Gus sorts 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
AprilExample month
$17,000
what you made

April came in at $17,000. The drum of soil treatment product from the spring push went in as materials, not equipment, since it gets fully used this season.

  • Termite bond renewalsBond renewals
  • WDO inspection feeInspections
  • Univar termiticide orderTermiticide
  • ABC Fumigation Co.Fumigation subcontractor
  • Fuel, drill rig truckTrucks and equipment
Money in$68,000
Money out$51,000
Set aside for taxes$3,800
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

Termite control books go wrong in the same five places.

A generalist sees deposits and bills. Your business is annual bonds, bait systems, soil treatments sold in drums, and a fumigator you call in for tenting. When the books do not know that, a bond renewal or a subcontractor invoice gets buried in the wrong place.

  1. 1

    The bond gets counted as profit day one

    A homeowner pays for the annual termite bond renewal, but you are on the hook to retreat if termites come back all year. Counting the full check as this month's income makes a slow month look strong and hides the ongoing obligation.

    What we doFlags bond and warranty renewals separately so the accountant can spread that income the right way instead of counting it all on renewal day.
  2. 2

    A bait station install is two jobs, not one

    Installing a bait station system around a house is a bigger upfront job, and the annual monitoring fee that follows is a completely different kind of income. Lumped together, you cannot tell which part of the business is growing.

    What we doSplits the initial station install from the annual monitoring fee, so each shows up as its own kind of revenue.
  3. 3

    The fumigation company's cut disappears

    When drywood termites call for tenting, many companies subcontract the actual fumigation to a licensed fumigator and mark up the job. If the fumigator's invoice gets buried in materials, you cannot see your real margin on tenting work.

    What we doBooks the fumigator's invoice as a subcontractor cost against that specific job, so your markup on tenting shows up clean.
  4. 4

    Liquid termiticide comes in drums

    A single drum of liquid termiticide for soil treatment can cost more than a month of general chemical use, so buying one drum ahead of a busy season makes that month look like a loss.

    What we doKeeps termiticide purchases in their own materials line and calls out a drum buy so it does not read as a bad month.
  5. 5

    Referral fees hide in inspection income

    Title companies and agents sometimes pay a referral fee for WDO inspection leads, and that fee can get deposited alongside the inspection payment itself, blurring what you earned from the inspection versus the referral relationship.

    What we doKeeps referral income separate from inspection fees, so you can see which relationships are actually bringing in business.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a termite control 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

  • WDO inspectionsWood-destroying organism reports for home sales, usually a flat fee at closing.
  • Bond renewalsAnnual warranty payments that keep the treatment guarantee active.
  • Soil treatmentsLiquid termiticide barrier jobs, usually a bigger one-time treatment.
  • Bait system installsThe upfront cost of placing stations around a structure.
  • Monitoring feesThe annual fee to check and service an existing bait system.
  • Fumigation and tentingWhole-structure jobs for drywood termites, often financed.

Money out

  • Liquid termiticideSoil barrier product bought by the drum from a supply house.
  • Bait stationsStation hardware and replacement bait cartridges.
  • Fumigation subcontractorsWhat a licensed fumigator invoices for a tenting job.
  • Trucks and drilling equipmentFuel, rig maintenance, and soil injection equipment.
  • License and bondingState pesticide license renewal and termite work bonding.
  • Field service softwareScheduling for inspections, treatments, and renewals.
  • Agent marketingReferral relationships, signage, and materials for real estate agents.
  • Liability insuranceCoverage for chemical application and structural work.

What we watch for you

  • Bond renewal rate

    How many termite bonds renew each year. It drives steadier income than any single job.

  • Materials cost

    Termiticide and bait station spend against revenue. A drum buy can distort one month.

  • Labor share

    Wages against money in. Install jobs need more labor than routine inspections.

  • The set-aside

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

Ask Gus

Things termite control 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.

The bond renewal checks came in strong this quarter. Are we actually doing that well?

Some of that is next year's obligation showing up early. I flag bond renewals apart from one-time jobs so the accountant can spread that income correctly.

I subcontracted a tenting job to a fumigator. How does that get booked?

As a subcontractor cost against that specific job, so your markup on the tenting shows up clean instead of getting buried in materials.

Do I need a 1099 for the fumigator I used twice this year?

If you paid them $2,000 or more and they are not on your payroll, yes. I have been tracking that total since your first job with them.

The tax side

The tax side of a termite control business.

Most of what trips up a termite company is timing: a bond renewal that is not really this month's profit, a fumigator paid like a contractor, and a drum of chemical bought ahead of season.

What your return has to get right

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

  • Soil rigs and drilling equipmentTermiticide injection rigs and drilling equipment can often be written off in the year you buy them. Bonus depreciation is back to 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
  • Fumigator subcontractor 1099sA licensed fumigator you hire for tenting jobs gets a 1099-NEC if you pay them $2,000 or more in 2026 and they are not your employee. Gus keeps the running total.
  • Employee or contractorA technician who runs your soil treatments on your schedule with your equipment is usually an employee. A fumigator who brings their own crew and gear may be a legitimate contractor.
  • 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 termite control companies miss

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

  • Liquid termiticide product
  • Bait station hardware
  • Soil injection equipment
  • Drilling rig maintenance
  • Fumigation tarps and gear
  • Applicator license and bonding
  • Continuing education hours
  • Truck fuel and repairs
  • Inspection report software
  • Agent referral marketing
  • Liability and pollution insurance
  • Phone and tablet for scheduling

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 termite control year, kept every month.

Swarm season brings the calls, bonds renew on their own clock, and your taxes come on a schedule either way. Your team keeps you ahead of all three. 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, any fumigator 1099s are ready, and a monthly set-aside means April holds no surprises.

  2. April

    Filed and signed

    Your return is filed and signed while spring swarm season brings in new inspection calls, because the set-aside has been running since January.

  3. July

    Midyear check

    Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether spring's swarm season and bond renewals changed the number.

  4. October

    Before bond season

    Before the next wave of annual bond renewals, Gus looks at equipment worth buying and moves worth making 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 termite control 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 termite control owners ask first.

Do you handle the termite bond paperwork itself?

No. Gus keeps the books and files your return. The bond contract, inspection reports, and any state filings stay with you, but he tracks every renewal payment as it comes in.

I subcontract fumigation for tenting jobs. Does that complicate things?

No. Gus books the fumigator's invoice as a cost against that specific job, so you can see your real markup on tenting work.

Why do bait station installs and monitoring fees look different in my reports?

They are different kinds of income. The install is a bigger one-time job, and monitoring is the steady annual fee that follows. Gus keeps them apart.

Real estate agents send me referral fees for inspection leads. How is that tracked?

Separately from your inspection income, so you can see which relationships are actually bringing in business.

My termiticide drum order this month wrecked my numbers. Is that normal?

It happens. A drum of soil treatment product can cost as much as weeks of normal use. Gus flags the stock-up so it does not read as a bad month.

Can Gus tell me if my bond renewal rate is dropping?

He tracks how many bonds renew each period, so you can see the pattern. What to do about a drop is worth a conversation with the accountant.

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