Bench Shut Down. Here Is How to Switch Bookkeepers Without Losing Your Books

If your books were on Bench

If your books were on Bench, the last year was probably stressful. In late December 2024, Bench told customers its platform was no longer accessible, with almost no warning. Days later, Employer.com bought it. In August 2025, the company rebranded Bench as Mainstreet.

Some clients stayed. Some left. If you are still on the fence, or you left and your books are in a pile, this guide covers how to move to a new bookkeeper without losing history or creating a mess for your CPA.

What happened to Bench, in short

• December 27, 2024: Bench announced its platform was no longer accessible and that it was suspending operations.
• January 1, 2025: Employer.com closed its acquisition of Bench.
• August 2025: Employer.com rebranded Bench as Mainstreet.

The point of the history is not to pile on. It is to explain why so many owners had to think about their records at the worst possible moment: one service, one platform, and no easy way out. We cover how the two compare on our Bench alternatives page.

The real lesson: who owns your books?

When a bookkeeper works inside their own software, your financial history lives on their platform. If they change, shut down, or raise prices, you have to ask for your own data. When your books live in a QuickBooks Online or Xero file in your name, your bookkeeper can change and the file stays put.

Whatever you decide next, make this the rule: the accounting file is in your name, and you hold admin access.

Step 1: Get a full export before you do anything else

Ask your current provider for a complete copy of your records. Do this first, even if you are not sure you are leaving. A good export includes:

• Transaction detail for every account, by month
• Chart of accounts
• Monthly financial statements: profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow
• Bank and credit card reconciliation reports
• Accounts receivable and payable lists, with aging
• Fixed asset and depreciation schedules, if you have them
• Payroll reports and any 1099 vendor information
• Prior-year tax-ready financials and anything your CPA already received

Ask for it in a format a normal accounting file can import or be rebuilt from. If something is missing, ask in writing and keep the reply.

Step 2: Check what you already have

Before you chase anyone, collect what is already yours:

• Bank and credit card statements (download them straight from your bank)
• Prior tax returns and any filed sales tax or payroll reports
• Copies of financial statements you were emailed
• Loan documents and large invoices

Bank statements are the most important item. If any records are missing, a bookkeeper can rebuild a period from statements. That is exactly what catch-up bookkeeping is for.

Step 3: Pick a clean cutover date

The cleanest switch happens at a month-end. Pick a date, close the old books through that day, and start the new provider on the first of the next month.

• The old provider finishes and reconciles the final month.
• The new provider reconciles the opening balances to the closing balances. They should match exactly.
• Any gap between the two is flagged and fixed before new work starts.

If you are switching in the middle of the year, the same rule applies. Do not leave a month half-finished on one side.

Step 4: Ask the new provider the right questions

• Will my books live in a QuickBooks or Xero file in my name?
• Will I have admin access from day one?
• Will I have one bookkeeper who knows my business, or a rotating team?
• What does catch-up cost, and is it quoted before work starts?
• Is there a long-term contract?
• Who handles the handoff between my old books and the new ones?

At Mispar, every client gets a dedicated U.S.-based bookkeeper, books in their own QuickBooks Online or Xero file, and flat monthly pricing with no long-term contract. Plans are on our pricing page, and the process is on How It Works.

Step 5: Give your CPA a heads up

Tell your CPA you are switching, and when. Ask what they need for the current tax year. Good books at handoff mean fewer questions in tax season. For more on the general process, see our guide to switching bookkeeping providers safely.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting. Records are easiest to get while the account is still active.
• Switching mid-month. It makes reconciliation harder.
• Moving into another proprietary platform. You would have the same problem again later.
• Skipping the opening balance check. A small mismatch now becomes a tax-time headache.

Next steps

Moving off Bench or Mainstreet? Get your books into a file you own.

• Book a free consultation - we will review where your books stand
• Mispar vs. Bench: full comparison
• Flat monthly pricing from $229
• Catch-up and QuickBooks services
• Mispar vs. Pilot and Mispar vs. inDinero

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

Switching Providers

How to Switch Bookkeeping Providers Without Losing Your Financial History

Switching bookkeepers only feels risky when your books live on someone else's closed platform. Here is how to switch cleanly — export your data, cut over at month-end, and avoid the proprietary-platform trap.

Tax & Compliance

Small Business Tax Deadlines to Know (Monthly and Quarterly Checklist)

Miss a tax deadline and the penalties add up fast. This checklist covers the monthly and quarterly deadlines every small business owner should have on the calendar.