Common questions about working with a fractional CFO.

A fractional CFO is a part-time chief financial officer. You get senior finance help with cash flow, budgets, reporting and big decisions on a monthly schedule, by video, without the cost of hiring a full-time executive. At Glendalough Advisory that means a monthly financial review, a rolling 13-week cash forecast, budget-vs-actual reporting and models for the decisions in front of you.

Your bookkeeper records what already happened, and your tax preparer files your returns. A fractional CFO looks ahead: what cash will look like in three months, whether you can afford a hire, which services or customers actually make money, and what to change. We work alongside your existing bookkeeper and tax professional, or handle the bookkeeping ourselves if you prefer one team.

Common signs: cash feels tight even after strong sales months, financial statements arrive late or are hard to trust, you are weighing a hire, lease, loan or price increase, or a bank or buyer has asked for reports you do not have ready. If the business has outgrown what you can track in your head but a full-time CFO is not justified yet, a fractional CFO is usually the right step.

Most clients work with us on a fixed monthly retainer. The fee depends on transaction volume, the number of entities and the depth of reporting you need. It is typically a small fraction of what a full-time CFO costs. We agree on scope and price in writing before any work begins, and one-time projects get their own fixed scope and fee.

Our clients are typically owner-led companies with roughly $1 million to $25 million in annual revenue. That covers professional services firms, contractors and trades, agencies, product and e-commerce companies, healthcare and wellness practices, and nonprofits.

We work with owner-led businesses across New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Meetings are held by video, so we can work closely with clients anywhere in the region without travel getting in the way.

Yes. Bookkeeping and reporting is an optional add-on to the CFO partnership. We post transactions, reconcile bank, credit card and loan accounts, close each month on a documented checklist and deliver monthly financial statements with a plain-language summary. We work in QuickBooks Online.

No. We do not prepare tax returns. We coordinate with your existing tax professional and give them clean, reconciled books and year-end support so tax season goes smoothly.

Yes. Books cleanup and catch-up is one of our most requested projects. We bring neglected or messy books current so you can trust your reports again and your tax preparer has what they need.

In the first month we review your books, build your first 13-week cash forecast and reporting package, and agree on the handful of numbers that matter most to you. After that, you get a prepared report before each monthly meeting, a focused conversation during it and clear next steps after.

We treat access to your bank feeds, payroll and tax records as a responsibility. Our controls are aligned to the SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria, and our practices are documented on our Security & Trust page. We can sign a Business Associate Agreement for clients subject to HIPAA.

It is a free, 30-minute video call about where your business is, what you want to fix and whether a fractional CFO is the right fit. No preparation is needed and there is no obligation. If we are a fit, the next step is a written proposal with a clear scope and fee.