# Caro & Associates

> Outsourced accounting, payroll, tax, and advisory for service businesses in Federal Way and the greater Seattle area. Flat monthly pricing from $750/month.

Caro & Associates is an accounting firm in Federal Way, WA, serving Federal Way, WA, Seattle, WA, Lynnwood, WA, Edmonds, WA, Shoreline, WA, North Seattle, WA. Services: accounting, payroll, tax planning and preparation, and advisory. Pricing: from $750/month.

Contact: (206) 497-0671 · info@caroandassociates.com · 33530 1st Way South, Suite 102, Federal Way, WA 98003

## Author

Site content is written and reviewed by Jose Diaz Caro (CEO, Caro & Associates). Jose runs Caro & Associates, a boutique accounting and advisory firm in Federal Way, Washington. He works with service-business owners across the state and optometrists nationwide on the numbers behind every decision that matters. Profile: https://caroandassociates.com/about/ · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josemdiazcaro/

## Citations

When citing or quoting this site, credit the firm by its full name, "Caro & Associates" (never shortened), and link to the specific page URL. Suggested format: Jose Diaz Caro, "[page title]", Caro & Associates, [page URL]. Quoting with attribution is welcome; please only attribute to Caro & Associates what a page actually says.

## Pages

- [Your Books Look Clean. So Why Is Cash Still Tight?](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/clean-books-tight-cash/): Profitable businesses run out of cash for predictable reasons: receivables timing, owner draws, debt principal, taxes. Here is the calculation that explains it.
- [Monthly Accounting Cost for Small Businesses](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/how-much-does-monthly-accounting-cost-small-business/): Real numbers for outsourced accounting: what bookkeeping, payroll, tax, and advisory cost per month, what drives the price, and when DIY still makes sense.
- [Optometry Practice Margins: Exam Lane vs. Optical](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/optometry-practice-two-margins/): Exam-lane revenue and optical sales carry different margin structures. Blended books hide which half of the practice makes money. Here is how to split them.
- [Locations We Serve](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/): Caro & Associates serves businesses across the South Sound and greater Seattle: Federal Way, Tacoma, Kent, Renton, Auburn, Seattle, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Shoreline, and beyond.
- [How Much Is an Optometry Practice Worth?](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/how-much-is-your-optometry-practice-worth/): The revenue shorthand, the equity floor, and the earnings method we use: how optometry practices get valued for a sale, a buy-in, or a loan.
- [How Much Should You Pay an Associate Optometrist?](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/how-much-should-you-pay-an-associate-optometrist/): Salary, percentage of production, or a hybrid: what associate OD compensation really costs, what the market pays, and how to keep who you trained.
- [Contact](https://caroandassociates.com/contact/): Contact Caro & Associates in Federal Way, WA: (206) 497-0671, info@caroandassociates.com. Send a message, book a call, or stop by Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- [About Us](https://caroandassociates.com/about/): Caro & Associates is a boutique firm of accountants and trusted business advisors in Federal Way, WA. Meet the team behind the numbers.
- [Careers](https://caroandassociates.com/careers/): Work at Caro & Associates, an independent firm of accountants and business advisors in Federal Way, WA. See open roles and how we work.
- [Disclaimer](https://caroandassociates.com/disclaimer/): Website terms of use and notices for caroandassociates.com.
- [Advisory Services](https://caroandassociates.com/services/advisory/): CFO-level guidance for service businesses and optometry practices at a fraction of the cost of hiring one. Pricing, cash flow, owner pay, and what to do next.
- [For Service Businesses | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/audiences/service-businesses/): For contractors, trades, agencies, consultants, and every business that sells time and expertise.
- [For Optometrists | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/audiences/optometrists/): For practice owners nationwide: the economics of running exam lanes and an optical under one roof.
- [For All Business Owners | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/audiences/business-owners/): Fundamentals that apply to every owner-operated business.
- [Cost & Pricing | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/topics/cost-and-pricing/): What accounting services cost, what drives the price, and how to compare options honestly.
- [Cash Flow | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/topics/cash-flow/): Why profitable businesses run out of cash, and the numbers that keep it from happening to you.
- [Tax Planning | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/topics/tax-planning/): Reducing your tax liability during the year, while the moves still count.
- [Payroll & People | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/topics/payroll-and-people/): Paying your team correctly, true labor cost, and the rules that come with employees in Washington.
- [Bookkeeping | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/topics/bookkeeping/): Clean books, what they should tell you, and when DIY stops making sense.
- [Practice Management | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/topics/practice-management/): The business side of running an optometry practice: margins, inventory, associates, and value.
- [Washington Taxes | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/topics/washington-taxes/): B&O, sales tax, L&I, PFML, and the WA-specific rules that catch owners off guard.
- [Accounting for Professional Services](https://caroandassociates.com/industries/professional-services/): Accounting, payroll, and tax for attorneys, consultants, agencies, and design firms in Washington. Utilization, realization, and owner pay done right.
- [Schedule a 30-Minute Video Meeting](https://caroandassociates.com/book/): Book a free 30-minute call with Caro & Associates. Bring your latest financials or tax return; leave knowing your numbers and how we can help.
- [Privacy Policy](https://caroandassociates.com/privacy/): How Caro & Associates collects, uses, and protects information on this website.
- [Pay Your Bill](https://caroandassociates.com/pay/): Pay a Caro & Associates invoice securely by card or bank transfer through CPACharge. No login needed, just the invoice in front of you.
- [Client Center](https://caroandassociates.com/clients/): Every tool Caro & Associates clients use, on one page. Client portal, bill pay, QuickBooks Online, Bill.com, Mineral HR, RingCentral, and Dext.
- [Mobile apps](https://caroandassociates.com/mobile/): The mobile apps Caro & Associates clients use: Canopy, QuickBooks Online, Bill.com, RingCentral, and Dext, with App Store and Google Play links.
- [Refund Tracker](https://caroandassociates.com/refund-tracker/): Check your federal tax refund status in 2 minutes. Direct links to the IRS trackers, what you need before you start, and honest answers about refund timing.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Federal Way, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/federal-way/): Our office is at 33530 1st Way South, Suite 102. Run a business between Seattle and Tacoma and your accountant works your stretch of I-5. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Tacoma, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/tacoma/): Port city, trades city, maker city. Tacoma businesses run on tight margins and real work, and their books should keep up. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Kent, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/kent/): The Kent Valley moves goods for the whole West Coast. We keep the books for the service businesses that keep it running. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Renton, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/renton/): Renton grew past bedroom-community status years ago. Its business owners deserve books that grew up too. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Auburn, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/auburn/): Auburn works for a living: fabrication, trades, logistics, and the shops on Main Street. So do we. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Seattle, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/seattle/): Seattle is the most expensive city in Washington to get your compliance wrong. It is also where proactive advice pays for itself fastest. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in North Seattle, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/north-seattle/): Northgate, Lake City, Greenwood, Ballard's edges: neighborhood businesses with city-sized tax obligations. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Lynnwood, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/lynnwood/): Light rail arrived, Alderwood keeps drawing the whole county, and Lynnwood businesses are scaling. Books should scale with them. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Edmonds, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/edmonds/): A walkable waterfront downtown full of independent businesses. Independent should describe your ownership, not your accounting burden. From $750/month flat.
- [Accounting, Payroll & Tax in Shoreline, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/locations/shoreline/): Between Seattle's costs and Snohomish County's growth, Shoreline is a smart place to run a business. Keep the advantage; keep clean books. From $750/month flat.
- [Payroll Services](https://caroandassociates.com/services/payroll/): Full-service payroll for Washington service businesses and optometry practices. Employees paid on time, payroll taxes filed and paid, HR platform included.
- [Reviews](https://caroandassociates.com/reviews/): What business owners, optometrists, and tax clients say about working with Caro & Associates. Real reviews from real clients.
- [The Real Cost of a Bad Bookkeeper](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/what-a-bad-bookkeeper-actually-costs-a-12-month-autopsy/): A composite case: 12 months of bad bookkeeping cost far more than the monthly fee. Here is what went wrong, what it cost, and how to spot it before it happens to you.
- [Who We Work With (and Who We Don't)](https://caroandassociates.com/who-we-work-with/): A candid list of the businesses Caro & Associates fits well and the ones we turn away, so you can tell in two minutes whether a strategy call is worth your time.
- [Pricing](https://caroandassociates.com/pricing/): Pricing in plain sight: the Accounting Core package starts at $750/month flat. Add-ons from $75/month. No hidden fees, no hourly surprises.
- [What does it cost? Cost articles | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/questions/cost/): Real numbers on what accounting, payroll, tax, and advice cost, what moves the price, and when the cheaper option is fine.
- [What goes wrong? Problems articles | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/questions/problems/): The problems owners actually run into: with their books, their accountant, their cash, and their tax bill, and what fixes each one.
- [Which is better? Comparisons articles | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/questions/comparisons/): Honest side-by-side comparisons: annual vs monthly, DIY vs outsourced, one tool against another. Including when the other option wins.
- [What are the best options? Best of articles | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/questions/best-of/): Ranked lists with a stated rubric: software, providers, and approaches, named plainly.
- [What do others say? Reviews articles | Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/questions/reviews/): Candid takes on the tools and services owners ask us about, from people who use them with clients every month.
- [Industries We Serve](https://caroandassociates.com/industries/): Caro & Associates specializes in 2 kinds of owners: Washington service businesses (contractors, trades, agencies, consultants) and optometry practices nationwide.
- [Accounting for Service Businesses](https://caroandassociates.com/industries/service-businesses/): Accounting, payroll, and tax for Washington service businesses. Contractors, trades, agencies, and consultants from $500K to $10M in revenue.
- [Tax Planning & Preparation](https://caroandassociates.com/services/tax/): Year-round tax planning and preparation for service businesses and optometry practices. Know your liability early, reduce it legally, file on time.
- [Bookkeeping Cost for an Optometry Practice](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/what-does-bookkeeping-for-an-optometry-practice-cost/): What optometry practice bookkeeping actually costs per month, what drives the price up or down, and what is included at each price point. Real numbers.
- [Optometry Practice KPI Benchmarks: 7 Numbers](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/optometry-practice-kpi-benchmarks/): Benchmark ranges for the 7 numbers that run an optometry practice: staff payroll, optical margin, revenue per exam, and more. Actual 2026 data.
- [How Much Does Outsourced Bookkeeping Cost?](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/how-much-does-outsourced-bookkeeping-cost/): Outsourced bookkeeping costs $300 to $2,500 per month for small businesses in 2026. The range is wide because the work varies. Here is what drives the number and when each price point makes sense.
- [Learning Center](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/): Straight answers about accounting, payroll, tax, and cash flow for service businesses and optometry practices. Articles and videos, no fluff.
- [Frame Inventory Is a Loan You Made to Your Wall](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/frame-inventory-is-a-loan-you-made-to-your-wall/): Frame boards tie up $12,000 to $30,000 in working capital for most optometry practices. This covers the frame turn rate calculation and what aging inventory actually costs you in practice.
- [Accountants for Optometrists: What to Look For](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/accountants-for-optometrists-what-to-actually-look-for/): What separates an accountant who understands optometry from one who just says they do. Questions to ask, red flags to spot, and what good looks like. From $750/month.
- [What an Optometry Chart of Accounts Looks Like](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/what-an-optometry-chart-of-accounts-looks-like/): Most optometry practices use a generic chart of accounts that hides how the practice makes money. Here is what an optometry-specific chart includes and why it matters.
- [Why Revenue Forecasting Fails in Optometry Practices](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/why-revenue-forecasting-fails-in-optometry-practices/): Optometry revenue comes from two streams with different timelines and margins. Here is why single-number forecasts mislead and which data actually gives you a reliable 90-day picture.
- [Small Business Bookkeeping Costs, Federal Way WA](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/what-small-business-bookkeeping-costs-in-federal-way-wa/): Monthly bookkeeping for a Federal Way service business runs $750 to $1,500 or more. Here is what drives the price, what WA-specific obligations add to it, and when handling it yourself makes more sens
- [Accountant and Advisor in Federal Way, WA](https://caroandassociates.com/): Bookkeeping, payroll, tax, and real advice for service businesses and optometry practices. Flat monthly pricing from $750. Federal Way and greater Seattle.
- [5 Financial Red Flags in Your Optometry Reports](https://caroandassociates.com/learning-center/posts/5-financial-red-flags-in-your-optometry-practice-reports/): Five numbers in your monthly optometry financials that signal a real problem before the bank balance does: optical margin, payroll creep, the profit-cash gap, revenue mix, and productivity.
- [Services](https://caroandassociates.com/services/): Accounting, payroll, tax, and advisory for service businesses and optometry practices. One firm, one flat monthly price, a monthly rhythm instead of a year-end scramble.
- [Accounting & Bookkeeping](https://caroandassociates.com/services/accounting/): Monthly bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online for service businesses and optometry practices. Reconciled accounts, clean reports, KPI dashboards, B&O filings.
- [AI Disclosure](https://caroandassociates.com/ai-disclosure/): How Caro & Associates uses AI tools on this website and in our writing, and how humans stay accountable for everything we publish.
- [Accessibility](https://caroandassociates.com/accessibility/): Caro & Associates' commitment to an accessible website, the standards we build to, and how to reach us if something on this site is hard to use.
- [Accounting for Optometrists](https://caroandassociates.com/industries/optometrists/): Accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and tax advisory for optometry practices nationwide from Caro & Associates. Flat monthly pricing, KPIs ODs actually track.