Imagine that you pay for accounting not out of fear of tax, but like for any other business tool — with a clear understanding of returns. In this article, we will break down accounting outsourcing into figures and facts so that you can make your own decision: a full-time specialist, an external contractor, or a hybrid option.
What is included in the real cost of a full-time accountant
Let's start with a simple calculation. Let's take an average market — a regional city with a population of one million, a company with 10-15 employees on the USN.
Expense item Monthly amount (₽)
Accountant's salary (without experience) 45,000
Taxes on photos (30.2%) 13,590
Office, Internet access 500
1C License:Accounting (in installments) 2,500
Reporting via TCS (External/VLsI) 830
Professional development/webinars 1,000
Reserve for sick leave/vacation (12% of salary) 5,400
Total 68,820 ₽
To this amount, add the director's time for setting tasks, checking and resolving disputes — about 5 hours per week. At a rate of 1,000 ₽/hour, this is another 20,000 ₽ indirect losses. In fact, regular accounting costs almost 90,000 ₽ per month.
Now let's see how much outsourcing accounting services cost for the same company — an average of 18,000-25,000 rubles for complete maintenance (bank, cash register, salary, reporting). The savings amount to 60-70%. At the same time, you do not pay for sick leave, for vacation replacements, or for software updates.
Three Hidden Risks that Outsourcing Covers
Saving is half the story. The second half is the risks that you stop bearing yourself.
Risk 1. Responsibility for errors in reporting. If the full—time accountant forgot to hand over the RSV or confused the period code, the company is fined. You're paying. The outsourcer under the contract compensates for losses caused by his fault, up to the amount of insurance coverage (usually from 500 thousand to 5 million rubles).
Risk 2. Loss of continuity. The accountant quit without warning — you are looking for a new one, and at this time payments and unpaid reports are accumulating. The outsourcing company always has a replacement, and the contract obliges it to keep records without interruptions.
Risk 3. Incompetence in narrow issues. A full-time accountant knows the tax Code well, but does not understand export VAT or trade fees. I have to hire an additional consultant. In outsourcing, there are specialists in different accounting departments within the team — you get them all for the same price.
When is outsourcing cheaper and when is it not
It is most profitable to outsource:
· Payroll and employee reporting (especially if there is staff turnover);
· VAT accounting (high complexity and cost of error);
· a company with several legal entities or separate divisions.
Less than
