The SBA has ordered every 8(a) company to turn in three full years of financial records. They gave a clear deadline—no excuses, no delays.
This is a big deal.
For many 8(a) firms, this is the moment they will learn whether their financial system is strong—or weak. Here is the truth:
A simple bookkeeper is no longer enough to protect your business. You now need the strength and credibility of a CPA.
Why SBA Is Asking for All This Information
SBA wants to see real, complete, and accurate financial records, including:
- Profit and loss statements
- Balance sheets
- General ledgers
- Trial balances
- Bank statements
- Bank reconciliations
- Payroll records
- Contracts and subcontracts
This isn’t something a bookkeeper can simply “print out.”
SBA wants organized, reliable numbers that clearly show how your business is run.
Here’s the Problem Many 8(a) Firms Now Face
Many 8(a) businesses have been relying on:
- A part-time bookkeeper
- A family member doing the books
- Basic QuickBooks entries
- No monthly reconciliations
- No CPA review
- No GAAP-compliant financial statements
This may have worked in the past, but now it can put your business at risk.
SBA wants professional records, not guesswork.
What Happens If You Don’t Provide Strong Financial Records
If your books are incomplete, sloppy, or missing important documents, the SBA can:
- Freeze your 8(a) status
- Delay new contracts
- Remove you from the program
- Flag your company for deeper review
- Question your past performance
- Request more documentation you may not have
This is not a small request. This is a full audit-level review of every 8(a) company in America.
Why a CPA Is Critical Right Now
A licensed CPA gives you what a bookkeeper cannot:
- Accurate, GAAP-compliant financial statements — required for many 8(a) companies.
- Proper audits or reviews — SBA, lenders, and bonding companies trust CPA work, not homemade spreadsheets.
- Clean reconciliations and organized records — everything ties out properly and can be defended.
- Protection — if SBA questions your numbers, a CPA stands behind them.
- Credibility — your business looks stronger and more responsible to SBA, primes, lenders, and partners.
The Reality: SBA Just Raised the Standard
8(a) companies must now show that they:
- Keep good records
- Run a stable, well-managed business
- Can prove their revenue, expenses, payroll, and contracts
- Follow real accounting rules
This is the level of professionalism needed to keep growing—and to stay in the program.
A bookkeeper alone cannot get you there.
What You Should Do Immediately
- Hire a CPA or CPA firm that understands the 8(a) program.
- Collect three years of financial records—every statement and ledger.
- Let the CPA clean up, fix, and prepare your financials.
- Make sure your books follow GAAP going forward.
- Build monthly financial discipline so you’re never caught off guard again.
This is not just about meeting SBA’s request. This is about protecting your business.
Final Message to Every 8(a) Owner
SBA is not playing around anymore.
If your books are messy, late, or incomplete, you are putting your 8(a) certification—and your contracts—at risk.
But if you get CPA-level help, you:
- Strengthen your company
- Protect your 8(a) status
- Look more professional to contracting officers
- Improve your chances of winning bigger awards
This is the moment to upgrade.
👉 Your bookkeeper can help with data entry. But only a CPA can protect your business.