Poor bookkeeping doesn’t just create headaches at tax time — it can directly reduce what your business is worth. In this collaborative guide, a professional bookkeeper and a business appraiser break down the most common bookkeeping mistakes, from inconsistent categorization and missing reconciliations to duplicate transactions and misrecorded owner contributions, and explain exactly how each one affects your business valuation. Whether you’re planning to sell, secure financing, or simply want cleaner financials, this guide shows you what to fix and why it matters.