Full accounting service Reputation is becoming the preferred choice for an increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises, not simply for cost savings, but because the challenge of complying with accounting and tax laws is becoming increasingly stringent. Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC With the implementation of corporate accounting guidelines effective from January 1, 2026, and a series of updated regulations on administrative penalties for accounting violations, an unprofessional or outdated accounting system can cost businesses dearly in the form of fines, tax arrears, and legal risks. This article directly compares maintaining in-house accounting versus hiring a reputable full-service accounting firm, helping business owners make data-driven decisions rather than relying on intuition.
What constitutes a reputable full-service accounting package, and what does it include?
A reputable full-service accounting service is a form of business where a company hires a qualified accounting service provider, as required by the Accounting Law, to perform all or most of its accounting tasks, from preparing documents, recording transactions, filing taxes, to preparing and presenting financial statements, instead of organizing its own internal accounting department.
The standard scope of work for a reputable full-service accounting package typically includes:
- Establish and organize the accounting system in accordance with current accounting regulations.
- Prepare and control input and output accounting documents according to the prescribed form catalog.
- Declare and pay various taxes: value-added tax, corporate income tax, personal income tax, and business license tax.
- Prepare annual financial statements and interim financial statements when the business is required to do so.
- Providing advice on handling arising issues and warning of risks before errors occur.
- The representative will work with the tax authorities when required to provide explanations, conduct inspections, or audits.
It is important to note: TAccording to Clause 4, Article 16 of Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC, if a business hires an accounting service provider to prepare and present financial statements or act as chief accountant, the section for preparer and chief accountant on the financial statements must clearly state the professional accounting license number of the practitioner and the name of the accounting service provider. This is the legal basis confirming that outsourcing accounting services is a legally recognized practice, not a "temporary" or illegitimate solution.
Reference price list for reputable full-service accounting services.
To help businesses easily determine the appropriate fee structure based on their actual scale of operations, we have developed... Price list for comprehensive accounting services Based on the number of invoices generated quarterly and clearly categorized between businesses without customs declarations and those with customs declarations (involving import and export activities), this calculation method ensures transparency, fairness, and accurately reflects the volume of accounting work required in each case.
Below is a detailed service fee table for the commercial sector, categorized by invoice amount:
| Number of invoices | No customs declaration | There is a customs declaration form. |
| No issues arose. | 1,500,000 VND/quarter | 1,500,000 VND/quarter |
| Under 10 | 2,000,000 VND/quarter | 2,600,000 VND/quarter |
| Under 16 | 2,300,000 VND/quarter | 3,000,000 VND/quarter |
| Under 31 | 3,200,000 VND/quarter | 4,000,000 VND/quarter |
| Under 46 | 3,500,000 VND/quarter | 4,600,000 VND/quarter |
| Under 61 | 4,000,000 VND/quarter | 5,800,000 VND/quarter |
| Under 76 | 4,600,000 VND/quarter | 6,800,000 VND/quarter |
| Below 91 | 5,500,000 VND/quarter | 7,000,000 VND/quarter |
| Below 121 | 6,500,000 VND/quarter | 8,200,000 VND/quarter |
| Below 151 | 7,300,000 VND/quarter | 9,500,000 VND/quarter |
| Under 181 | 8,000,000 VND/quarter | 10,500,000 VND/quarter |
| From 181 onwards | Contact us for detailed agreement and pricing. | |
Note: The price list is for reference only; prices may vary depending on the scope of work, complexity of the services, and size of the business. Please contact MAN – Master Accountant Network for consultation, assessment, and a suitable quote.
Comparing full-service accounting and in-house accounting: A cost-risk, effectiveness, and efficiency analysis.
This is the question most business owners ask before deciding to use a reputable full-service accounting firm. The comparison table below summarizes the five most important criteria.
| Criteria | Internal accounting | Accounting services |
| Operating costs | Salaries, social insurance, allowances, training costs, and accounting software expenses are usually fixed, even if the workload fluctuates seasonally. | Service fees are charged per package, based on transaction volume or business size; no insurance or training costs are incurred. |
| Level of expertise and up-to-date legal information | Dependence on individual capabilities; risk of falling behind due to constantly changing legal documents (such as Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC replacing Circular 200/2014/TT-BTC from January 1, 2026). | Our dedicated team monitors and updates legal documents, applying them simultaneously to multiple clients, thus accumulating experience in handling diverse situations. |
| Personnel disruption risk | In the case of an accountant's sudden resignation, the business may experience delays in filing and submitting reports. | Low cost, service unit with handover procedures and backup personnel. |
| Legal liability for errors | The business and the chief accountant in charge of accounting are solely responsible. | The accounting service provider shares professional responsibility under the contract and in accordance with the regulations governing the practice of accounting services. |
| Scalability | The need to hire more staff and the time spent on training will increase as the business grows. | Flexible service package upgrades based on actual transaction volume. |
When should a business choose in-house accounting?
Large businesses with high transaction volumes, requiring a permanent chief accountant to coordinate directly with the management team on a daily basis, or those that are subject to mandatory independent audits due to complex documentation, are often well-suited to a dedicated in-house accounting model.
When is a reputable full-service accounting firm the best choice?
Below is a list of suitable business groups. outsourced accounting services:
- Newly established businesses do not have a large enough volume of transactions to justify maintaining a separate accounting department.
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) want to optimize operating costs while ensuring full compliance with accounting and tax obligations.
- Businesses that have previously made errors in tax declarations, received penalties, or warnings from tax authorities may need a more robust control system. If your business is in this situation, you may want to refer to the following article. Crime of violating accounting regulations To understand the penalties and how to rectify the situation.
- Businesses need to switch accounting models during restructuring, mergers, or changes in legal form.
Legal basis for using reputable full-service accounting services.
Hiring a reputable full-service accounting firm is not outside the legal framework; on the contrary, it is a conditional business activity, subject to specific regulations.
Conditions for conducting accounting services business according to the Accounting Law
According to the 2015 Accounting Law, accounting service businesses must be granted a Certificate of Eligibility to conduct accounting services, and the practitioners must possess a valid Accountant Certificate or Auditor Certificate and be registered to practice as prescribed. This is the first and most important criterion for business owners to select a reputable full-service accounting firm, so they should request the Certificate of Eligibility to conduct business and the professional license of the person in charge of the application.
Responsibility for recording information about accounting service providers on financial statements.
As mentioned above, Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC clearly stipulates in Article 16:
When a business hires an accounting service provider to prepare financial statements or act as chief accountant, the financial statements must clearly show the professional license number and the name of the service provider.
This is both a requirement for transparency and a mechanism that helps tax authorities and regulatory agencies easily determine responsibility when errors occur in reports.
The obligation to comply with electronic documentation as stipulated in Decree 254/2026/ND-CP.
From July 1st, 2026, Decree 254/2026/ND-CP The detailed regulations implementing the Law on Tax Administration regarding electronic invoices and electronic documents have officially come into effect. This is a business area that requires continuous updating on invoice creation timing, data formats, and procedures for handling technical issues when creating electronic invoices. For a small, independent internal accounting team, keeping up with all the changes in the newly issued decree mid-year is a significant challenge, while this is a daily task for reputable full-service accounting firms, which have legal and operational departments that monitor regulations alongside operations.
Penalties for violations of accounting regulations
Businesses need to understand that accounting errors are not limited to adjusting ledgers. According to regulations on administrative penalties in the field of accounting, actions such as preparing incomplete accounting documents, improperly recording accounting entries, hiring unqualified professionals to prepare financial statements, and late or non-submission of financial statements can all be subject to monetary penalties, along with corrective measures. The amount of the penalty is determined by the nature and severity of the violation, and the authority to impose penalties is delegated to various agencies depending on the value of the violation. Because of this risk, many businesses are proactively switching to reputable, comprehensive accounting service models, where compliance responsibility is transferred to a specialized unit with clear legal obligations in the service contract.
5 criteria for identifying a reputable full-service accounting firm.
Not all firms advertising “full-service accounting” are qualified to practice. Businesses should carefully check the following five criteria before signing a contract:
- First, possess a Certificate of Eligibility to conduct accounting services: This is a mandatory requirement under the Accounting Law and cannot be replaced by a verbal commitment or a simple service contract.
- Two, the person directly in charge of the file must possess a valid accounting practice certificate: Businesses have the right to request to view the certificate and compare the number with the publicly available list from the regulatory authority.
- Third, there is a transparent process for handing over and storing records: A reputable full-service accounting firm always provides clients with the right to access and review records and books at any time, without withholding data as a form of binding agreement with the client.
- Fourth, commit to updating the contract with new legal provisions: With the current pace of document issuance – Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC, Decree 254/2026/ND-CP – issued in less than a year, the service provider must demonstrate its capacity to monitor and apply them promptly.
- Fifth, transparency regarding the scope of responsibility in the event of errors: A reputable full-service accounting contract should clearly state the mechanism for handling errors caused by the service provider, avoiding a situation where the business has to bear the legal and financial consequences alone.
If you are unsure about choosing the right provider, your business can contact us. accounting consulting services To assess the current situation and propose solutions appropriate to the specific scale and industry.
The process of implementing reliable full-service accounting services in businesses.
MAN – Master Accountant Network has a standard process for businesses transitioning to using reputable full-service accounting services, which typically includes the following steps:
- Step 1 – Survey and assess the current situation: MAN's team will conduct a review of all company books, tax records, and current compliance status to determine the scope of work required.
- Step 2 – Sign the contract and hand over the data: Both parties agreed on the scope of services, service fees, implementation timeframe, periodic reporting mechanism, and responsibilities in case of errors.
- Step 3 – Set up the accounting system according to the current accounting regulations: Apply the correct accounting system and accounts according to Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC (for fiscal years from January 1, 2026 onwards) or the accounting regime appropriate to the time of application.
- Step 4 – Regular operation. Maintain proper accounting records, file tax returns, and issue electronic invoices within the timeframes stipulated in Decree 254/2026/ND-CP, and reconcile monthly or quarterly data with the business.
- Step 5 – Prepare and submit the annual financial report: Complete the financial report, fully reflecting the information about the service provider in accordance with regulations, and submit it within 90 days from the end of the fiscal year.
- Step 6 – Provide support in explaining when requested by the tax authorities: With over 30 years of experience, MAN – Master Accountant Network confidently partners with businesses during audits and inspections, ensuring that all supporting documents are legally sound.
Factors affecting accounting service fees
The fee for a reputable full-service accounting service is not fixed but depends on many factors specific to the business:
- Number of invoices and documents generated monthly: Commercial businesses with a high frequency of transactions typically incur higher fees than businesses providing simpler services.
- Business type and industry: Foreign-invested enterprises and manufacturing companies with complex inventory management often require a broader range of services.
- Additional management reporting requirements: In addition to mandatory financial reports, if the business requires cash flow reports or departmental cost analysis, an additional service fee will be charged.
- Level of complexity in tax obligations: Businesses with related-party transactions, import/export activities, or subject to specific expense limits will require a more in-depth service package than the standard level.
Compared to the cost of maintaining a full-time in-house accountant, including salary, mandatory social insurance, training costs, and licensed accounting software costs, the cost of accounting services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is often significantly lower while still ensuring equivalent or higher professional quality thanks to experience in handling diverse client cases. Businesses considering this financial aspect can refer to the detailed analysis in the article. outsource accounting services To gain a comprehensive view of the cost structure.
Conclude
Choosing between in-house accounting and full-service accounting is not a one-size-fits-all solution for all businesses; it depends on size, transaction volume, and the complexity of compliance obligations. However, in the context of continuously updated accounting and tax legal frameworks, from Circular 99/2025/TT-BTC guiding the accounting regime for businesses effective from January 1, 2026, to Decree 254/2026/ND-CP on electronic invoices and documents effective from July 1, 2026, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), newly established businesses, or businesses that have previously encountered compliance difficulties will have a clear advantage when using reputable full-service accounting services from a qualified professional.
If your business is considering changing its accounting model or needs to review its current records before making a decision, the expert team at MAN – Master Accountant Network is ready to support you from the initial assessment of the current situation to the implementation of a comprehensive, reputable accounting service package tailored to your specific size and industry.
Contact MAN – Master Accountant Network For free support and advice!
Contact information MAN – Master Accountant Network
- Address: No. 19A, Street 43, Tan Thuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
- Mobile/Zalo: 0903 963 163 – 0903 428 622
- E-mail: man@man.net.vn
- Google Business Profile: View MAN – Master Accountant Network's Google Business Profile
- LinkedIn Founder: View expert Le Hoang Tuyen's LinkedIn profile.
Responsible for production and professional content review by: Mr. Le Hoang Tuyen – Founder & CEO of MAN – Master Accountant NetworkHe is a CPA Vietnam auditor with over 30 years of in-depth experience in accounting, auditing, taxation, and corporate legal consulting.
Frequently Asked Questions about Reliable Full-Service Accounting
Should newly established businesses use full-service accounting services right from the start?
It's worth considering that, in the initial stages, the volume of transactions is often not large enough to sustain a full-time in-house accountant, while still needing to fully comply with tax filing obligations and maintain proper accounting records from the company's inception.
Who is legally responsible when financial statements contain errors caused by an accounting service provider?
While businesses are ultimately responsible to regulatory authorities, reputable full-service accounting contracts should clearly define the compensation and rectification mechanisms for errors arising from the service provider's fault.
What clauses should a comprehensive accounting service contract include to avoid risks?
The contract must clearly state at least four key points: the specific scope of work for each item (declaration, reporting, consulting), the mechanism for periodic reporting to the business, liability for compensation in case of errors due to the service provider's fault, and a clause on the confidentiality of financial data. The absence of any of these four clauses is a sign that the business should reconsider before signing.
Should businesses facing accounting violations switch to a comprehensive service package?
This is often the right time to switch, as reputable full-service accounting firms have experience reviewing and correcting erroneous records and working directly with tax authorities to provide explanations. Businesses should refer to the specific penalties and handling procedures in the article mentioned above before deciding on a corrective action.
How can I verify if an accounting service provider is qualified to practice?
Businesses are required to present the Certificate of Eligibility to Conduct Accounting Services and the Professional Accountant Certificate of the person directly in charge of the file, and compare them with the publicly available list as stipulated by the Accounting Law.
