Question 1

What does a fractional CFO actually do?

Accepted Answer

A fractional CFO is a senior finance leader who works with your business on a part-time, ongoing basis. The role covers cash forecasting, capital strategy, pricing decisions, KPI design, board and lender reporting, and the high-stakes calls that fall outside the bookkeeper's lane. You get the judgment of someone who has sat in the chair, without carrying a full executive on payroll.

Question 2

What's the difference between a CFO and a controller?

Accepted Answer

A controller owns the integrity of the numbers, clean books, tight monthly close, accurate reporting, internal controls. A CFO uses those numbers to drive decisions, capital strategy, growth bets, pricing, hiring, M&A. Most growing businesses need controller-level discipline first, then CFO-level leadership on top of it. We can fill either seat, or both.

Question 3

When does a business need a controller vs. just a bookkeeper?

Accepted Answer

A bookkeeper records what happened. A controller makes sure what was recorded is right, closes the month on a calendar you can plan around, and produces reporting you can actually run the business with. Most businesses outgrow bookkeeping somewhere between $1M and $5M in revenue, when the questions stop being 'did we make money' and start being 'where is it coming from and where is it going.'

Question 4

How is DAT Finance different from a traditional CPA firm?

Accepted Answer

Most CPA firms are built around the tax return. We're built around the business. The tax work is part of what we do, but the engagement is ongoing leadership, monthly cadence, real conversations about the decisions in front of you, not a once-a-year handoff. Senior people stay in the room the whole time.

Question 5

Do you replace our internal accounting team, or work alongside them?

Accepted Answer

Both, depending on the situation. Some clients have a bookkeeper or junior accountant we work above as the controller and CFO layer. Others bring us in to rebuild the function from scratch and recruit the internal hire later. The right answer is the one that gets you the leadership you need without paying for seats you don't.

Question 6

How much does a fractional CFO cost?

Accepted Answer

Most partnerships fall between $2,500 and $10,000 per month, depending on scope and cadence. Smaller engagements are reserved for situations where the fit is exceptional and the work is focused. Most partnerships sit in the middle of that range. Three things drive where you land: scope (tax strategy only vs. controller vs. full fractional CFO), cadence (monthly touchpoints vs. weekly leadership rhythm), and complexity (entities, revenue, M&A activity, reporting needs).

Question 7

How does that compare to hiring internally?

Accepted Answer

The fully-burdened cost of a senior internal hire (base, payroll taxes, benefits, PTO, equipment, recruiting, management overhead) typically runs ~1.3x base. An internal CFO lands between $235K and $315K per year fully-burdened. A controller lands between $145K and $195K. A DAT engagement at the same level of leadership typically costs a fraction of that, because you're sharing senior capacity instead of carrying it alone.

Question 8

Why don't you publish a fixed rate card?

Accepted Answer

Because every business is different. A two-entity construction company with active M&A conversations needs something different from a single-location home health agency. Publishing a flat number would either underprice the harder work or overprice the simpler engagement. The discovery call is short, free, and the fastest way to a real number.

Question 9

How long until we see ROI?

Accepted Answer

Most clients see the engagement pay for itself within the first one to two quarters, sometimes sooner. The early wins usually come from tax positioning, pricing decisions, and cleaning up reporting that's been hiding margin leaks. The compounding wins, capital structure, growth bets, exit positioning, show up over years.

Question 10

What's included in a typical engagement?

Accepted Answer

Most engagements include a recurring leadership cadence with you and your team, monthly close and management reporting, tax planning and preparation, on-call availability for the moments that don't fit on a calendar, and senior judgment on the high-stakes decisions in between. The exact mix is shaped to what the business actually needs.

Question 11

How long are engagements? Are we locked in?

Accepted Answer

We work month-to-month. There's no long-term contract, no termination fee, no exit drama. The relationship continues because it's working, not because you signed something. Most partnerships run multiple years, but that's earned, not contracted.

Question 12

Do you work remotely, in person, or both?

Accepted Answer

Both. Clients in Ohio see us in person on a regular cadence. Clients elsewhere work with us through scheduled calls and secure document exchange. The level of senior judgment is the same either way. The mode is whatever fits the business.

Question 13

What does the discovery call cover?

Accepted Answer

Thirty minutes. We listen first, you walk us through where the business is, what's working, what's in the way, and what you're trying to get to. If we're a fit, we follow up with a clear scope and pricing. If we're not, we'll point you somewhere that is.

Role	Fully-burdened internal cost	DAT engagement
Internal CFO	$235K – $315K / yr	from $60K / yr
Controller	$145K – $195K / yr	from $36K / yr
Senior accountant + outside CPA	$115K – $155K / yr	from $30K / yr

Straight answers about
how this works.

What a fractional finance partner actually is.

Senior finance leadership, without the senior-finance salary.

How the partnership actually runs.

Let's talk.

Straight answers abouthow this works.