What's the difference between a fractional CFO and a virtual CFO?

Functionally nothing. "Fractional" emphasizes part-time and shared, "virtual" emphasizes remote, and "outsourced" emphasizes that the role sits outside your headcount. They all describe senior financial leadership without a full-time salary. Read the deliverables, not the label.

How much do fractional CFO services cost?

Most $1M-$10M businesses pay $2,000-$8,000 a month, depending on scope and how much operational work runs alongside the strategy. Compare that to $180K-$300K in salary alone for a full-time hire. See the cost guide for the full picture.

What does a fractional CFO not do?

No tax filing, attest, or audit work. All of that stays with your CPA, and you keep your accountant. Day-to-day AP processing and payroll administration are only included if they're explicitly scoped. The core role is strategy and oversight rather than clerical work.

Who shouldn't hire a fractional CFO yet?

If you're under about $1M with simple, clean books and no lender or buyer asking for reporting, you probably don't need one yet. A good bookkeeper plus your CPA is the cheaper, correct setup at that stage.

How is Walden's fractional CFO different from a standalone one?

Most fractional CFOs sit on top of a bookkeeper they don't manage, which leaves you refereeing two vendors. Walden runs finance strategy, day-to-day operations, and AI-assisted systems under one engagement, so the forecast is built on books the same team owns and cleans.

How quickly does a fractional CFO engagement produce results?

A typical first quarter is books cleanup in month one, the first real 13-week forecast in month two, and the first concrete cash decision in month three. The pattern is illustrative rather than a promise, but the value tends to show up once the forecast starts driving decisions.

Advisory

Fractional CFO Services: What They Are and What You Actually Get

Senior financial leadership on a monthly retainer instead of a $250K salary. Here's what actually lands in your inbox each month, what it costs, and how to tell whether your business needs one yet.

Read on Walden →