Bench paused operations on December 28, 2024, and its platform was temporarily set to become inaccessible. Employer.com acquired the business days later. Bench says service resumed in January 2025 and that historical customer data remains intact, but that company statement does not confirm that every former customer can retrieve every document. If you used Bench, check your account or contact the company directly, then make sure you have readable copies of records needed for your taxes.
What happened to Bench?
Bench announced on December 30, 2024, that it had suspended operations two days earlier and had been acquired by Employer.com. The company’s announcement promised continuity, access, and intact customer data. Employer.com CEO Jesse Tinsley said at the time: “While the challenges Bench recently faced were unexpected, we recognized an extraordinary opportunity to integrate their capabilities into our own suite of solutions.” That was the acquirer’s statement at the announcement, not an independent verification of uninterrupted service.
Bench’s current About page says service resumed in January 2025 and that the business operates under Employer.com ownership. Bench’s current FAQ also addresses whether the company shut down. The phrase “Bench shutdown” refers to the December 2024 pause; it should not be read as evidence that the service remains closed.
Contemporaneous coverage reported that a shutdown notice said the platform would become inaccessible on December 27, 2024, and gave customers until December 30 to download data, with a later deadline in March 2025. The notice was quoted as saying: “We regret to inform you that as of December 27, 2024, the Bench platform will no longer be accessible.” These were reported terms at the time, not current download instructions or proof that every customer retrieved their files.
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That coverage also reported that Bench’s website had listed more than 35,000 U.S. customers, based on an Internet Archive snapshot from 2024. This is a reported customer-base figure, not a verified count of businesses that lost access or documents. Available reporting does not establish how many former customers downloaded records, lost access, or still cannot access an account.
How to get your Bench accounting documents now
Bench currently says historical customer data remains intact and completed work can be exported. Treat that as the company’s current claim rather than a guarantee that every former customer can retrieve every file. The past access deadlines reported in December 2024 are not a substitute for checking your present account status.
Rank #2
- Easy To Track Your Finances: HAUTOCO accounting ledger book keeps you on top of your expenses and income! Help you keep your money organized, spend well, and set and achieve financial goals
- Premium Material: The A5 accounting ledger book has a total of 120 pages and 2040 lines of entries. It is made of 100gsm thick paper to reduce ink leakage; it is equipped with a waterproof and sturdy PP cover to protect the inner pages
- Practical Design: Compact 8.3 x 6.2'' expense tracker notebook is easy to carry and features information pages, 2025 calendar, yearly financial goals page, and PVC pocket for storing important tickets and loose items
- Manage Your Finances Effectively: Undated accounting books with number, date, description, account, payment or deposit amount, and total balance. You will be able to easily analyze your financial activities and quickly prepare accurate financial statements
- Ideal For Small Business or Personal Use: An accounting log journal can track your business or personal financial status. With a clear record of transactions, you can find unnecessary expenses or fraudulent charges
- Sign in to your Bench account using the service’s current access route. If you cannot sign in, contact Bench through its current support channels and ask specifically about your account and the records you need.
- Export completed bookkeeping work and any available supporting documents, such as transaction records, reports, receipts, and tax-related files. Ask whether anything you need is unavailable or requires a separate request.
- Save the exported files in an orderly location, with a separate backup. Open the files and confirm that they are complete and readable; a backup drive can preserve files after export, but it cannot recover records that were never retrieved.
- Make a list of missing periods or documents and follow up with Bench and, if relevant, your tax preparer. Keep a record of requests and responses.
Why keeping the records is still your responsibility
Access to a bookkeeping platform and the obligation to retain tax records are different things. IRS Publication 583 says business records should clearly show income and expenses. Supporting documents—including invoices, receipts, deposit slips, and canceled checks—substantiate entries in books and tax returns.
For electronic records, Publication 583 says systems must index, store, preserve, retrieve, and reproduce records legibly. It states: “All electronic storage systems must provide a complete and accurate record of your data that is accessible to the IRS.” The publication does not require a particular bookkeeping product or file format. Businesses remain responsible for retaining records material to tax administration; the appropriate retention period depends on the record and circumstances, so a single period should not be assumed to fit everything.
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Rank #3
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- Plenty of Space: The expense tracking notebook measures 10.78 x 8'' and has 120 pages with 3000 lines of entries giving you enough space to record each of your transactions
- Manage Your Finances Effectively: Undated accounting books with number, date, description, account, payment or deposit amount, and total balance. You will be able to easily analyze your financial activities and quickly prepare accurate financial statements
- Ideal For Small Business or Personal Use: An accounting log journal can track your business or personal financial status. With a clear record of transactions, you can find unnecessary expenses or fraudulent charges
Once you have files, preserve them in a structure that makes them easy to find—for example, by tax year and record type—and keep a backup separate from your main working copy. Verify periodically that the files still open. An external hard drive is one possible physical backup destination, but it only helps with files you have already exported.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing bookkeeping support after Bench
If you move to another bookkeeping or tax-preparation service, compare what it actually handles rather than assuming every provider replaces Bench’s full workflow. Use these questions to assess fit:
Rank #4
- Adams Columnar Analysis Pads are adaptable ledgers perfect for accounting or other numeric data; 4-column ledger has fill-in headers, numbered columns & rows & 50 double-sided 3-hole punched sheets
- Columnar sheets are printed on green tinted non-glare paper to help prevent eye strain; heavy-duty 75 gsm bond is acid free and archival safe for recordkeeping
- Shaded double columns keep your data straight and your decimals aligned; 4-column record books are ideal for recording expenses and other transactions for your home, business or side gig
- Each ledger sheet has numbered rows and columns to eliminate the need for hand numbering; increases your accuracy and saves time
- Quality columnars at a stock-up price; Adams columnar pads are sturdy and have a 3 hole punch to fit a standard binder; securely stores your accounting books for tax season
- Record completeness: Can you bring in prior-period books and supporting documents, or only start tracking new activity?
- Export access: Can you download your records in usable formats, and what happens to access if you cancel?
- Reconciliation and reporting: Does the service reconcile transactions and provide the reports you need for managing the business and preparing taxes?
- Tax scope: Does it prepare or file returns, or does it only organize books for you or a tax professional?
- Retention and transition terms: How long are records available after cancellation, and what steps are required to export them?
These are practical comparison criteria based on recordkeeping needs and the kinds of deliverables Bench says it provides; they are not results of independent testing or a ranking of providers.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- KEEPING MONEY ORGANIZED: Our account ledger books offer versatile functionality for managing finances, budgets, expenses, and other vital records, catering to individuals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses alike.
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- PERFECT FOR YOUR NEEDS: If you struggle with managing your finances, often forgetting what you spend, where, and how much, then this companion is for you. Always by your side, it ensures you record every spend, everywhere you go. Give it a try and take control of your finances.
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