Fractional CFO articles
New to the role? Start with what a fractional CFO is, then read what a fractional CFO costs, how to choose a fractional CFO firm and the startup playbook from seed to Series B. For how Decipher works with growing companies, see fractional CFO services.
What virtual CFO services cover, and how they work
A virtual CFO delivers CFO work remotely: cash, forecasting, reporting, board preparation and decision support, run through shared systems and a fixed meeting calendar. What the service covers, how a remote month runs, what access it needs, and when remote delivery does not fit.
Fractional CFO vs controller: which one a company needs
A controller makes the numbers right; a fractional CFO decides what to do with them. How to tell which gap to fill first, and how the two roles split the work when a company has both.
Interim CFO cost and hourly rates: how pricing works
What an interim CFO costs depends on the term, the time commitment and how the fee is structured. How day rates, term fees and hourly billing work, how to convert any quote to an effective hourly rate, and a full-time pay benchmark from government data.
Outsourced CFO services: what's included and when they fit
Outsourced CFO services cover the forward-looking finance work: cash, planning, reporting, board materials and decisions. What a typical engagement includes and excludes, the two main delivery models, and how to scope one.
Part-time CFO: how the month is spent and what it covers
A part-time CFO runs cash, forecasting, reporting and board preparation on a set monthly calendar. How a typical month is structured, an illustrative hours table, what changes the time needed, and how to make limited hours count.
What a fractional CFO for agencies fixes, client by client
A fractional CFO for agencies works on client and project profitability, retainer and project revenue mix, cash timing, hiring against the pipeline, pricing, owner pay and sale readiness. A worked client profitability example shows where the margin really goes.
Fractional CFO vs full-time CFO: cost, scope and timing
The choice between a fractional CFO and a full-time CFO comes down to how much CFO work the company has and whether a finance team needs daily leadership. How the two compare, how to size the workload, and how the handover works.
When to hire a CFO: the signals and which kind of help fits
The milestones that mean a company needs CFO-level help, and how to decide between a bookkeeper or controller, a fractional CFO and a full-time CFO.
Fractional CFO for startups: when to hire, the work by stage
When a seed to Series B startup needs a fractional CFO, what the work looks like at each stage, and the SaaS metrics, cash view and fundraising materials investors expect to see.
How much does a fractional CFO cost? Pricing explained
What a fractional CFO costs depends on scope and stage. How fractional CFOs price their work, what drives the number up or down, how it compares with a full-time hire, and how to tell whether a proposal is worth it.
How to choose a fractional CFO: questions and red flags
Fractional CFO firms, independent fractional CFOs and staffing marketplaces sell very different things under the same title. How to compare them, what to ask on the first call, which red flags matter, and how to line proposals up side by side.
What is a fractional CFO? Role, work and when to hire one
A fractional CFO is a senior finance leader who works with a company part time. What the role covers, how it differs from an interim CFO, a full-time CFO or a controller, what it costs, and the signs it is time to bring one in.