Top Five Things To Look For In An Accountant
Understanding your tax liability and ensuring you file your information correctly and on time can be a headache given the hundred other tasks you need to balance as a business owner. In such a situation, hiring an accountant can free up your schedule and ensure that you file your taxes completely and efficiently without spending more money than you need to. Professional accounts help you avoid overpaying and prevent fines from the IRS. In addition to this, they provide several other benefits to your business.
However, when it comes to hiring an accountant, the task can be a bit daunting as there are several options today. With so many professionals possessing varying degrees of expertise available to you, it’s natural to feel uncertain about which will suit you best. To simplify your decision, and make it easier, here’s a list of the top five things to look for in an accountant.
1. Knowledge and experience
The first thing to consider when hiring an accounting professional is their knowledge and experience of the basic principles of accounting. To judge that you don’t have to be a rocket scientist. Just ask your questions or voice the doubts you have regarding your situation in your business. A good accountant will give you solutions right away while others might linger on it for some time because they need to consult a senior accountant. We say this only because we get a lot of calls from our fellow accountants daily when they find themselves stuck on an issue.
2. Education
Education is important when looking for a professional. If your accountant has an accounting degree, they will be able to best assist you in your accounting, bookkeeping, and tax needs. In Canada, you don’t need any degree to be an accountant, this in no way means that accountants without a degree are bad at their job. We have seen many CPAs messing up books and other things, while many with no certification are doing extremely well. As a result, we believe that experience and knowledge take precedence over education. That said, there are several instances where educated accountants have proven to be better as they take the time to improve their skills to help you succeed.
3. Availability
A few complaints we regularly hear when taking on new clients is that they had to change accountants because the previous one had no time for them, was always busy, or did not complete their work on time. Your accountant should be a professional who will give you advice whenever you need help, and not only when they are free. Financial advice should be given before a transaction is performed. Anything told later is pointless as we have seen so many people lose money in taxes because they were not shown the right path at the right time.
4. Reviews
Google reviews are the best way nowadays to ascertain how your accountant works and if they are a good match for you. You can read all the positive and negative reviews they’ve received over time and see how they’ve responded to client feedback. This two-way communication will show you and others if they are responsive and care for their clients.
5. Monthly accounting
If you are not able to make up your mind about going forward with a particular accountant, you can try out their services on a monthly basis. Monthly accounting services will cost a little more money, but it will definitely help you ascertain if the firm is a good fit for your services and budget.
If you’re looking for a boutique accounting and bookkeeping firm in Edmonton, AB, reach out to Taxxlution Accounting Professionals today! We focus on your financial problems and help you solve them with relative ease. Our services are designed to help with business growth, cash flow, tax compliance, etc. We have the tools and expertise to help you expand your business and take it to the next level. Our team also consists of highly experienced and fully qualified accountants. With their help, we will provide you with high-quality services to improve your business growth and operations. We additionally offer services such as GST or HST returns, bookkeeping, corporate taxes, personal taxes, payroll services, new business setup, and more. All of these services are available clients across Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Nisku, Leduc, Devon, Namao, Beaumont, Woodbend, Acheson, Alberta, and other provinces.
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