Guide to Identifying the Right Public Accountant - By: Daljeet Sidhu

It takes enormous amounts of time and effort to get organized and accurately keep track of your finances. To eliminate this pain, hire a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). A CPA is a trained financial professional that helps individuals or businesses organize and keep track of their financial records. Besides tracking your finances, developing financial statements and filing taxes, CPAs can also act as business advisors. They can create your budget plans, prepare cash flow projects, advice on investments and help secure business financing. Many businesses hire CPAs to only file their taxes. CPAs are trained to complete tax returns. They can help you organize tax documents and maximize deductions.

How to hire a CPA?

Following is a list of things you need to keep in mind while selecting a CPA.

* Is your CPA familiar with your industry and its accounting standards? Ideally, she should have experience working with clients in a business like yours.

* Does your CPA have good relationships with banks? If you are a growing business, your CPA may be able to help you secure funding.

* Does your CPA have relationships with attorneys? Any business can fall on hard times. Your CPA may be able to help you find an attorney to negotiate with your creditors.

* How involved is the CPA going to be with your company? If most of the work is handled by junior staff, make sure they are well supervised.

* How much interaction will you have with your CPA? If the meetings are much spaced out, how much attention will the CPA pay to your company in the interim?

* Does your CPA firm guarantee its work?

* Has your CPA passed the exams to gain the CPA designation? Does she have the license to practice in your state?

* Is your CPA a member of professional organizations that ensure that their members follow a professional code of ethics and are regularly reviewed for quality? Every country has such professional organizations. For example in the US one such organization is American Institute of CPAs (AICPA).

* Is it important for you to have regular face to face meetings with your CPA? If not then you may also consider a non local CPA. There are many firms that operate nationwide accounting services and may assign a non-local CPA to you.

* Have you checked the references and made sure they are happy with the service?

How much does it cost to hire a CPA?

Accounting service can be expensive. Before you hire, compare price quote from multiple tax accountants and shortlist a few to interview. Ask your business associates and friends for recommendations.

Many CPAs bill you hourly for rendering their service. If you are uncomfortable with the hourly rate, ask for a fee based service. Before you sign on, ask for an engagement letter that details costs and services and review it carefully so that there are no surprises later.

For further information, please read our certified accountant advice.

About the Author

Daljeet Sidhu is Co-founder at TradeSeam. Read our Business Accountants advice. Compare quotes from accounting services. Sellers JOIN for sales leads.

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