Almost all of us turn to our accountants for tax-related matters. In fact, their main role is to keep us abreast of any tax changes. But there are several other services that our accountant can do for us aside from computing our taxes.
For business owners, your accountant can give you the best advice on whether or not you should incorporate your company. Your accountant can also help you with leasing and purchasing new commercial spaces.
He or she can advise you if you are making the right financial decision. Basically, your accountant is in charge of handling your money, which is why it’s very important that you hire a reliable and trustworthy accountant.
But how can you tell if you’re hiring the right one? Below are tips on how to check you have a good accountant.
- Ask for Referrals
Nowadays, it should be easy to look for referrals, thanks to the Internet. So do your research and try to locate the previous clients of a accountant.
You can refer to yellow pages and look for anyone who might have worked with the accountant in the past. There are lots of other resources online that can help you look for referrals of a reliable accountant in your area.
You can also call some accounting firms. Introduce yourself to the receptionist and ask about the name of any accountants that you can hire.
- Compare Your Accountant to Others
Don’t be in a hurry to hire an accountant. Get in touch with a few of them and discuss their services and qualifications.
Ask about their educational attainment and their experiences in the field of business that you are in. Check with their professional association to determine if the qualifications they have stated are indeed valid.
See if they have a good record and that they got no outstanding disciplinary issue. Do the same thing with other accountants as well.
- Ask Many Questions
Come up with a list of questions before you call each of the prospective accountants. Don’t hesitate to ask about the billing.
You must know how much you will end up paying before hiring them. Sometimes, you may need their service for consultations through phone or email.
Find out how much this will cost you. It’s also important that you ask their availability so you can get a hold of them in case you need their service.
- Discuss in Person
Even though you have already gotten in touch with the accountant via phone or email, it’s a good idea to meet them in person to discuss further.
When you meet face to face, you can easily gauge if you are comfortable working with this person. You can also tell if what he’s telling you is truthful based on facial expressions.
- Hire a Private Investigator
There is plenty of information about the accountant that you cannot easily access online. In this case, you need to hire a private investigator to do a background check.
The investigator is an expert in this field and will uncover the real background of a particular accountant that you plan on hiring.
