Choosing Your Accountant

Many people often ask themselves the question ‘do I need an accountant, or, can I do my tax return myself & save the money?’ Some times it might seem counter-intuitive, how ever, hiring an accountant can save you a lot of money as well as hassle & time.

It’s also a good question as it is not about what you earn, rather, it is all about what you get to keep!

There is a high degree of trust required between an accountant & their clients, so what are some of the areas you really need to look at when you’re researching an accounting firm?

A simple but not exhaustive list that will allow you to ‘interview’ your prospective accountant includes;

? Look at the size of the firm, if it’s a large tier firm, will you get personal service?
? Check feedback from other customers or testimonials on their website.
? See whether they specialise in a particular area, is this compatible with you?
? How long have they been practising, experience is invaluable.
? Check what qualifications the principals & staff has, including professional associations.
? Discuss your business or circumstances with them & see whether they believe they can assist.
? Are they technology savvy, do they use MYOB, Quickbooks etc to eliminate paperwork?
? Establish the fees you’ll pay. Is it per job or an hourly rate?

Accountancy isn’t really something you should do for yourself, it requires expert knowledge to ensure that you comply with all laws, and, that you receive your maximum allowable refund. Your accountant can do this by applying the tailoring a solution to your individual situation.

Best of all, the fees you’re charged by an accountant are tax deductible, meaning the amount you actually pay will be less than the stated fee.

Tiffany Boys is a manager & she lives & works in Sydney, Australia
http://www.crestfinancial.com.au


You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.