Is It Time to Search for a New Certified Public Accountant?
A certified public accountant can bring a plethora of benefits to your business, regardless of how small or large. They bring a wide range of knowledge and expertise to your company and can provide advice far beyond your finances and tax season.
Much like most independent contractors that you’ll work with, there might come a time when you need to start looking for a new certified public accountant to add to your team. Whether you’re expanding or simply looking for a change, there is a chance that it could be exactly what your business needs.
Reasons Why It’s Time for a Change
With nearly 25 years of experience as a certified public accountant, my clients have come to me with a wide range of past experiences with their previous accountants.
When a small business decides to move on from their current CPA, it’s typically due to several specific reasons:
- Poor Communication – when you hire a CPA, you need to rely on them to give you information, data, advice, and insight whenever you need it. Unfortunately, some CPAs won’t deliver on that expectation.
- Deadline Nightmare – the right certified public accountant will have no issue maintaining deadlines and getting your reports to you on-time. Any kinks in that process will have a domino effect on the rest of your business activities.
- Excuse Train – if your certified public accountant is constantly scrambling for an excuse or looking for someone to blame when they make a mistake, it is definitely time for a new accountant.
- Too Many Mistakes – accuracy is one of the most important traits you should be on the lookout for when you hire a CPA. Mistakes by your accountant can be highly detrimental to your small business.
If you’re experiencing any of the conflicts listed above with your CPA, don’t hesitate to start reaching out to prospective accountants and see if they would be a better fit for you. The longer you give your accountant the opportunity to neglect your business, the more damage they can do.
Finding the Right Certified Public Accountant
When it’s time to hire a CPA, there are several things you’ll want to be on the lookout for. At the end of the day, the best thing you can do is take your time with the process and ensure you’re making the right decision for your small business.
In order to do this, you’ll want to request and verify a list of their credentials, experience, and overall knowledge of the accounting field. You should already have a list of responsibilities you’ll be expecting out of your CPA, so it’s important to share that with them to ensure that there’s no confusion on expectations and deliverables.
Client testimonials, whether past or current, can also be an excellent hint of what to expect out of your potential certified public accountant. You should also go over communication and operations to ensure they’re a good fit.
If you’re on the lookout for a CPA that will stay dedicated to you and your small business, contact me today for a free consultation. I’ve helped businesses in this area for nearly 25 years and can’t wait to extend my services to you!
References
Berry-Johnson, Janet. “How to Find the Best C.P.A. or Tax Accountant Near You.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Feb. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/02/14/smarter-living/wirecutter/find-best-cpa-tax-accountant-near-me.html.