Finding the right accountant

Picking the right accounting is a very important decision. This person will be in charge of offering you financial advice and they are responsible for filing your taxes and a number of other things. A skilled accountant can be hard to find as you need to look for more than just their credentials. An accountant is the person that will help you prepare yourself to meet with auditors, IRS agents, lenders and many other people. You want to choose carefully when you are hiring an accountant to make sure you have the right one for your business.

Ask for referrals
The best way to find the right accountant is by asking around. Do you have friends that have worked with accountants in the past? Do they give this person a good recommendation? Ask for referrals from businesses that are in your network. This is a great way to make sure you are finding someone that has similar goals as your business and to find a person with a good reputation. Since you trust the opinion of your friends and colleagues, it's nice to work with some people that they have had experience with. When you contact the accountant, try to find out how many clients they have and how many they have helped in the past. This will give you a bigger picture as to what type of accountant they are and if you can trust them to help your business. Look for an accountant with a healthy balance of clients so you can be sure they will have enough time to devote to your business.

Make a list
When you are looking to hire an accountant, make a list of the qualifications you want them to have. You also need to make a list of all the various things you need them to do. This helps you weed out some of the accountants that may not be suitable for your business.

Interviews
After you have a few names, conduct interviews with the accountants to find one that you are comfortable with. The best way to find an accountant is to hold interviews because you need to make sure your personalities match so you feel comfortable with them handling your books. You also need to compare records, documentation, and other things to find the best accountant. Try to arrange meetings with the accountants in their offices where they can grab documentation and things they need to show you what type of services they can offer. Its always nice to see their office as it will reflect a bit of their personality and also help you gather their level of professionalism.

Experience
It is always important to see what type of experience the accountant has. They may only specialize in one aspect of accounting where you need someone that can provide you with help with your taxes and other things. This is why you need to meet with a few accountants and go over their experience so you can find one that is ideal for your needs. It helps to find an accountant that has experience with your particular industry or line of work. This person already has a basic understanding of what you focus on, making it easier to have them start working on your taxes or other needs.

Take your time
Take your time when you are looking to hire an accountant. You want to look for someone that has the experience but a person that you are comfortable with. There are several accountants out there so you want to look for one that is a good fit for your company.