How to Choose and Get the Most from Your Accountant
Choosing an accountant is an important decision and you need to find one that matches your needs. You should feel comfortable with them and be confident in their billing structure. We have produced the following checklist to help you choose, and get the most from your accountant:
Telephone
Get an accountant who you can call whenever you need help or advice, without fear of being charged every time you make a phone call.
Understanding
Get an accountant you can speak to openly and honestly who understands what you are saying and who you understand.
Commercial Awareness
Talk to them about your business and your ideas and see how commercial they are. See whether they have a good understanding of your business.
Tax Ideas
Ask them what tax ideas they have for you. You want an accountant who will pro-actively come up with regular new ideas.
Meetings
Make sure you prepare for any meetings you have with them and let them know beforehand what you want answers to.
Ask if they communicate by email as it speeds up service and saves costs.
Website
Visit their website to see how pro-active they are and what they offer to clients.If they do not have one, how can you find out more about them? Is it a poor website – what does that say about the service you are likely to receive?
Who’s who?
Find out who you will be dealing with, within the firm. Find out if it will be one accountant or a team of many different people under supervision.
Services
Find out if they offer all the services you need and are likely to need in the future.
Fixed Timescales
Agree timescales by when work will be done and get them to guarantee it.
Existing Clients
Ask to speak with some of their existing clients to see what they say about them.
Engagement Letter
Ensure you receive a letter of engagement. Make sure everything you need is included. This is the contract between you, ensure they are adhering to it.