Hiring the right accountant is essential to help take your business to the next level. They do more than just handle tax. Everything from managing financial records and auditing to bookkeeping, payroll, and compliance is dealt with by an accountant. To find one that will save you time and keep you up-to-date, compliant, and financially legal, here are the questions you should ask before you hire an accountant.

10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Accountant

1. Why Should I Hire You?

A good accountant will explain how they can offer value and help your business grow. If they show enthusiasm, they should be on your shortlist.

2. How Long Have You Been in Business?

You want to be sure your accountant has enough experience to handle the workload involved. While new accountants will also be skilled, experienced accountants will have seen everything.

3. Do You Have References?

These case studies will tell you how the accountant performed for other businesses. If they refuse to share them, you don’t want to hire an accountant with something to hide or hasn’t performed to expectations previously.

4. How Much Do You Charge?

Get the figures in early. You don’t want a hefty bill because you missed the small print. Agree on a fee and how you’ll pay before you hire an accountant.

5. How Do You Stay Updated?

Your accountant should stay updated with the latest innovations and regulations. If they don’t answer this with confidence, there’s a chance they’ll have a lack of knowledge which can impact your business.

6. How Often Will We Meet?

You don’t need to meet daily, but set expectations on how often you’ll meet. It should still be regular rather than once a year. This will stop any nasty surprises from coming up and you can get the information at the cadence you want.

7. What Services Do You Offer?

There’s a lot involved in accounting, so ask your accountant what services they offer. You don’t want to hire an accountant, only to realize the specific service you needed is one they have little experience in and don’t offer as a service.

8. How Will You Improve My Company?

Don’t settle for the bare minimum and ask what changes they recommend you should make. Ask your potential accountant what their plans are to improve your company and streamline your process to help your business succeed.

9. How Will You Prepare Me for Tax Season?

Find out the accountant’s tax process to avoid a year-end rush. Finalize this process at this stage, so you know what to expect.

10. What Type of Clients Do You Work With?

To avoid any conflict of interest, find out the type of clients your accountant works with. This question will also help you understand how much experience they have in your industry already.

A business consultant can help you identify problems in your process and help make impactful changes. To learn how our consulting services can help you, contact Satty, Levine & Ciacco, CPAs, P.C. to get started.