6 Crucial Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Business Accountant

6 Crucial Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Business Accountant

Crucial Questions to Ask a Business Accountant | Kalibrr for Buisness

Finding the right business accountant for your company—be it a growing start-up or a mediumsized enterprise—plays a crucial role as it will determine the end-result of your business. Get one single number wrong, and it messes up the entire calculation of your company leading it to become a hindrance of any progress. When it comes down to cost, a business accountant can save you thousands and make your life much easier. While there are many great CPAs around, the dilemma here is how would you know if they’re perfect for you and your organization? Well, it all boils down to asking the right questions. Here are questions you need to ask every potential business accountant before you hand them that job offer. 1. How many SMEs have you worked with? First, get a feel for how many small- to medium-sized businesses they’ve worked with. It’s important that you work with a business accountant who understands the complications of managing a small- to medium-sized business and has some experience doing so under their belt. A qualified business accountant should be ready to offer client references, so give those customers a call, too. Ask how the accountant served their business, and whether or not they’d recommend the accountant for your business. 2. How much experience do you have in my industry? Before you sign up for just any business accountant, ask whether the candidate has any experience in your given industry. Many accountants specialize in certain industries, so if you run a very specific business with certain accounting needs, you’ll want an advisor who has experience in your industry. It’s also worthwhile to ask about his or her experience working with businesses structured like yours. Whether you’re a sole proprietor, LLC, partnership, or corporation, you’ll have different accounting needs—especially during tax season. 3.

What are other services can you provide? Most accounting firms have tax and auditing assistance—those are the most basic services that business accountants have to offer. But you should also consider anything else they offer. Do they do bookkeeping, business valuation, budgeting, or risk assessments? The most qualified business accountants will have more than just tax and auditing services to offer, so get a sense of what else the candidate can do for your business.


4. How can you help me grow my business? The answer will help you find out if candidates are interested in your business. Did they review the financial information you provided prior to the interview? Did they make sure you understood the accounting concepts, instead of tossing off a bunch of jargon? A proficient CPA’s goal to save you more in taxes — it is also in his best interest that you succeed. 5. What kind of creative business advice will you offer me? Advising clients on what they can do to grow and set goals, as well as discussing issues, are all part of a proficient CPA’s services. Together, this allows you to discover what works for your business so funds are used wisely. 6. Who will I be working with and how will we communicate? This is more important than you might think. If your business accountant is to become a trusted partner, you’ll want to know just who you’re working with. If you choose to work with an accounting firm, make sure you meet face-to-face with the actual accountant that will work with your business. If you’re a very small business, it’s probably best to work with a similarly small accounting firm—your business will just get more attention. If you’re a small business working with a big firm, you might be handed off to a more junior-level accountant. You would also want to clarify how and when you’ll be in touch with your accountant. Clear and frequent communication is a very important part of your relationship. Set expectations on how often you’ll connect, whether that will be in person, on the phone, or online. Will that happen weekly, monthly, or just during tax season? The right amount of communication depends on how much assistance you need, but you’ll want to know what you’re both getting into before you agree to take on your accountant. When an accountant takes that number crunching and financial management out of your immediate responsibilities, you can invest your time in growing and improving your business. When it comes down to it, an accountant can be an invaluable advisor for your business.

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