Financial Information

 

Factors in choosing an accountant

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The need for an accountant should not be in question, if it is check out this article on why a buiness should hire an accountant, even small businesses will very quickly find themselves getting bogged down with the amount of record keeping and paperwork required. The main advantage of outsourcing your accounts work to a professional accountant is that it allows you to concentrate on developing your products or furthering your business' customer base. At the same time, the accountant can deal with some of the most tedious tasks within your business.

When most people think of business accountants they instantly think of taxes, and whilst most business owners will hire an accountant mainly to look after their taxes, there is much more you can get from the accountant/business relationship. Some crucial business decisions would benefit greatly from the insight of someone who is intimate with the financial sitaution of your company, for instance if the business is considering investing in new premises or new equipment an accountant would be able to advise on current and future financial standing of the company which would factor into any decision.

When opting to hire an accountant, which is a wise business move, it is always a benefit to try to other local businesses to see who they use and whether they would recommend them. Through some honest conversation with anyone you trust, you can come up with a list of local accountants who come recommended. When speaking with a few local companies some of the few questions you should ask include:

  • Are they satisfied with their accountants?
  • Have they found the accountant to be reliable?
  • Has the accountant helped them maximise their business profits?
  • Do they come from a notable firm or company? Or are they freelance?

When choosing who to hire, you should evaluate their background and experience, here is a list of a few questions to ask a potential accountant.

Of course, any manager or company owner would know that choosing one with better qualifications and longer service experience is a clever thing. It is also worth noting that any experience they may have in your particular industry could be a huge benefit when it comes to familiarising themselves with your business. Another important consideration is the supplementary skills that the accounting staff possesses. In the modern trend, the use of computer-based accounting has overridden the old ways of balance sheets on paper, so any prospective accountant should be au fait with the most up to date accountancy software.