The two most important factors to think about are what cost you are comfortable with, and whether you are comfortable going with an online service or want the attention of a dedicated named accountant. Good communication is critical to ensure things run smoothly and will give you peace of mind when questions and issues inevitably crop up. Whilst these services naturally tend to be lower cost, you do lose out on tailored advice. Also, you will normally have to solve every problem yourself, which often means reading your way through the relevant help articles. These difficulties are often mainly due to underdeveloped or inelegant and obscure software and other glitches, rather than the inexperience of the individual using the service.

• It would be good to consider this because it would show that they know how to explain things.
• Broadly speaking, if you find you are spending more than around four hours a week on books, or have plans for growth, it’s time to call in the professionals.
• Next, you’ll have to pick if you want to work with an independent accountant or an accounting firm.
• Verify that your CPA will sign your tax return and represent you before the IRS for any tax matter related to your return.

“You’re looking for someone that’s going to help you financially, not only with taxes but to help your business grow, so you really need to meet with someone face-to-face,” Dubrow said. Remember, only the ordinary and necessary expenses of running your business can be deducted from your taxes. Your accountant can tell you whether you qualify for certain deductions and highlight others you may not know about. When it comes to taxes, in particular, there are certain things you should always review.

Why You Need a Tax Accountant

This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific product’s site. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institution’s Terms and Conditions. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion® directly. Form 1040 is around $210, according to a 2022 Drake Software survey of over 3,600 tax preparers in the United States. This may influence which products we review and write about , but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research.

In this guide, we’ll explain what an accountant does, share some advice on when you should consider hiring one, and offer some tips for getting the most value from your CPA. It’s relatively easy to get a PTIN number, and you don’t need a CPA license to get one. After passing the CPA exam and meeting educational and work experience requirements, you receive a CPA license.

FreeAgent Accountants Portal

Matt holds a Bachelor’s Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC – all for free! In some states, the accountant licensing board has a search feature that gives you a list of CPAs. Most accountants will be happy to spend minutes with you on the phone at no cost. We don’t recommend leaving messages and waiting for calls back as this can slow down your momentum. If someone isn’t available, ask for an ideal time to call back.

If every emailed question is $50 to answer, you probably want to be aware of that before signing any documents. In addition to a basic PTIN, which is simple to acquire, you want an how to find an accountant for small business with additional certifications or licenses. Every move you make as a business owner impacts your taxes and what you’ll end up owing the government. A good accountant on your side can help you clean up your books and guide your decisions on purchases, sales, and planning for the future. A good accountant can do more than help with filing taxes every year. Finding a good accountant can help guide your business through ever-changing tax laws and circumstances to grow in the best, most cost-effective ways.