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Tips for Choosing an Accountant for Small Businesses

No matter your industry, you cannot underestimate the value of an accountant. You may need a bookkeeper for basic accounting services or an accountant with a degree in accounting to handle payroll services and taxes. The right accountants can provide you with advice to help you grow your business. If you are running a small business, you should hire a qualified accountant. However, there is a need to carry out extensive research to get the right fit. The following are some of the tips to help you find the right accountant for your business.

Understand What You Need

accountantBefore you choose an accountant, it is vital to understand the type of responsibilities or work you need your accountant to handle. For instance, if you require monthly bookkeeping tasks and financial statements, you should get a bookkeeper or accountant to do them. On the other hand, if you need tax planning help, audited financial statements, and tax returns prepared, you need a certified public accountant.

Develop Small Business Experience

You need to wary of large accounting firms. Ensure you get someone who works with businesses in the same industry. When an accountant works for clients in a given industry, he or she gets to know the related challenges quite well. If the accountant has dealt with clients such as you, he or she can help you make the right decisions regarding finances for your company.

Ask for Recommendations

It is advisable to ask for recommendations from other business owners. The truth is that there is nothing better as compared to recommendations from your trusted peers. Before hiring them, you need to ask about their experience working as bookkeepers or accountants. Also, you need to have an idea of how much you will pay them.

Leverage Social Media

Most accountants are active on various social media platforms. You need to check whether the accountant has a profile and whether they have recommendations from the customers. That is proof that they are active in the business.

Use Accounting Software

Before hiring an accountant, you need to ask them what software they recommend to you. In fact, you may be surprised to find out that some accountants used old accounting software applications. They are not ready to switch to modern online accounting programs. Remember that you should invest in an accounting system that can serve you for the next five years. Therefore, you should get an accountant who is technologically savvy.…

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