April is fast approaching which means the IRS will be collecting trillions of dollars in tax payments from individuals and businesses across the country. If you’re a small business owner, chances are, tax season is among the most stressful times of the year.
Have you kept your books in good order? Have you kept up with quarterly payments? Has your company met its budget goals for the year?
These are all questions that make apparent the value of choosing accounting services that are top-tier.
If you’re curious to know how best to vet accountants in your area that can help you year-round, our team is here to help. Below, we break down key qualities to look for in accounting firms. That way, you can be sure the team you contract can keep your organization financially fit.
- Online Reviews
The very first point of vetting we recommend businesses turn to when gauging the efficacy of an accounting firm are online reviews. Online reviews can be found on just about any business through platforms like Google or Yelp.
Optimally, you should engage firms that have 4-star averages or better and at least 10 reviews. Some of those reviews should be recent.
Having the buy-in of other consumers will give you a sense of whether or not a firm is worth keeping on your options for accountants shortlist.
- Types of Clients
Accounting is part science and part art. The art portion often looks different from business niche to business niche.
To ensure that your accountant has a great understanding of your organization’s unique needs, do your best to shop for a firm that regularly deals with companies in your corporate category and of your size.
The more familiar accounting firms are with what you do, the more value they’ll be able to provide.
- Availability
Bringing on an accounting firm to manage bookkeeping and other financial matters can streamline several of your company’s practices. That is, of course, if your accounting firm has the availability to own your partnership.
We’ve seen several firms take on multitudes of clients, spread themselves too thin, and be scarcely available.
To ensure you’re not the victim of that, ask your firm how much time they’ll be able to dedicate to your account. If the answer is unsatisfactory, look elsewhere.
- Comfort With Your Bookkeeping Tools
Does your business use Quick Books or Fresh Books? If it does, make sure the accounting firm you’re looking to contract is comfortable interfacing with that software.
The last thing you want is to bring on a firm only to have to migrate your books to another program or out of the cloud altogether.
- Fees
Fees matter when you’re running a business. So, it makes sense to immediately weed out firms when choosing accounting services that charge more than what your budget can manage.
Most reputable firms like Avitus Group and others have flexible pricing/packages that are meant to scale to businesses with different needs. Given that fact, never be shy about requesting an estimate from a firm you’re interested in.
Choosing Accounting Services Is Easier Than Managing Your Needs Alone
There are a lot of people that forgo the choosing accounting services process. Most of them do so because they’re overwhelmed by the prospect of going through their options, getting estimates, and weighing other details.
Believe us when we say that the effort required upfront to find a great accountant pales in comparison to managing all of your business’s financial needs alone.
Keep that in mind and feel free to explore more advice on accountants for businesses on our blog for additional guidance.
