How To Find A Good Tax Accountant
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As we enter the heart of tax season, many freelancers are realizing that their situation is a little more complicated than they thought and are eagerly looking for professional tax help. Before you embark on finding a good tax accountant, remember that a “good” tax accountant is someone who has the expertise, and is also someone who both understands your business and connects with you in a way that makes you feel supported.
Ideally the process of finding a tax professional would have started and been completed well before the tax season, but here you are and it’s time to put the pedal to the metal. Here are seven ways you can find a good tax accountant.
How To Find A Good Tax Accountant
Ask your friends. Specifically friends who work with tax accountants who are not family members. Of course there are family members who are amazing tax accountants, but the majority of the time it was a default decision. Ask friends who are business owners and did research on tax professionals to see if their accountant could be a good fit for you.
Review Xero’s certified advisor listing. The accountants who are certified in Xero are innovative, progressive, forward-thinking, technologically savvy, knowledgeable on creative businesses and typically fun to work with. Whether or not you use Xero for your bookkeeping, their directory is a great resource for finding a modern, 21st century financial professional.
Reach out to co-working spaces. Tax accountants sometimes advertise with local co-working spaces through workshops or other efforts. Check their calendar schedule or ask if they have a list of local experts that they can recommend to you.
Check out Yelp. Your local tax professionals likely have a profile listing on Yelp. Search the platform and create a list of a handful of folks that you feel may be a good fit for you.
Ask your banker for recommendations. Your business banker and/or local banker will definitely have connections with local accountants. Stop by the branch or give them a ring to see if they can help you out.
Reach out to the local CPA and EA association. Every state has an Enrolled Agent (EA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) chapter and each chapter has local communities of EAs and CPAs across the state. Reach out to your state’s chapter to find EAs and CPAs in your local area.
Ask your favorite local business. Your local coffee shop owner and other small business owners likely work with a tax professional. Ask them who they work with and if they would be willing to share their information with you.
Once you check out these options, create a list of potential tax accountants. Then, be sure to interview each one to see if you all are a good fit for each other. Here is a list of fifteen interview questions you can ask them.
