Finding an Accountant Who Specializes in Small Business Accounting

Any lender you work with for small business financing will need detailed and organized financial documents. They’ll use this information to decide whether you’re eligible for a loan. Xero also offers a 30-day free trial, but new customers can also benefit from Xero’s frequent months-long discounts. For instance, as of this writing, Xero is currently offering 50% off for three months.

By taking an objective look at your costs, a business accountant can highlight areas where you can cut expenses and better manage your money. If financial statements are confusing, creating reports is impossible, or accounting terms are downright jibberish, you should hire a business accountant from the get-go. Along with Sage Intacct, Sage offers accounting solutions tailored to smaller and larger businesses alike. Luckily, since Xero has three plans, it’s relatively scalable. Solopreneurs can start out with Xero Early or Growing, then expand to Xero Established.

Taxes done right, with experts by your side

Next, you’ll have to pick if you want to work with an independent accountant or an accounting firm. No matter which you opt for, you’ll want to select someone who has plenty of experience with the type of small business you have and who you feel comfortable sharing sensitive information with. A search for “small business accountant” will net thousands of results, and attempting to wade through them all would be a challenge. Start by crowdsourcing and asking other small business owners who they use and trust with their finances.

But, no worries—I’m here to help guide you through the process. The days of accountants sitting in dusty offices working out tax bills are long gone. Choosing an accountant finding an accountant for small business is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the life of your business, and a good accountant really can make all the difference between success and failure.

What does the advisor do for their clients year-round?

Once you’ve determined your needs and looked at your budget, you can decide which direction to go. You’ll need to know how much the candidate will bill you for their services. Most business accountants charge fees by the hour—usually ranging anywhere from $100 to $275. Some accountants, on the other hand, work on a monthly retainer. The most qualified business accountants will have more than just tax and auditing services to offer, so get a sense of what else the candidate can do for your business. If you hire the right business accountant, he or she can be a trusted advisor throughout the entire lifespan of your business.

• Your professional network knows your business, so it’s a reliable way to find support for your unique business needs.
• Use this six-step checklist to help you know what to consider when finding and choosing an accountant for your business.
• When looking online, it’s a good rule of thumb to look at both good and bad reviews.
• You should hire an accountant when the tracking, analysis and reporting of all the financial information related to your business are too complicated or overwhelming for you.

It integrates natively with more third-party apps than any other online accounting service provider besides Xero (which syncs with 1,000+ apps compared to QuickBooks’ 700+ apps). Online accounting software can make the job of your accountant easier, especially when the program stores all your financial data in one place. Having an online accounting software package, such as QuickBooks, allows your accountant easy and secure access to your books.

Prepare a job posting and interview questions

Select businesses earn BBB Accreditation by undergoing a thorough evaluation and upholding the BBB Accreditation Standards. You can change this selection at any time via the Accredited Business toggle on the search results page. This rating reflects BBB’s opinion about the entire organization’s interactions with its customers, including interactions with local locations. If you have a simple tax return, you can file for free yourself with TurboTax Free Edition, or you can file with TurboTax Live Assisted Basic or TurboTax Live Full Service Basic at the listed price.

Some accounting firms have junior accountants do the work with a senior CPA overseeing it. Knowing who will be handling your financial data will make future questions about the financial status of your business easier. Browse our list of top accounting firms, and learn more about their services in our hiring guide. After going through the reasons you need an accountant for your business in the first section, you should have an idea of the services you need. Double-check that the firms you are vetting provide those services.