Most small businesses gave a sigh of relief when the tax deadline was pushed back due to the pandemic. The extra month, however, isn’t much if you have a lot of tax issues to reconcile. Accountants in Mount Pleasant aren’t just integral for tax season; if you choose the right one, they can help your day-to-day operations and take your business to the next level. Unfortunately, not all accountants are equal; finding one that goes the extra mile, is tech-savvy, and provides more than just tax advice is a great resource all year long. This means it isn’t enough to simply Google “accountants in Mount Pleasant” and choose the first one. Go one step further to make sure you are getting the most assistance possible.
Communication
Establishing a good rapport with the accountant you hire is integral to getting the most out of your business relationship. Find an accountant who is responsive to your needs, listens to your concerns, can effectively answer your questions, and is positive about taking your business to a new level. The accountant you choose should be as excited about the prospects of changing your financial situation as you are. And they should also be able to effectively communicate their thoughts, share their opinions, and listen to yours!
Accountability
Make sure that the accountant you hire is registered and has the proper credentials. Is the professional body they are part of abiding by a code of professional conduct and standards? You want to make sure that they will be accountable for following the rules and that they stand behind the work that they produce for you.
Knowledge of Basic Business Principles
Find an accountant that has a healthy background and education in the basic rules of business and finance. What kind of experience do they bring to the table, outside of a classroom, to help you be financially savvy? Are they or have they been in business themselves? What about marketing and sales? Do they understand the importance of looking at accounting from a broad range of fields, or are they focused simply on number-crunching? Also, what type of technological savvy do they recommend? Are they active on social media? These are all questions to ask!
Staying Abreast of Changes and Updates
If there is one career path that requires constant and ongoing learning, it is the accounting industry. The tax code and business financial responsibilities and obligations continue to change regularly. The only way to be compliant according to the tax code and be creative enough to find the best financial solutions is to know the parameters under which you have to operate. When laws are continually altering, you have to stay abreast so that you can pivot and always seek a better and more profitable way to do things.
What Types of Services Do They Offer?
Again, accounting is about more than just number-crunching for tax purposes. To get the most out of your financials and accounting, find a professional who does it all. That way, you don’t have to move from one advisor to another over time. If you hire someone who is a jack of all trades, they can be the comprehensive guidance you can trust to give you the soundest financial advice for all of your business processes. Things that an accountant can help you with include:
- Bookkeeping
- Payroll
- Construction Industry Scheme Services
- Regular Accounting Updates
- Business Advisory and Mentoring
- Cash Flow Planning
- Budgeting
- Business Planning
- Invoices and Accounts Payable
Experience With Your Specific Industry
Financially, some industries operate differently from others. Does the accountant you are interviewing have specific knowledge of your industry? Do they understand the particular nature of any financial quirks that you might have to handle?
Their Involvement
Some accountants are available daily for questions, while with others, you might not hear from them for weeks or even months. The only way to successfully utilize the wealth of information that an expert accountant can provide is if they are involved in the day-to-day tasks, updating you continually, pivoting as necessary, and always keeping you in the loop - which again falls under “communication.” As the tax deadline gets closer, many small businesses might be scrambling to find someone to help reconcile their tax information. But if you are going to hire an accountant, get the most for your money and take your business to the next level by finding a jack of all trades, someone who is always striving to get the maximum for the minimum for your business, and is as excited about the growth of your company’s financials are you are. At Current Accounting, we go to great lengths to help our customers achieve their goals — because your goals are our goals. Contact us today to discuss how we can get started!