Choosing the Right Tax Professional

Choosing the right tax professional is a very important decision.  There are all kinds of tax professionals out there ranging from Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Enrolled Agents (EA), and Registered Tax Return Preparers.  One should approach hiring the right tax professional very seriously and with a game plan to ask the right questions.  They should treat the hiring of a tax professional just like a business owner trying to hire the right employee.  The right tax professional can help you and your business accurately file and save on your taxes.  So how does one go about choosing the right tax professional?

1. Continuing Professional Education (CPE) – Ask about whether or not they are up-to-date on their CPE?  Ask how much of their CPE is devoted to tax?  You want a tax professional that is focusing the majority of their CPE on tax related items and continually keeping up with all the ever changing laws. You don’t want someone that is just relying on their tax software to handle everything. You want someone that “knows their stuff” and asks you questions to keep you continually saving money on your taxes.
2. Experience – Ask them how long they have been in the tax profession?  Also, you will want to ask them whether or not they have had or currently have clients like yourself.  For example, if you own a restaurant business, see if they have other restaurant clients.  You want to make sure that they are familiar with everything related to your specific business and individual needs.
3. References – It’s not a bad idea to ask them for references or to look around to see what testimonials you can find on their website and on the internet.  Hearing from past and current clients is a great way to get a third party perspective in your interview process.
4. Personality – You will find out during the interview process whether or not your personalities go together or not.  It is important that they do, because communication with your tax professional is key to making sure you have an effective tax plan.  Your tax professional should be a trusted advisor to you and your business.  You want someone that looks out for your best interest and genuinely cares about helping their clients.
5. Communication – Find out how accessible your tax professional is.  Find out how well they communicate with their clients.  Try calling them or emailing them to see how quickly they respond.  I have found that in my initial consultations with new clients that lack of communication from their prior tax professional is way up there on the list of reasons why clients are unhappy with their tax professional.  Just as mentioned in #4 above, communication is key to making sure you have an effective tax plan.

Don’t forget that having the right tax professional can help you and your business keep up-to-date on your filings and save you on your taxes.  The right tax professional is a good asset to you and your business.  If you have any questions feel free to contact us at 770-856-1309 or email us at info@joshuawilsoncpa.com.  We would love to help you and your business out.