Friday, July 12, 2013

What Every Business Owner Should Know About Hiring Tax And Bookkeeping Services Professionals

By Carmella Watts


In the early stages of a business, many entrepreneurs handle their own accounting matters. However, as the company continues to expand it may be necessary to delegate this responsibility to a professional. Accountants can provide expert tax and bookkeeping services that will ultimately help keep the company's finances in top form.

At first most businesses will have not as many financial transactions which makes this an ideal time to start off on the right foot and let an accounting professional keep track of these items. It will make tax season much easier if these have been processed beforehand, and will cut down on paperwork. As the business owner becomes busier with more duties, he or she will have less time available to commit to financial matters.

Accounting firms typically handle such functions as preparation of tax returns and financial statements, they also supply business owners with helpful advice which will end up saving them money. These firms will normally bill the business by the hour, and this rate may be determined by the particular services performed and which accountant is doing the work.

Hiring an "in-house" accountant may be necessary once a business finds itself in full-swing with an increasing amount of transactions. Such a professional's duties can include keeping ledgers and financial statements, payroll, maintaining records of daily transactions, variance analysis, and treasury. This person is usually employed by the company and paid a salary.

Whether looking to hire a firm or an in-house accountant, the first step is to determine what the company's accounting needs are as this will dictate what qualifications any potential candidates must have. Basic tasks such as financial statements and bookkeeping may be well enough managed by a non-certified accountant, whereas issues such as tax advice and preparation are best left to the certified and licensed accountants.

Most accountants are certified as CPAs, after they have earned an undergraduate degree and passed the exams for local licensing requirements. CMAs, are chartered management accountants who can also work as part of a management team. The firm or individual hired by a company should ideally have previously managed accounts for other companies in the same industry.

Accounting services are available from individuals right up to huge, nationally recognized firms. It's important to note that sometimes the larger firms actually employ smaller firms to carry out some of their work, so one must inquire as to whom is actually doing the accounting. Working one on one with an independent accountant or small firm may result in more personal attention being paid to the business that the big firms will not have time to supply.

In order to choose the best candidate, it is important to carefully interview each prospective firm or individual. It is best if the accountant has worked with other companies of a similar size in the past, there must be clear communication, and there needs to be references the business owner can check. If they choose reliable and efficient tax and bookkeeping services, a company will be putting itself in a position for future growth.




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