Filing tax returns in a timely and accurate manner is as important for your company, as your regular business operations and activities. Errors and/or negligence on this count can lead to serious legal hassles. You might even have to shell out considerable amount of money, due to the presence of relatively minor mistakes in your tax calculations. Hence, it is advisable that you should avail of the services of a qualified professional accountant, for preparing the tax statements of your organization. Here are some factors which need to be taken care of, as you search for the accountant, who would be best suited to meet your requirements:
Ask for referrals Just like any other specialized service providers, hiring accountants also requires considerable amount of research. Ask your corporate peers, friends, seniors and/or other acquaintances, if they happen to know of a good tax accountant. You can also browse online to look for ideal accounting firms in your locality.
Beware of fraudsters Always treat exorbitant, unrealistic claims with a pinch of salt. You might come across accountants who promise really lucrative, out-of-the-world deductions. Steer well clear of them. There is, after all, a reason why such claims are considered too good to be true!
Hire an accountant well in advance In order to get the best service, make it a point to hire an expert accountant well before the time when the taxes actually have to be calculated. This would give him/her ample time to get familiarized with the overall financial operations of your business. Ideally, you should have an accountant from the time you initiate your business operations. A newly hired accountant might find it rather tough to go through all the old financial documents and papers.
Compare the fees Once you have got quotes from multiple (ideally, three to five) professional accountants, do a thorough comparative study. Make sure that you take into consideration the entire service profiles of the firms, and do not use the fees as the sole criterion for judging the quality of the accountants. You should also be certain that there are no hidden charges, which can add on significant amounts to an apparently reasonable service fee.
Check the qualifications The business concern is yours, the money to be paid as taxes is yours, so it is only natural that you would be the one responsible for ensuring that the right person is appointed for the job. There is nothing worse than finding out that your accountant is not qualified and/or adept enough to handle the rather intricate tax calculations, after you have already hired him/her. Make sure that the accountant you hire has all the requisite academic certifications, from recognized financial institutes. (S)he should also have adequate practical experience of operating in this field. You can also read up the feedback provided by previous clients of the accountant in question.
Availability of online accounting services Ask the accountant firm if it offers advanced online accounting facilities. If it does, you can save a great deal of time, as well as expenses. Provision of such services also speaks volumes about the sophistication and dynamism of an accountancy service provider.
Before actually hiring the services of a tax accounting firm, make sure that it has all the necessary permits and documents to offer its services, on a professional basis, in your locality. For example, Accountants In Cork should have valid legal credentials to operate in this Irish city. Get in touch with an expert accountant, and never let time-consuming tax calculations come in the way of your business success!