Selecting Your Accountant
With so many ads for accounting and tax services, which one do you select?
Rule # 1:
Always seek out a CPA. Unless you trust that friend who does your taxes every year as a side business, you should have a CPA prepare your tax return. More Americans realize the value of CPA each year. See FAQ for more information.Click edit button to change this text.
Rule # 2:
Do not go for the rock bottom price. Some ads like “Tax returns for $50” may sound tempting. However, beware of the quality of these tax returns. By paying such a low price you will most likely sacrifice in quality, and often, will risk getting extra attention from IRS by having errors and inconsistencies in your returns.
Rule # 3:
Check the credentials and experience of the candidate. You may want to check online reviews, too. Generally, the more experienced candidate will serve your needs better than less experienced one. The candidate with financial education will be a better accountant than someone with the Art degree who decided they can make more money by practicing accounting.
Rule # 4:
Interview the candidate in person. This way you will have a sense of whether you like the personality and can work together. There is nothing worse than having incompatible personalities and not being able to establish clear communication.
Rule # 5:
Ability to devote sufficient attention to your needs. Many well-qualified accountants fail this rule because they have thousands of clients and not enough time. As a result, they outsource your projects to bookkeepers or data entry clerks whose qualifications are not very strong. Go with the accountant whose workload allows for a personal involvement.
In conclusion, you deserve the best CPA in Northern VA.
