Before you select a CPA, make sure you consider the following questions:
- Does the individual hold an active CPA license?
- Are your needs compatible with the CPA’s personality and communication style?
- Does the CPA have the experience you need?
It’s important to establish a practitioner’s credentials before you retain his or her services. You need to feel that this person has integrity and honesty before you will trust him or her with your financial information. Be aware that fee structures vary and that different types of practitioners have different levels of training and experience.
Keep in mind that you are looking to establish a long-term relationship. You want someone who will learn your business inside and out, and who will become a trusted advisor on major business and financial decisions and transactions. Look not only for technical competence but also for interpersonal and communication skills.
Membership in a professional association is also an important qualification. For example, members of the Texas Society of CPAs are governed by a stringent code of professional ethics. Also, all CPA firms in Texas must undergo a comprehensive review of their accounting and auditing practice every three years.
Defining your objectives and expectations will help you ask the kind of specific questions necessary for finding the CPA best suited to your needs. Think about the services you will need not just today but further down the road.
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Cited source: http://www.valueyourmoney.org/need-a-cpa2.asp
