Do Your Skills Add Up to be a Good Accountant?

If you are considering a career in the field of accounting, there are some character traits and personal habits that may indicate this is the right career path for you. To be an accountant, you have to do more than just be good with numbers and calculations. You have to provide a service to others, especially if an accident happens and you need immediate assistance. You have to be personable, responsible, and diligent. People want to find an accountant they can connect with and trust, since money is a vital part of life.

If you are an analytical thinker always thoroughly thinking through every move and decision, this may be the field where you strive. If you always weigh out the risks and the gains of every situation and you make sure that you know all of the details before you decide on anything, chances are that you will have a strong career in accounting.

An accountant needs to be organized and very detailed, because all of your calculations are going to require it. You have to be able to pay attention and stay on task when starting a project, and be able to go over your own work to look for flaws. Working with numbers and calculations is an everyday component, so you should enjoy doing math, analyzing gain and loss data, and have general banking skills.

There are many people and small business owners who would much rather let an expert handle their checking and savings accounts. When people are ready to find an accountant for their personal finances or for business financial management, they want to find an accountant who is certified. You will want to get a degree in finance so you are properly trained, and then take the necessary testing to become a CPA.

Find an accountant that can mentor you while you are in school, or while you are preparing to get certified, so you can see what your potential work day could be like. If you are positive that you want to manage money, work with clients, and be an accountant for the rest of your life, start by getting enrolled in an education program and map your route.

Is Your Accountant Doing A Good Job?

finding an accountant - is your accountant doing a good jobOne of the biggest concerns for any business or even an individual is figuring out if their accountant is doing a great job. There are many things to consider when selecting an accountant. There are times when the accountant is good, but your requirements may be different. This is why you have to make sure that the accountant you select is right for you. There are a few tips that you can use to find an accountant.

See If You Are Getting Undivided Attention

Each accountant deals with a number of clients. They handle various accounting jobs and are great at multitasking. It is extremely difficult to find an accountant who is dedicated to you. But when you discuss business with the accountant, you should see if you are getting undivided attention. This shows how interested an accountant is in fulfilling your accounting requirements are.

Know the Difference between Accountant and Bookkeepers

Accountants and bookkeepers have a similar job. This is where people actually make mistakes. Many people hire bookkeepers instead of accountants. Bookkeepers are responsible for filing tax returns and other such paperwork. On the other hand, accountants can do much more. This is why you should aim to find an accountant. An accountant can handle all the responsibilities of a bookkeeper and a lot more.

There are many firms that provide reliable accountants, including GoodAccountants.com. They make sure that the accountant that they assign to your business is well suited. If you hire a good accountant that knows how to handle your business or personal finances, you should not face any problems. Moreover, you should not hesitate to ask questions and determine if the accountant is right for you.

Get Referrals from Other Businesses

If you face any problems in finding an accountant, do not hesitate to ask for referrals. You can always approach other businesses and ask them about the accounting firm they use. The best thing to do is approach businesses that have the same accounting requirements as you. This way you will be able to make sure that the accountant that you hire will efficiently handle your business account.

You can also make appointments with different accounting firms. This meeting would simply be to discuss your requirements and how the firm works to provide you impeccable service. Only when you are satisfied should you hire an accountant from the firm.

If you use these tips to find an accountant, you should not have any problems at all.

The Importance of Finding an Accountant That’s Right For You

finding an Accountant is easy with GoodAccountants.comFinding an accountant that’s right for you and your business can mean the difference between success and failure. A good accountant that has experience and knowledge in your particular industry goes far beyond crunching numbers.

An accountant can help you develop a business plan as well as a personal plan, offering advice on everything from future expansion to insurance with the knowledge they have about your particular business environment, tax situation and financial statements.  Tax planning and compliance is another essential function, as well as auditing and basic functions like accounting and record keeping.

Finding an accountant that’s a good fit may seem overwhelming, but one way to start is to get a referral from your banker, a business colleague or attorney. The Society of Certified Public Accountants is another good resource for obtaining a referral. Arguably the easiest method of all is to contact Good Accountants who can put you in touch with the very best accountants in your area – but keep in mind that you’ll still need to foster the relationship and make sure to choose the right accountant for your specific needs.

When you have an idea as to how much and what type of responsibilities the accountant will have, along with a list of those good candidates, the next step in finding an accountant is to conduct interviews to determine who the best fit is personality wise, as well as services offered and the fees that will be charged.

The best accountant should have a style that’s compatible with yours, and you’ll also want to make sure the person you’re meeting with is the same one who will be handling your business as some accounting firms may pass part or all of the work on to others.  Find out if the accountant offers the services you need him or her to handle, and whether or not they are experienced and highly knowledgeable in performing those tasks. Determine fees upfront and be sure to obtain quotes from several different accountants in addition to getting an idea of the estimated annual charges based on the services you’ve discussed.

While finding an accountant that’s right for you may take a little work, the rewards of a successful business are usually well-worth the effort – and you can get a jump start by contacting Good Accountants now.

Pass the CPA Exam: Be What People Look For When Finding an Accountant

find an accountant and get ready for the cpa exam

image source: http://www.studyingforthecpaexam.com/

Much like any other major tests in our lives, the CPA exam is one that you probably want to get right the first time. In order to ensure your success, there are a few tips to keep in mind while preparing yourself for the big day. Write these down to help keep them in the front of your mind until you are able to say with confidence that you can ace that exam.  Once you’re settled in your accounting career, you want to be sure that you are the one customers call when they want to find an accountant. According to an article penned by Advice for Tax Preparers, there are four important tips that everyone taking the CPA exam should remember.

Pass the exam within the first two years of your career

The longer you put off taking this test, the harder it will be to make sure it gets accomplished. They key to success is to do things correctly and thoroughly early on; keep in mind that it will all pay off in the long run. Don’t let your personal life get too hectic until your exam has been successfully passed. Plus, once your name gets out there you’ll be far too busy to make time for thorough studying.

There are sites such GoodAccountants.com where people can go to find an accountant on a moment’s notice, and you don’t want to have to turn anyone down should you be given work.

Do the most difficult parts first

It’s a common strategy for test takers to go through an entire exam and complete the parts that they know the answers to first, because it allows you to feel like you got more of it out of the way; however, the harder part of the exam will require more time, and possibly a second or third look at the problem. If the easy part is finished quickly, be sure to give the hard questions the time and concentration they deserve so you don’t get stuck rushing toward the end.

Take an auditing class

An auditing class is a great way to refresh all the information in your mind that might have gone stale after your college courses have long been finished. It can be a great way to review everything that you need to know for the exam and to ensure that you pass it.

Use note cards

One of the best ways to engrave all of that information in your mind is to force yourself to write it out on notecards. Writing them out onto cards that can be reviewed on the go or at home, without having to reread entire book chapters, has been proven to increase the odds of passing the exam. It may be an old age practice, but it truly is a great way to train your brain to remember all of those facts.

Remember, if you’re looking for a highly qualified accountant today, the best place to find one quickly is GoodAccountants.com.

 

5 Things to Consider When You are Trying to Find an Accountant

find an accountant with goodaccountants.comWhen you are trying to find an accountant, then you might think about hiring the first accountant that you can find, but that would be a mistake. By doing a little research, you will be better informed and more likely to find someone more qualified for your specific needs. There are several things that you should keep in mind when you are making your decision:

Experience

It is good to find an accountant who has a lot of experience, especially if that experience is related to the accounting help that you need. For example, if you run a retail store, then look for an accountant who has experience working with other retail shop owners. Industry specific experience means that the accountant will understand the nuances of that particular type of business.

Education

Ask about the accountant’s professional education, so that you know their professional certification. When you are trying to find an accountant, keep in mind that an accountant is not legally required to have a license or certification. But, there are many benefits to hiring an accountant who has taken the time to be certified, because it usually means that their knowledge is up to date.

Skill Set

You will need to make sure that your accountant has the basic skills to manage your financial information. Ask them about their skill set regarding bank statement reconciliation, payroll management, accounts payable and receivable, and updating journal entries.

Organization is another skill that is beneficial, because the accountant needs to manage the financial information in a methodical way so that you can access the information at a later date if needed. Other things to consider are their problem-solving and communication skills.

Hourly Rate

As you are considering their hourly rate, remember that their experience will impact their productivity during their billable hours. So, it isn’t necessarily cheaper to hire the accountant with the lowest hourly rate, because some of the higher paid accountants can provide faster work with a higher level of accuracy.

Accountability

During the interview process, ask these questions to get a feel for the accountant’s accountability on the projects that they work on. You want to avoid hiring someone who is going to create a mess of your books and then leave. Use value-focused questions during the interview to find someone that you can trust.

As you can see, there are different elements that need to be considering when before you hire an accountant. Here at GoodAccountants.com, our goal is to help you find a qualified accountant in your local area.

What Is A Corporate CPA?

corporate cpa

corporate cpa

Many have heard the term CPA and know that it stands for certified public accountant.  A Corporate CPA is a certified public accountant which deals strictly with corporations and the business industry, as opposed to accountants for private individuals.  If you are considering corporate cpas for your business, it is important to know exactly what services this type of accountant provides and how you can find a Corporate CPA to help you out.

What Duties Does A Corporate CPA Fulfill?

A CPA is the general type of accountant which offers individuals help with tax preparation and other related financial matters.  A corporate CPA, on the other hand, is more specialized in their knowledge regarding industry standards.  Also, these types of CPAs focus their dealings on corporations as opposed to private individuals.

A Corporate CPA is a good professional to contact if you are setting up a new business.  This type of accountant will walk you through the financial aspects of your corporate setup and help you with regard to your expenditures and more.  If you are starting a new business, contacting a CPA who is well-versed in corporate dealings is a smart move to make.

CPAs who work in the corporate end of the financial industry can also help with managing your financial statements.  They will go over your finances with you and make sure that everything adds up as it should.

Should your company face an audit in the future, you should contact a corporate CPA to help you through the audit.  They will aid you in collecting the proper documentation and walk you through the process so that you will feel at ease and have the proper knowledge when it comes to the basis of the audit.

Finding a CPA For Your Business Needs

When the time comes to locate a CPA to handle your corporate needs, there are a few places where you can look.  Some of the more popular options include online searches, Yellow Pages and asking friends and family members for recommendations.  When reviewing the possible choices, think of what you are looking for in a business CPA and how much your budget will allow you to spend for such accounting services.  Meet with prospective corporate cpas to see if they will meet your accounting needs and then select the best one based on your initial meeting and the services which the CPA will offer to you.

Best Accountants: Which Qualifications are Important for an Accountant?

Goodaccountants.com has the best accountants Finding a good accountant is an important aspect of running a small business, but it can be a challenge to find the best accountants for the needs of your company. There are many accountants available to choose from, but certain firms stand out from the rest because they can offer specialized experience relating directly  to your industry.

Hiring someone who is trained and certified in accounting is more effective than finding a cheaper employee and trying to train them yourself. A low-cost employee may be able to do basic tasks to help with bookkeeping and other administrative tasks. The problem is that these low cost employees don’t have the experience or understanding to work through complicated problems that may arise when managing financial records for a company, and the lack of understanding can cause even more problems later on.

So, if you want the best results for your company, then it is important that you research the best accountants in order to find a qualified person who can bring experience and knowledge to the job. One option is to work with a company who can connect you with experienced accountants who have a good reputation. GoodAccountants.com offers a service to help small business owners get in contact with accountants who can help with their business needs. The advantage of working with a service such as GoodAccountants.com is the fact that as a business owner, you don’t have to spend time worrying about hiring the right person… because Good Accountants will do the heavy lifting to sort through qualified candidates for you.

Once you have looked through the best accountants to find a good match for your company, the bottom line of the company can be greatly impacted because the accountant will be able to help you identify how the cash is flowing through the business. It’s too much work for the business owner to worry about running the business and handling the accounting at the same time, which is why it is so important to work with a good accountant. Understanding a clear financial picture of your company is one of the best ways to ensure that you are making good decisions based on the current financial picture.

Why You Must Find an Accountant to Create a Successful Franchise

Starting a franchise can be an exciting venture, but one of the biggest factors for failure is franchisees who don’t understand the financial side of things. While you may have an understanding of how to work with figures, there’s a lot more to it than that. Most franchisees don’t understand the terms and language that accountants are familiar with, not to mention all of the complicated tax regulations. A one-time course in accounting doesn’t cut it either.

In order to have the best odds for creating a successful franchise, it’s essential to find an accountant who specializes in a franchise business. Accountants often specialize in certain industries; they are well aware of all of the ins and outs in regard to the financial side of the industry and can be a trusted adviser in helping you and your franchise achieve and exceed your goals.

Accounting experts with industry experience can save you time, money, and help clear up any confusing when it comes to managing finances and prevent you from making detrimental mistakes that can lead to business failure. They can help you to manage cash flow as well as plan for growth, assess risk and much more. The long term strategic advice provided can be invaluable, including such things as budgeting and forecastingfind an accountant with goodaccountants.com or franchise startup advice.

So how do you find an accountant who is the most qualified for your franchise? You can do it the hard way and speak to other businesses and colleagues to gather a list of candidates, or place an ad; of course you’ll have to then schedule an in-depth interview and conduct extensive reference checks.

To find an accountant that has the knowledge of your particular type of franchise can seem rather overwhelming as the time it takes can be time you don’t often have.

Fortunately, you have another option. Just by calling the consultants at GoodAccountants.com, you’ll be matched with the most qualified accounts that are ideal for the needs of your type of franchise. There is no cost for this valuable service, saving you time, headaches and the stress it takes to locate this often-elusive candidate on your own.

Find An Accountant And Resolve Your Tax Woes

find an accountantThe federal government may under staff and overwork the IRS, but that does not mean the people who work for the agency have transformed into a group of Mother Teresas. As recent news stories indicate, the IRS is the same tough as nails tax collection organization that can turn your world upside down. Taxpayers who struggle with the IRS need to know how to find an accountant to straighten out the paperwork and present a winning case.

Most of the issues with the IRS concerns tax debt. A number of reasons can lead to unforeseen tax debt, such as failing to include all sources of income and incorrect mathematic computations. The increasing complexity of the US tax code also contributes to erroneous returns. Your best method for avoiding unforeseen tax debt is to hire an accountant before you file to make sure you have correctly established your tax liability. However, most people need IRS relief after the fact, which means they have to find an accountant, and fast.

You can let your fingers do the walking and take your chances or access the large accountant database at Goodaccountants.com to find an accountant who has the qualifications to take on the IRS. Over 50,000 accounting firms list at GoodAccountants.com. The website allows you to find an accountant for free by inputting personal information and a little information about your situation. Go to the audit page to learn how you can get five competitive bids for your audit. You can find five qualified accountants on the website’s taxation page. Once you receive bids, you need to know how to hire the right accountant to resolve your tax woes.

Your tax professional should be a certified public accountant, which is one of the few professionals allowed to represent taxpayers in cases before the IRS. The accountant should be well versed in every aspect of income tax law. Make sure the accountant you choose has extensive experience dealing with issues that are part of your case. For example, hire an accountant who specializes in maximizing your deductions, if you need to shave a few more dollars from your income. Finally, after considering multiple factors, choose your accountant and start the resolution process as quickly as possible.

Where is my Refund? Find an Accountant Now to Save Stress and Money Next Year

find an accountantIf you’re still waiting for your tax refund, you can check the status here: Where is my refund? When it does arrive, consider putting a little of that money away so that you can find an accountant to save stress and potentially quite a bit of cash in the long run.

Did you know that by spending just a little by utilizing the services of a professional can help you save a lot? Find an accountant and you can ensure your money is in order and take one more worry off of your list. By doing this now, you can increase the size of next year’s refund, or even better, save all of that extra cash you’ve been dolling out to Uncle Sam as an interest-free loan.

Keeping up with tax laws

A certified tax expert like those you’ll find at GoodAccountants.com, has the most up to date knowledge of all of the ever changing federal tax laws as well as specific tax state laws. While many individuals are aware of the basics, in order to keep up with all of the rules and regulations, it’s a full time job.  It is the job of a professional accountant to know the ins and outs of tax laws, and they frequently attend continuing education courses and conferences to make sure they are aware of changes to tax policy that may affect their clients. This helps the client to avoid penalties and fines and maximize refunds.

Financial advice all year long

Find an accountant now to receive valuable advice that can help all year long, including implementing a tax planning strategy that will allow you to keep more of your hard earned money. If you have a professional tax expert on your side, you’ll also have a knowledgeable person to turn to who is familiar with you situation should you run into any tax issues or help dealing with the IRS.

While many people believe they can handle their own taxes through do-it-yourself tax programs, the reality is, that software is not foolproof and it may not find every deduction that you may be eligible for. A professional will ask you all of the important questions to determine deductions you may have missed, and provide advice that will help you make better financial decisions all year long.