How to Find Online Accountants for Small Business
Finding an accountant for your small business is a big step. Whether you’re ready to outsource or simply want to ensure long-term profitability, an accountant can help. In a world that is turning to more and more hybrid solutions, finding online accountants for small business can help operationalize your work, improve profits, and make your life easier.
Steps for finding an accountant for your small business entail:
Searching for local accountants or solicit referrals,
Doing research into the skills and backgrounds of your candidates,
Meeting with potential accountants, and finally
Moving forward with contracts.
Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to having a trusted accountant.
Steps to Choosing Online Accountants for Small Business
There is no one way to find an accountant. If you find an accredited accountant whose work style meets your needs and you trust, then you’ve done it right. However, if you’re feeling overwhelmed with knowing where to start or how to ensure you find someone who is a good match for your business, we’ve compiled some tips and tricks to help you get started.
Searching for Candidates
Unsurprisingly, finding online accountants for small businesses is only the first step of working with an accountant. While Google is a valuable resource, we often recommend starting with referrals from people you know and trust, either in your network or your industry specifically.
Next, consider checking those recommendations against an accredited directory, like the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, CPA Verify, or the Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance. These resources can help you find certified accountants and begin narrowing your search.
Researching Your Candidates
When you’ve narrowed your search and think you’ve found a strong contender or two, begin to do a little more research on your candidates. Depending on what you’re looking for, you may want to focus on specific qualifications. Either way, having a sense of what you expect of an accountant can help you gauge whether a candidate’s answers will align with your needs.
Consider trying to find information on the following:
What are their credentials?
Do they have any non-compliance records?
How long have they been practicing?
Do they have reviews online, or a way you can talk to current or former clients?
Do they have experience in your specific industry?
Meeting Your Candidates and Asking Questions
Sometimes there’s no substitute for meeting someone, either in person or virtually, especially if you’re looking for online accountants for small businesses and may work together via email instead of meetings. Have a candid conversation about your goals and needs. This is an opportunity not only to see if the accountant can provide what you’re hoping for, but also to gauge what the working relationship could be like between you.
Here are some topics we recommend discussing:
What are your goals for your business and the accounting relationship?
How can they help you meet your business goals?
What is the accountant’s background, both in accounting and in your industry?
What services do they provide?
When and how do they work?
If they offer online accounting services for small businesses, what systems do they use to ensure smooth work flows?
When can you expect end products from them?
When can you expect to work with them, either to review their work or to ask questions?
How comfortable are they with answering your questions if you have them?
What are their rates?
What questions do they have for you?
Do they understand your industry and your business, or are they willing to learn? Will they take initiative to do so?
Choosing Your Accountant and Next Steps
While we can’t provide the “ideal” answers to any of the above questions — no one knows your needs and your business like you — we can make a few recommendations. Choose an accountant that is equipped with the skills you need, whose work style fits your business, whose personality aligns with your own, and who you would be comfortable working with on financial data over time. Trust your instincts, and take your time.
Once you’ve made your decision, contact the accountant you’d like to work with to see what contract or letter of engagement they’d like. After that’s settled, you should be at the point where you can begin your work together.
KeyLin Offers Online Accounting Services for Small Business
At KeyLin Advisors, we have online accountants for small businesses on our team who have a variety of expertise across accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll services. We collaborate with small and growing businesses to ensure financial sustainability and long-term growth.
All our services are cloud-based, meaning you can access the information you need when and where you need it, even if we don’t have a meeting scheduled. Plus we’re always happy to answer your questions and share our knowledge, so you can make the best decisions for your business.
Sound like we could be a good match? Your first consultation is always free.
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