Hiring a CPA accounting professional for your New Jersey business is an important decision. It is essential to complete due diligence on any individual or accounting service you may be considering.
In addition to a website review and checking online feedback about the CPA accounting service, it is also critical to have at least a phone interview if not an in-person interview before making a final decision on any accounting firm.
There are a few important questions to ask any accounting firm. It can be helpful to jot down notes and compare the answers from at least two or three highly qualified and established accountants in New Jersey.
Years in Operation
For any accounting service or any CPA, it is important to have an idea how long they have been in business and working with companies similar to yours. Be specific with the question and note any vague or indirect types of answers. This is particularly important if you are working with a CPA or accounting firm with a limited online footprint.
Services Provided
While this may sound like a basic question, there are many different services offered by different CPA accounting firms throughout the area. Some will provide tax advisory and financial planning services while others may combine this with bookkeeping and even tax preparation.
It is possible to hire three different CPA firms or professionals to do these services, but this is often not cost or time effective for the business owner. One CPA or one accounting firm handling all of the financial support for the business provides a better “big picture” look at the current and future financial options for the business.
Comfort Level
An often-overlooked question when hiring a CPA accounting firm is how comfortable do you feel in talking to the professional? You will be making both minor and major financial decisions based on information from your CPA, so you need to be able to communicate and trust in their expertise, experience, and overall financial knowledge.
