What To Expect
From A CPA?What should you
expect from a CPA or accounting
firm? Our motto is a simple one -
"Accounting that makes sense".
Indeed, many clients accounting
services are an enforced cost,
something that would not be invested
in were it for legislation or fear
of tax consequences.
If you see accounting services as an
unnecessary cost, then chances are
you are not getting the benefits the
service can give you.
Does your accountant actually DO the
write-ups of your books monthly and
in a timely fashion? Does he or she
take the time to go over the figures
with you, carefully explaining in
understandable English what are the
main developments?
Your accountant or CPA should not
use jargon that leaves you
understanding less than if you
hadn't spoken to him at all!
You know, you should not be expected
to have a fluent command of
accounting terms and clever
management techniques.
You are navigating your business
towards profitability, growth,
financial security and independence.
A good accounting service is like
radar, giving you the vital
information on what barriers and
opportunities lie ahead.
Like a captain of a ship, you make
the decisions... but you do need the
information on the waters around and
ahead of you.
Accounting can be so much more than
the odd phone call dealing with an
emergency, the preparation of annual
accounts, the calculation of tax and
the client thinking that he is being
overcharged for what he gets.
Few other accounting clients ever
have the benefit of our approach,
and yet the advice we give can mean
the difference between the success
and failure of a business.
The CPA has to be NOTICED when his
advice is needed. He has to always
keep his client up to date and offer
ideas if and when these are wanted
or needed by the client .
The secret of success here is for
the client to have essential
information provided very quickly by
his CPA.
We have found that to be most
effective:
The client
should have accounting information
and a meeting within a few weeks of
each month end.
The client
should receive that information
arranged in order of importance, so
that the he does not have to wade
through thousands of bits of data.
The
information is in an understandable
form to the client. The client
mustn't be put in a position of
either having to confess to not
understanding or then just not ask
at all... which is makes it all a
total waste of his money and time.
The CPA takes
the meeting in person (or by
telephone) to ensure that he is
informed of non accounting matters
and other priorities, as this could
radically alter the advice he gives.
To understand a business the CPA
needs to know more than he can read
from your accounts.
The client is
encouraged to ask questions and
enable the CPA to act as his "silent
business partner."
The cost must
be affordable to the client and
leave the CPA with an acceptable
compensation for the constant work
and effort that goes into this type
of service. |