There are questions to be asked and answered when picking a tax professional to help your small business grow and stay in the good graces of the IRS. Some questions to ask are; Who should I use and what kind of tax professional is for me? What do they need to know? How do I know they are the right person for me?
Here are 3 types of tax professional that you will hear about most often although there are tax professionals that are practicing without any kind of additional certification. Click on each to learn more about them. I would have written this out for you but just writing this has made me nauseous and I thought I might pass out:
The important question to ask of these tax professional is, what are they knowledgeable about? Don’t be afraid to interview a potential tax professional and ask them about their qualifications. The professional needs to understand the needs of your business and what your long term goals are. The returns that are done for you affect other aspects of your business such as banking.  Ask about continuing education, past clients, what their specialties are etc. Knowledge of the tax code is also extremely important. Most business owners overlook this when asked what they look for in a tax professional. The most common criteria that business owners look for when asked? Location.
Someone who has had experience working in a company setting would make them a strong asset. If your tax professional has experience as a CFO in the past or an accountant for another firm, they will understand a little better what your needs are as a business owner.
Once you have interviewed the prospective professional. Don’t hesitate to call the references they gave. You can also check on their certifications with the state that they do business in to make sure they have the certifications that they claim to have. You can also investigate any complaints the tax professional has against them (if any) at the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility.
On the question of where to find a tax professional, I would ask people that you know. Not to sound snooty or anything but ask people who are successful. Your broke friend who can’t hold a job but has the #1 beer pong ranking in the world (I’m not saying this isn’t impressive in its’ own right) shouldn’t be the one you ask. Look at successful business owners preferably in your field. If you don’t personally know any. Call someone you don’t know. Business owners love to recommend people they know that do good work. It just makes us look smarter. Asking people who they know is a great way to find someone in your area that can help you and your business.
The online community makes this much easier as well. If you sent a Tweet on Twitter that you were looking for a top notch tax professional in a specific area, you would get a lot of information in a short period of time. That’s assuming that are on Twitter and more importantly that you have followers. There are several social media outlets that you can utilize to help in your search. Look for tax professionals that blog as well. This is another tool to gauge how they think and what they know.
In the end, take this search seriously. When you sign your returns, you are taking responsibility for the accuracy of your return. Do your due diligence and pick a tax professional that will enhance your business. If you are lucky maybe they will be in a convenient location as well.