Professional Problems: 6 Signs You May Need to Find a New Accountant
Switching service providers can be uncomfortable. You might have an excellent relationship with your accountant but know that their level of service is no longer satisfactory for your business needs. As challenging as it can be to end a long-standing professional relationship, it may be crucial to do so if you can relate to any of the situations below.
1. They Don’t Prioritize Convenience
Life as a business owner can be stressful. You only have so much free time in a day, and you don’t want to spend much of it sitting in your accountant’s office. Consider changing accountants if yours doesn’t offer convenient options like an online tax return service.
You won’t be able to avoid all in-person visits. However, an accountant that lets you perform accounting online can be more desirable than one you must visit for all your accounting tasks.
2. You’re Experiencing Communication Issues
Excellent communication between a business owner and an accountant can be important. Without it, information can be misconstrued, and there’s potential for expensive mistakes to be made. Communication issues are an obvious sign that your relationship with your accountant is not what it should be.
You may decide to explore other options if your accountant doesn’t return your calls and emails in a timely manner regarding urgent and sensitive information. You might also start thinking about contacting other accountants if they can’t explain financial topics in a way that makes sense. After all, you should leave your accountant’s office feeling empowered and educated, not confused.
3. Your Business Needs Have Changed
There is more than one type of accountant. Some work with small business owners; others specialize in financial, cost, and even forensic accounting. A small business accountant might have been suitable for your needs at the start of your journey, but growth can mean you need more help than they can offer.
In that case, consider switching to an accountant offering more expansive services. The more suitable they are for your needs, the more financial tasks you can leave in their capable hands.
4. They Don’t Have the Experience You Need
Accountants will always do their best to care for their clients, but they can only do this well if they have experience. Specialist assistance can be required when you need help with complicated business matters like mergers and acquisitions.
Shop around for a new accountant as soon as you realize your business needs are becoming complex. The quicker you act, the sooner you can find a suitable professional for your needs.
5. They Consistently File Late
Failure to file penalties with the IRS can be expensive. As a result, business owners want to avoid filing late at all costs. You can usually rely on your accountant to file for time extensions or complete your tax returns on time. However, that doesn’t always happen. You might consider looking for a new accountant if your services provider continually runs behind filing deadlines and you no longer consider them reliable.
6. They Aren’t Proactive
Accountants are there to take care of your immediate financial needs. However, they also make decisions based on your future needs. Now might be the right time to change accountancy service providers if your current professionals aren’t proactive enough. After all, the financial decisions you make today affect the financial decisions you’ll make in the future.
As uncomfortable as ‘firing’ your accountant can be, it can sometimes be worthwhile to help your business succeed. If you can relate to the situations above, consider shopping around for a more qualified, reliable accountant for your business needs.
