If you are thinking about taking on a new accountant, here are our top tips to make the process easier:
- Make sure you are clear and focused about what you are trying to achieve so you don’t waste your time and money. Do you want your accountant to deliver just your statutory accounts, or provide further support with cash flow forecasting and budgeting?
- Before you make any appointments, talk to three or four different accountancy firms on the phone – find out about their charges, whether an initial consultation is free or charged for, what their approach to supporting your business would be – and anything else that is important to you, such as whether they are willing to come and see you in your own home or workplace.
- Ask about ways to pay charges and fees that might make it easier for you.
- Remember, it’s perfectly legal in the UK for anyone to set themselves up as an ‘accountant’. To find one with qualifications, you should check that they have qualifications issued by one of the recognised bodies in the UK – such as ICAEW, ICAS, CIMA or ACCA.
You can search for a chartered accountant in your area by using the ICAEW’s accountant finder.
