How to Hire a Pittsburgh Tax Accountant

June 25th, 2013 by

Hiring an accountant is like buying a new suit: It’s important to have the perfect fit. Much like a suit, a tax accountant helps your business be more professional. A good accountant can not only help you out with financial details, they can even provide financial forecasts that can help you make critical business decisions. If you’re looking for a new tax service professional, here are a few things you should look for:

Details, details, details

While professional tax accountants often aren’t bookkeepers, they should still be detail oriented. You’ll want to ensure that your accountant is able to spot errors in bookkeeping. Plus, a detail oriented accountant is more likely to remember when you have a meeting, and can ensure that you get any financial reports done in a timely fashion.

Seeing the bigger picture

Of course, while details are important, being able to see the bigger picture is arguably more important. Financial professionals need to be able to understand how their financial reports fit into the bigger picture, both within the company and in the industry. Plus, when you’re working with a Pittsburgh tax professional that understands the bigger picture, they may be better able to guide you and your small business to a more financially stable path.

Learn about communication expectations

Before you hire any tax accounting professional, you should ensure that your communications preferences match up. While most professional financial advisors will match their communication style to yours, some places would prefer a phone call over an email or vice-versa. For example, if you’re an email person, it’s important that your accountant understands email and will be willing to communicate with you that way. Otherwise, you may find yourself getting frustrated over a relatively simple matter.

Excellence and expertise

You should always seek out a company that has a reputation for excellence. Whether you’re working with an accounting firm or an individual, make sure that they have a background that’s generally successful. The best financial professionals have a great track record to back up what they tell you about themselves. Make sure you ask for references or at the very least, ask for information about their background.

Look for a tax return professional in Pittsburgh who understands your industry

Hiring a local accountant who has some experience in your industry can be useful. Not only can you be sure that they’re seeing the bigger picture of how your company fits into the local landscape, they may also have experience dealing with industry specific issues. It might also help to hire an accountant who is familiar and has experience with businesses in your size category. If your company is medium sized, don’t hire an accountant that works with solely Fortune 500 companies. Likewise, a larger company may benefit from an accountant that has experience in that area, rather than one that specializes in small business accounting.

Finding the perfect fit for an accountant for your company isn’t impossible. In fact, if you pay attention to a few critical aspects, you may find that the perfect Pittsburgh accounting firm is out there for you. Try looking for an accountant that suits your needs using one or more of these tips.