10 Signs it’s a Good Time to Look for a New Accountant in Elkhorn, WI

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During tax time and all year-round, dealing with your personal or business finances on your own can feel much like getting teeth pulled. You don’t have the time or expertise to properly keep track of your money, which means you may have an accountant at the ready—but are they the right person for the job? Here are 10 signs it might be a good time to look for a new accountant in Elkhorn, WI:

  1. Not being able to get your accountant on the phone or by email, text, snail-mail or even going to their office can be stressful, and you should not be okay with this. Communication is key, especially when it comes to your money.
  2. It comes to your attention that many of your accountant’s other clients are getting audited, their financial records and important documents already pulled. You don’t want to be caught up in an audit, whether personal or regarding small business finances.
  3. Is your accountant quoting the fees for their services differently every time you talk? This can be viewed as questionable behavior. Therefore, it behooves you to ask an accountant for a current list of their services and expected fees before you hire them.
  4. You record and save all your financial documents that will be required for tax time, then the accountant loses your financial paperwork after you give it to them. It’s a good idea to have a backup copy, but it should be for you, not for your accountant (again) because they’ve lost the originals.
  5. You become aware that your accountant is basically doing the job of a bookkeeper, only filing taxes for your business and nothing more. It’s not worth it to pay your accountant X amount if they are not handling all aspects of your finances.
  6. After delivering all needed financial records, you should not have to check in on the accountant’s progress or make sure your taxes have been filed. If it takes your accountant more than a few weeks to file your tax return, it’s time to move on from them.
  7. Your accountant is not organized and cannot locate your financial documents. Like all important financial documents, your previous year’s paperwork and files must be labeled for easy access the next tax year—the accountant’s job.
  8. Most regular folks are not up to date on tax laws and available tax breaks, however, your account should be. If they do not continually research these, then you may end up paying incorrect amounts on your taxes.
  9. It is disrespectful for your accountant to be gossipy about their other clients, not to mention a breach of privacy. If they are talking about others behind their backs, they are likely doing it to you too.
  10. Your accountant uses accounting jargon that leaves you in the dark. A good accountant speaks in terms that you can understand—important when your finances are in someone else’s hands.

If you are in the market for an individual or small business accountant in Elkhorn, WI, contact A Plus Accounting LLC today.