Questions to Ask a Prospective Tax Accountant in Crows Nest

accounting

Finding a tax accountant in Crows Nest could be a harder task than coming across a real estate agent, politician or marketing agency.

It will depend on the outlet in question, but these practitioners generally like to keep a modest profile to care for their loyal clientele and adhere to good business practice.

Yet there will be those brands who open their doors to prospective clients from around the Northern Sydney districts for a casual chat or free consultation.

This helps both sides test the waters to see if a compatible working relationship can be established.

If talks do start in earnest, it is important that key questions be asked about the accountancy to see if their rhetoric can be matched by action.

 

How Do You Charge and What Cost Cutting Steps Are Taken?

Dealing with a tax accountant in Crows Nest is always about money. Not only is it a matter of dealing with your own and how that is diversified, managed and reported, but it relates to their own policy as a firm. There will be variety in the market as certain fees are waived or incorporated as part of the returns process. If there are measures to alleviate fees then that should be discussed as well, alleviating the stress of dealing with this annual headache.

man with a headache

 

Do You Manage Clients Of Similar Socioeconomic Profiles?

It is very valuable to understand how the tax accountant in Crows Nest operates in relation to their client status. Their socioeconomic standing will be important because it will influence how they handle the documentation, the nature of the returns and what they will end up billing. This region of North Sydney is diverse with a range of upper and middle class communities, but for those working class citizens hoping for a basic service, it is important that this matter if flagged early and discussed honestly.

 

Are There Any Potential Red Flags From My Situation?

Until a certified tax accountant in Crows Nest can actually cypher through past returns and run a check and balance on the accountants to see where and how the money is flowing in and out, it is impossible to know what red flags could emerge. For clients who have been divorced or experiencing separation, for those that have bought or sold sizeable property, for others who have a diversified portfolio combining shares and stocks from around the world, there are potential implications that the ATO (Australian Tax Office) will want to know about in detail. If the specialist even has a basic gauge of the client situation, they should be able to communicate what they will be looking into with a fine-toothed comb.

 

How Can I Make Your Job Easier?

Like visiting a doctor or auto mechanic, seeing a tax accountant in Crows Nest will become a collaborative team effort where key discussions take place as one party guides the other. They need to be informed about your career, shopping habits, management of assets, what fits into which categories and histories of past returns. The less digging and investigation they have to do off their own esteem, the shorter the process will be and the smaller the end bill is likely to be. Having a process where your accounts and invoices are correctly filed with business expenses kept and logged will only accelerate the process and the firm will love you for it.

 

Final Thoughts

It is good practice to engage with a tax accountant in Crows Nest with an open mind and with a willingness to engage and probe for the key questions. However, there should be internal questions that should be asked by yourself in order to find the candidate that is most suitable. This will include potential returns you want to receive, assets that can be written off and become deductibles, switching between tax brackets or having access to the most affordable service in the North Sydney region.