Four Suggestionsfor Finding A Tax Preparation Company

Recently a TV show of a small claims court featured a claim of a stolen tax refund. As the judge ferreted out the information, it came to light that the person who was contracted to prepare the return was not a licensed accountant. Rather, she was an individual who claimed to know about how to file and offered to help. She didn't even have a business license, business store, or website to indicate she was a professional.

While most individuals will not hire an individual without credentials for such an important task, finding a good mobile tax service company can be difficult. Tax preparation in Toronto can be very complicated if you own a business, large or small, or have other income producing investments. Following are 4 suggestions for finding an accountant:

Ask for References

References can be a great source of information. Everyone has to file returns. Ask your friends, coworkers, colleagues, family members, or neighbors for recommendations. Also, when you get the names of their providers, call and ask for a list of references that they can provide. Once you have their names, take the time to call them.

Ask Specific Questions

When you talk to the references, whether your know them or not, ask open-ended, specific questions to learn about the company. It's important to ask about the negative aspects as well as the positive so you can get a well-round picture. For example, you could ask:

*What specifically did you like about this company?
*What areas do you think they could have improved on in their service to you?
*How timely was their work?
*Were they easy to contact initially? When you had questions? If you had concerns?

Look for Credentials

Of course, it is important to make sure your accountant is properly certified. The business should have a business license and an accountant's license. They should have a location you can visit. If they are a mobile tax service, look for other signs that indicate their validity, such as a website, business cards, and business listing in the directory. Since bookkeeping in Toronto and financial laws are always changing, it is important find out what they have done to keep their knowledge of tax laws recent.

Learn about Their Areas of Expertise

Every accountant has different areas in which he or she excels. In fact, some accountants can provide help in other areas that will make a difference when it comes time to file a return. Different areas of expertise for tax preparation in Toronto include:

*Small business consulting
*Large business consulting
*Real estate investments
*Accounting and bookkeeping in Toronto
*Municipal law
*GST/HST returns
*Business plan development
*Business registration
*Personal