I’m a very empathetic person — so much so that sometimes I break out in a cold sweat worrying about people I will never meet. Will they ask the right questions when they go to an accountant? Once again I’ve put together a list of questions for you to ask.
- How often should I consult with you about my taxes?
- What sort of events in my life are important for you to know? (Births and marriages present fundamental changes to your filing status, but is there anything else?)
- Can I deduct my car or mileage?
- Are you going to advise me on what deductions I can take?
- Do you do the return yourself, or is your team going to handle it?
- What if I didn’t pay my taxes for a couple of years?
- Can you negotiate a payment arrangement to the IRS? How can I separate my business and personal expenses? (You can also read our article!)
- I don’t expect much, if anything, to change about my income. Can you help me anticipate the upcoming year? (Changing your withholding can reduce the amount you owe, but also ruin your finances)
- How can you help me grow my business?
- For the questions you can’t answer, can you recommend a financial advisor to follow up with?
I think for most people, the goal is to find an accountant who knows you so well that you completely abandon the use of language together, instead relying on gestures and grunts. Until you reach that sweet spot, these questions will pave the way!
Don’t forget that while Tax Day approaches, any new accountant you hire will have you file an extension. These are not scary, but people often forget that they’re supposed to send their payment with the extension — but now that you have an excellent accountant, I’ll let her explain it to you.
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