Many people tend to think that hiring a tax consultant is for the rich, but this isn’t the case. Hiring a tax consultant can save you money, time, and give you peace of mind. Unfortunately, hiring the right tax consultant can be quite a hectic job because there are plenty of them in the market.
In this article, we give you tips to help you choose the right tax consultant for your business. Let’s delve into them.
1. Pay attention to the consultant’s credentials and qualifications
The credentials of the tax consultant you intend to hire really matter. A tax consultant should have qualifications that attest to their ability to help you with your tax needs. This can include a number of things, including:
- Membership in professional organizations
- Relevant certifications
- IRS employment experience
A good tax consultant should also have accounting-related professional qualifications to enable them to tackle complex cases.
2. Experience
One of the most important factors you need to pay attention to when hiring a tax consultant is experience. Tax consulting is not an easy thing. That’s why it is crucial to hire someone who has extensive experience and expertise in the field of taxes. This will significantly benefit your business.
If you want to gauge the experience level of the tax consultant, you need to ask him or her the number of years they have been offering tax consulting services. The more the number of years, the more experienced he or she is.
3. Reputation
The next crucial thing you need to pay attention to when hiring a tax consultant. What are people saying about this particular tax consultant? This is where online reviews come in. You need to read them to understand what people are saying about the consultant.
Through the reviews, you can know a tax consultant before you even meet them in person. If you check the consultant’s website page and you don’t find any information, that should raise an alarm. Ask the consultant to give you contacts of their references so that you can contact them and ask them about their experience working with that particular tax consultant.
4. Check the services offered by the tax consultant
You also need to consider some of the services that a tax advisor offers. Once you have done that, you need to determine the kind of services you need then check if the tax advisor is offering them. Some of the most common services offered by tax consultants include:
- Preparing tax returns for companies and individuals
- Preparing monthly, quarterly, or annual business statements
- Bookkeeping
- Offering professional advice regarding financial matters
- Auditing services
- Help with creditors and debtors
5. License
Another essential factor you need to consider when choosing a tax consultant is license. A good tax consultant must be licensed. Having a license proves that the consultant has qualified to be a tax consultant, and can, therefore, offer tax consulting services. In addition to that, the consultant must have a license from your state. That’s because each state has its own licensing requirements. So before you hire a tax consultant for your business, ask them to show you their valid license.
6. Availability
Of course, when choosing a tax consultant, you want to ensure that he or she will always be available for you regardless of whether it is tax season or not. Most consultants usually close or reduce hours with the end of tax season. This can make it pretty difficult to get the assistance you need outside of the tax season. The IRS usually sends letters all through the year. And if you have any queries or further assistance after the tax season, you may want to hire a tax consultant who is available most of the time, if not all around the year.
7. Cost
Finally, you need to pay attention to cost when hiring a tax consultant. Tax consultants generally charge differently for their services. That’s why you need to ask around from at least three different tax consultants and get their quotes. Then you can choose the one with fees that suit your budget. However, this doesn’t mean that you should hire a tax consultant with the lowest rates; they could be offering low-quality services or are very inexperienced in the field of tax.