Choosing the right accountant is very important for businesses of all sizes.
It's interesting, yet alarming that anybody can call themselves an accountant. Few business owners ask many questions around the certification and qualifications of potential accountants. In fact, people often choose the first one they find, or the one closest to their business. This is potentially a big mistake. Ensure that any potential accountants are qualified through one of the main associations/bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), or the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Membership of official governing bodies will often mean that your accountant can be held responsible should anything go wrong (*touch wood* it doesn’t). If they are members of ICAEW for example, they should have indemnity insurance. 
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Ideally an accountant will add ‘financial value’ to your business, acting like an advisor as well as an accountant or bookkeeper (like Mitchell Charlesworth, who are excellent in my experience). Meet with a number of accountants before choosing one. This is rarely done, but it’s important to be selective and to allocate enough time to the hiring process. A good accountant will not only look after annual records and taxes, they should ideally also look into finding appropriate business grants and even tax relief schemes.
It’s also important of course, to see how the accountant will charge and invoice you. Do they charge an annual amount with fixed fees? or do they charge an hourly rate? Most people would prefer fixed fees, at least then you can factor this in to your business plan and, ironically, your accounts. Choose someone who knows your business sector well if possible - with no conflicts of interest. Do they have specialist knowledge that could help you market, expand and make your business as profitable as possible?
Make sure choosing an accountant is not just an after-thought. It can be a pivotal decision in optimising the chances of your business becoming successful. As a personal trainer for the last 10 years, I can't emphasise how important this is!
Personal trainer in the Liverpool and Wirral areas.
Specialise in martial arts training.
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