3 Signs you need a bookkeeper or accountant

Still not sure if you should get someone to help you with your books? Here are three signs that it's time to get help with your finances:

Your taxes are complicated. If you have multiple sources of income, foreign stocks, a lot of deductions, or other things that make your taxes too hard to handle on your own, it's time to hire an accountant. An accountant can save you hours of work and help you stay on top of important things like payroll, tax deductions, and tax files.

You spend too much time doing the books: If you spend so much time on accounting chores that you can't work on growing your business or making sure your current customers are happy, you're hurting your company. Long-term, you might make more money if you leave accounting to the experts and focus on your business's growth.

Your business is getting bigger. If your business is small, you might be able to handle the finances on your own, but if it's growing, it might be time to get some help. You could hire a bookkeeper to balance the books once a month and a CPA to do your taxes as a first step. Then, when you need more help with your books, hire someone.

Whether you hire an accountant, a bookkeeper, or both, make sure they are qualified by asking for client references, checking for qualifications, or giving them screening tests.