How to choose a good accountant

For most entrepreneurs and owners of a small or medium company (SME), an accountant is someone who, in addition to keeping the accounting books, is their advisor and even their confidant in business matters. Therefore, it is important to find a person who is not only a good professional, but who also builds confidence in you.

It can even be the case that the accountant takes charge of both your company and your personal financial situation; of course, without mixing. Therefore, it can be said that the choice of the ideal candidate is not a minor matter.

Some entrepreneurs start this search through references given by other owners, especially those whose business operates in the same industry. Thus, they ensure that you are a professional who dominates the sector.

The first recommendation is to hire the services of an American accountant before starting the operations of your company. If you do not have a special budget to integrate it full time into your work team, the best option is someone external (via outsourcing) to manage your affairs from his office.

According to Efraín Lechuga Santillán, founder and CEO of Grupo Empresarial ISEF, a good accountant must be titled and independent, that is, he or she does not have a permanent position in a company. The objective is that it is at your disposal and always aware of the tax movements that you report, either in person, by phone or via email.

The functions of an accountant include: carrying out a procedure (such as obtaining a license or permit), keeping you informed regarding changes in tax laws, advising you to make monthly and annual declarations, registering and canceling, be the link with different government agencies, advise you before making the purchase of machinery or equipment, among other tasks.

Regarding his experience, he investigates how many years he has been working on his own and which companies or individuals make up his client portfolio. Go further and interview them to make sure they are someone serious and responsible.

“Every independent accountant must have knowledge in the area of ​​sales, finance, administration, and master accounting and tax aspects, in addition to issues related to public and personal relations. And of course, he must be able to give useful advice to the owner of a business so that the company is on the right track creating consistent future scenarios,” says Lechuga.

It is also important that you know what the accountant's specialty is to make sure that it is related to the line of business of your company. If you are a furniture maker, your tax affairs will likely be very different from that of a restaurateur or a dentist.

If you already have some candidates in mind, interview them. When you have found the right person, the first thing you should do is get them familiar with your business operations. From the outset, it allows you to know the billing amount, the number of collaborators that make up your team and explain the type of operations that are commonly carried out.

Based on the assigned workload, together discuss your fees and benefits . "A good accountant is not the one who charges a lot, but the one who knows how to advise and take advantage of electronic means - such as specialized fiscal software - to simplify his work," says Lechuga.

Finally, don't forget that communicationIt is vital to avoid accounting problems in your business. Talk constantly with your accountant and agree on what you expect from him and what he should expect from you.