For many business owners, having a great accountant will reduce the level of stress they carry and save them money. Whether you are a small business, a sole trader, or a medium-sized enterprise, working with a good accountant or accounting service that helps you to get to your goals faster and more effectively should be on the top of your to-do list. But how do you find an accountant?

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First, when looking for an accountant in London or anywhere in the UK, you need to ask yourself some questions about what you need and why. With these answers and a few well-placed queries, you should be able to find exactly the type of accountant you need.

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What Kind of Accountants Do I Need and What Am I Looking For?

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When looking for accountants and bookkeepers, you need to be clear on how you are going to benefit by working with an accountant and the types of outcomes you want to see. If you need to, write it down to help clarify it.

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• Reducing the Burden

Are you looking for someone to reduce the burden that your accounting tasks are placing on you? If so, what tasks do you want to delegate?

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• Business Planning

Do you need an accountant to help you with numbers-based business planning? Scaling and growing a company can be difficult and you may need the expertise of an accountant to develop a realistic growth plan.

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• Saving Money

Any accountant you work with should be able to save you money through several different means including increasing efficiencies and saving on taxes.

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What Services Do I Need My Accountant to Offer?

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When you decide that working with an accountant is a good idea, they will want to know what type of services they will be performing. Consider these tasks before working with an accountancy and tax professional.

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• Financial Reporting

Accountants can prepare and present financial reporting relating to your business and its operations.

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• Tax Returns and Tax Planning

Whether you are dealing with corporation tax rules or the regulations that apply to a sole trader, the right accountant should be able to prepare and plan for tax time.

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• Bookkeeping and Data Entry

This may not be the best use of your chartered accountant’s time but bookkeeping and data entry are still crucial to your financial success. This financial information should be handled by an accounting professional.

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Do They Have Satisfied Clients (both prior and current)?

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A company’s prior and current client satisfaction is an important factor when searching for new business accountants. Look to reviews and their standing with the Office of Fair Trading to see how their clients rate their services.

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Are They Certified?

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There is a large difference between certified accountants and people that can do accounting work. Certified accountants have the education and accreditations to deal with all types of financial information properly and professionally.

How Do You Find the Right Accountant?

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Ask Colleagues, Family and Friends

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Business owners, family and friends who have good experiences with accountants and accountancy firms will be willing to share with you who they trust with their financial information.

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Research Accounting Firms Online

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The internet provides a wealth of information about businesses, firms, and individual accountants. Take the time to research if they have a good reputation and are well-accredited in their field.

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Call Accountants and Accountancy Firms and Ask Questions

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The best way to get your questions answered is as direct as possible. Call the firms or accountants you are considering working with and, armed with the answers to the questions above, ask about who would be right for you and your accounting needs. It is worth the effort to find the right accountant so do your due diligence.

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