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There are over 1.1 million accountants in the United States today. 1 in 10 accountants are self-employed, with a large number are licensed Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Accountants help to ensure that the Nation’s firms are run efficiently, its public records kept accurately, and its taxes paid properly and on time. Accountants perform these vital functions by offering an increasingly wide array of business and accounting services to their clients.
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| Public accountants perform a broad range of accounting, auditing, tax, and consulting activities for their clients, who may be corporations, governments, nonprofit organizations, or individuals. Public accountants, many of whom are Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), generally have their own businesses or work for public accounting firms. CPA's are required to have at least a bachelor's degree, as well as be certified by the state they are employed in. Although financial software and information available through the Internet have made day-to-day fiscal housekeeping easier for many small businesses, the services of an accountant are still as essential as ever. And picking the right accountant for a firm is as important as ever. But that can be a tough assignment for an entrepreneur who has no experience choosing a business accountant. However, accounting professionals say there are steps a small-business owner can take to increase the odds of getting a good match. First check the obvious, by checking if the accountants under consideration are licensed to practice in your state and belong to professional organizations that help keep them abreast of the latest developments in their field.
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The selection process can be narrowed further by asking other business people, particularly people who also are in your industry, for recommendations.
In the final decision, however, it's the CPA's chemistry with you, not with someone else in your industry, that matters most.
Make sure your prospective CPA is someone you're comfortable with because you're establishing a relationship that can get to be quite intimate. Make sure they have the expertise you need, that they really work with startups or small businesses.The expertise an accountant brings to your business should extend beyond the ability to figure your taxes.
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