CPA

The following discussion is intended to help you in selecting your next CPA and provide you with some background and information about who we are and what we can offer.

CHOOSING YOUR CPA

Selecting a CPA is one of the more important decisions a company can make. You will be relying on your CPA to provide business guidance, tax compliance, financial statements, and financial planning. If you make the wrong choice it will cost you either in lost opportunities or needlessly high accounting fees.

The first criterion to consider in selecting a CPA is the size and type of accounting firm that will be best suited to your needs. Your choices range from sole practitioners all the way up to international firms employing thousands of accountants.

At a small firm you receive personal attention and moderate fees however, resources of a sole practitioner are limited. At the high end of the scale you have firms that can handle public offerings, mergers of multinational corporations and possess almost unlimited technical resources. The disadvantages of larger firms are that the personal attention may be absent and fees reflect the cost of the resources available to you.

Small to medium-sized businesses that are privately owned should look for a small to medium-sized accounting firm. A small firm can provide the personal service that an owner-controlled business needs. A firm that services many small and medium sized businesses should have sufficient resources to meet your needs. Also, the fees are normally lower for smaller firms.

Geographically dispersed businesses should consider a regional firm to handle your needs. They have the staff needed to simultaneously handle many locations for audit and management consulting engagements. They are also able to provide greater technical resources than a smaller firm. Of course, you have to pay for the increased resources.

Companies planning an IPO (initial public offering) need a national or international accounting firm. They are staffed to handle SEC registrations and audits, their reputations are well known to the investing public, and they offer the greatest range of management services available.

The second criterion to consider is whether the firms you are interested in have the expertise to service your business. Ask if the CPA has handled businesses similar to yours. If not, who will pay for them to learn about your type of business?

If your needs are time sensitive, will the CPA firm respond when you need them? Do not hesitate to ask questions about the background and training of the accountants that will be handling your work. If you have any special concerns, be sure to bring those out in your initial discussions to prevent surprises later.

The final criterion is your personal feeling concerning the accountants you choose. You should feel comfortable with them and communicate easily. If the chemistry is not right your chance of a long and successful relationship is not good.

ABOUT US

Our practice was founded in 1976 with two clients and an office filled with borrowed furniture and equipment. Since then we have grown over five hundred clients. We serve small to medium-sized businesses and individuals with a diverse range of services. Our clients include, retailers, wholesalers, restaurants, sole proprietorships, partnerships, professional services, apartment complexes, and individual executives.

Most of our growth over the last thirty-three years has come from referrals from existing clients. This is due, in part, to our belief that if you treat a client as a friend and take pride in your work, your reward is excellent client relationships and referrals.

Among the services we offer are:

	Tax Compliance - Preparation of corporate, partnership, trust and individual tax returns.
	External Controller - Many smaller businesses cannot afford a full time controller. In these instances we provide ongoing counsel regarding major business decisions, help in dealing with government agencies, periodic bookkeeping and financial statement preparation, payroll record keeping, and help your staff in structuring and monitoring financial information systems.
	Financial Educator - We believe that an informed client is better able to spot new opportunities or avoid problems than any outside CPA. Toward this goal we maintain an ongoing program of client information and education through newsletters, seminars and one on one counseling. It is not our intention to turn you into a CPA, but to give you the expertise to be able to spot problems or opportunities. We can then help you solve your problem or take advantage of the opportunity.
	Planner and adviser - Our experience is that fewer than 10% of all small businesses have formal operating plans or budgets. It is also our experience that businesses that do prepare plans and budgets are more successful. If you really want to anticipate cash requirements, staffing requirements, growth requirements, profits, and reduce taxes, you must plan. We can help you prepare your initial projections and budgets. Later, we can help you in monitoring your results and making corrections.
	Information Technology Consultant - We purchased our first computer in 1978. It was a very large and noisy DEC® PDP8 that taught us more about computers and computing than we initially expected. During the subsequent twenty-six years we have acquired the expertise to help small businesses install and maintain their accounting and information systems. We currently support QuickBooks®, and Peachtree Complete Accounting® through various advisor programs.

IN CONCLUSION

The final decision is yours. If you thoughtfully approach the task of locating a CPA and you carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each prospective firm, We are sure your choice will be a correct one.