How to Interview an Accountant

Having a CPA makes your financial management easier.

A Certified Public Accountant or CPA can help you manage your personal finances or the finances of your business. Before you get to the stage of interviewing potential CPAs, ask around. Talk to other business owners and individuals about their CPAs and how knowledgeable and helpful they are. Personal references like this are a good indicator of whether or not a particular CPA will be a benefit to your company or to you personally. After asking around and compiling a list of potential candidates, start calling them to schedule interviews.

Instructions

Questions to Ask When Interviewing an Accountant

1. Ask the candidate how long he has been in accounting. You want an accountant with experience navigating the financial world, not on that has recently entered the world of finance.

2. Ask the potential candidate how many accountants are in his firm. You want an accountant that is part of a team; they share information and are more informed about changes in the financial world than those that work alone.

3. Ask her if she knows the local IRS auditors. When you are audited, your CPA plays a large role. She works with the IRS and can save you money by taking care of the audit process fast. If she does not have experience dealing with the IRS, it can be a long and expensive process.

4. Ask the potential CPA how he calculates his fees. Some CPAs charge a set fee, others percentages. Know how much each candidate is going to cost you.

5. Ask who the candidate's target client is. If you are looking for a CPA for your business and your candidate prefers to work mainly with individuals and personal finance, she is probably not the right CPA for you.

6. Ask if he has any questions that you should have asked but didn't. This gives the candidate an opening to speak freely and gives you additional information about the services he offers and his past experience in accounting.

Tips & Warnings

• You are choosing an employee to handle your money; she should be available to you within reason. If you have a hard time scheduling an interview with a candidate, this is a sign that she will not be available to you, and you don't want to hire her as your CPA.

References

• Shane and Peter: 50 Questions to Ask When Interviewing an Accountant
• Ira Freed: Benefits of Having an Experienced CPA Involved With Your Business