Must-Have Traits of Every Tax Accountant

Filling out taxes is a headache for most US citizens. But it’s an everyday job for some people too, and you can hire them to do the tax routine for your business. However, not all accountants are professional enough to deal with your business forms. If you want to avoid any problems, you should know how to define a professional tax accountant who won’t lead your business into trouble with the IRS. Here is a checklist of traits that your business accountant must possess.

1. Specialization in All Tax Types

Business taxes are overly complex for a person who doesn’t know how they work. Even a diploma in accounting doesn’t mean that an accountant can deal with them. Before hiring a professional, make sure that he or she is experienced in working with all the currently used business tax forms and understands how the tax processing works and changes over time.

2. Is Your Accountant Interested?

All businesses are different and have lots of unique features that may be important for filing the forms properly. The real pro must show interest, attention, and be critical to every number related to your enterprise. The accountants’ aim is to help you do everything right and avoid any problems in the future, so there’s no place for carelessness. That’s why they must ask questions to understand your business specifics. Remember – understanding of all the aspects is the only way for all accountants to do their job right.

3. Experience Working Other Businesses of Your Size

It’s important to understand that taxes for small and large businesses are totally different. As practice shows, professionals who are experienced at small business taxing can’t deal with taxes of large corporations without months or even years of practice. That’s why you have to hire only those specialists who have already worked with businesses of your scale before and have good recommendations from business owners.

4. Spotless Organization & Attention to Detail

All business taxes include multiple elements that require your accountant to gather all the needed information, fill out numerous forms without mistakes, and, of course, comply with the deadlines. None of these tasks are possible without keen attention and flawless workflow organization. Every mistake in your tax forms will lead to delays and significant monetary losses. Don’t hire a professional if you are not sure that he or she is not capable of making everything without mistakes.

5. An Excellent Communicator

Of course, an accountant must be exceptionally good at math. Still, it’s not enough to do the job. It’s also important to have high-level communication skills. Accountants must know how to communicate with you and your employees (if needed) to reduce the stressfulness of the process. Besides, they must inform you about each stage of the process to help you keep an eye on the progress.

6. Personalities Should Match

This requirement isn’t obligatory, but we recommend you to find an accountant who matches your temperament. It’s much easier to solve any problem if you sympathize with each other and see how to find the right personal approach.

7. Audit Capability

The perfect candidate must not only be a good accountant but also be able to represent you in an audit. It means that you have to consider 3 types of accountants, including a certified public accountant (CPA), an enrolled agent (EA), or an attorney.

Do Real Pros Exist?

Of course, they do, but it’s pretty difficult to find one and hire them in time. Flawless accountants are worth their weight in gold! Fortunately, they usually work for several companies, and you can agree on particular conditions. Do you have any experience working with tax accountants in small or large companies? Tell about it in the comments and share the guide with beginner company owners you know.