What to look for in a tax agent?
An accountant can do your tax return each year provided they are a registered tax agent. When registered this implies that they have qualifications, are a member of a professional society with ethical and professional standards and have the relevant insurances to perform this role. You can check their registration at the online tax and BAS agent register. This type of accounting service is offered by suburban accountants and large accounting firms with local offices. If they are providing investment advice, they must have an AFS licence or be an authorised representative of an AFS licence holder. To check, go to the financial advisers register.
Help your tax to change and get better over time
A good accountant should be helping you to change your tax returns over time rather than having a similar looking tax return for years. They should be educating you on everything you can claim in your business or occupation. They should also help you to immediately implement new systems to improve your claims for next year such as advising you to keep more receipts in a certain area that you were unaware of for this year.
Are they on your side and assisting you with new ideas?
Help look at your overall picture
A good accountant should be referring you to improve your financial areas instead of just looking at your tax return. They should be a good encourager of investments, superannuation, personal insurances, succession planning, and banking/loan reviews. Is your accountant helping you with more than just your tax return? If not you may be able to have a more holistic approach.
Our firm practices a holistic approach by encouraging reviews of investments, superannuation, personal insurances, succession planning, and banking facilities and loans.
Are they available?
A good accountant will provide a consistent and reliable staff member for you to see on a long-term basis. There is nothing worse than having a different person to do it each year. That would not only be bad service but may lose some of the important information and general trust in your accountant.
As well as ensuring your important information is retained from year to year, you will likely receive a better service built on trust with deeper insight into your own and/or your business’s needs.
Are they getting back to you? Before engaging an accountant check to see that they are responsive to a call or a request for an appointment.
If you are a business client, are they an employee or are they a business owner who will naturally understand your business better.
Is their business easy to get to and have parking?
Are they good communicators?
Do they communicate well and explain it in a simple way for you to understand? Look at their online information of articles and videos to see how they communicate. Do you like the way that communicate and is this satisfactory?
How will they handle you in a tough situation?
Many accountants are great in the good times but can be uncompassionate and unhelpful when times are tough for individuals or business. An accountant should be well networked and supportive in these times by referring you to the right people or offering you some useful, practical suggestions.
Everyone at some time goes through new and challenging situations such as family health problems, job insecurities, new business start-ups. This is when you need your accountant’s help the most.
And tell you what’s ahead
From what your tax refund will be, to the next thing you need to do and expect. A good accountant will tell you how to look forward. For more information visit taxaccountingadelaide.com or call on 0883374460