Changing accountant
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If you're thinking of changing your accountant the good news is it's a very simple process, perhaps rather easier than you may have thought. |
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If your current accountants are not delivering what you expect from them then it probably makes sense to discuss your concerns with them and try to resolve them. If you've tried that and failed......read on. |
What do you need your accountant to do?
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Make a list of what you need your accountant to do both now and in the next few years. Businesses change as they grow and events such as selling up or buying a company happen from time to time, so your list should be current and forward looking. |
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Discuss your list with other business owners to see if you're missing anything. |
How do you find an accountant?
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There are several easy ways to find an accountant: |
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Word of mouth - who do your friends use? |
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Google and other search engines and LinkedIn |
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But beware - when you look at our websites WE ALL SAY MUCH THE SAME THING! |
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Arrange to meet some of the accountants you've found (if this meeting is not free then go elsewhere) and make a choice. Nine times out of ten this will be a gut feeling so be prepared to trust your instinct. |
The Paperchase
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The paperchase appears daunting but isn't. |
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The new accountant will contact the outgoing one by way of a "professional courtesy" letter. This is the process by which the relevant data that the old accountant has (tax returns and calculations, previous years' accounts, bookkeeping data etc.) is passed to the new accountant to take over. |
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In our experience it's rare that this process is difficult. |
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The second part of the paperchase involves the engagement letters (contracts) and proof of identity (you are who you say you are) procedures that all accountants have to follow when working with a new client for the first time. |
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Again, this should be routine. |
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By this stage you should be up and running and the real work begins. |
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If you're reading this then you're probably thinking about changing accountants. If you're a client of ours......go back to the top of the page and give us a ring! |
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If you're not a client of ours and you think we may be able to help you, please give us a call or use our enquiry form/our get a quick quote form. We'd like to help if we can. |