Are there things I should consider before I talk to you about being my CPA?

Yes. The more you understand about your needs, the better job we can do together of matching our services to those needs. Your first step is to decide what you want from us. Different CPA firms offer different levels of experience and provide different services. Prior to meeting with any CPA, EA or Accountant you are considering, you should review your present and future financial goals and needs. Some general questions you should ask yourself might be:

• Will you need help with personal financial issues, individual or corporate tax returns, retirement, estate, or college planning?
• Do you need financial statements prepared for your business? Must those statements be compiled or reviewed? Will you need special financial reports for government agencies?
• How comfortable are you in your own ability (or in the case of a business, your staff’s ability) to handle financial and operational needs? Do you want to do as much as possible in-house, or are you considering out-sourcing some of your bookkeeping, accounting, or CFO functions?
• Do you need help preparing a business plan or a personal or business loan application?
• Will your business need other services such as technology planning, strategic planning, process consulting, or costs analysis?