Question by swinsor: So, I’m starting a small craft business, what are the benefits of using an accountant over H&R Block?
It’s a small home based business, proprietorship, no employees, except me. I’ll make crafts and sell them out of various craft/gift stores. Do I need an accountant? What for?
Best answer:
Answer by dj
First of all, the only time you need an accountant is at tax time. Find a good one– get referrals. H&R Block was recently cited as having a huge error rate– and you never know who you’ll get when you go, a good preparer or a bad one.
For the rest of the year, get yourself a really good full-charge bookkeeper, and pay him/her to help you set up your books. If you don’t want to do the bookkeeping yourself, hire them, though that’s an extra expense a small start-up business usually doesn’t need.
DON’T have a CPA do your books– it’s not what they do, and they generally don’t like doing it, which means you’ll often get poor service. A good bookkeeper is worth their weight in gold.
BTW, never, NEVER give anyone else signing authority on your checking account– that’s an invitation for them to steal from you.
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