This is a great question. Maybe you’re wondering if you should? A number of calls I get from people looking for an accountant are because they already have one and they’re not happy.
Why? There are a number of reasons that come up ranging from un-met expectations to new requirements in their business. Here is a more specific example that regularly frustrates clients…Their accountant was late with their year-end and tax. As a result, they didn’t get their filing done on time and so had to pay interest and/or penalties.
To be fair, sometimes the client has a part to play. Last year I started to ask a client for their books about a week after their year-end. I finally received them two weeks before the filing deadline. Needless to say, by the time we went back and forth with requests for more information their corporate tax return was done just days before the payment deadline. Not fun for anyone.
But sometimes the accountant is just too busy. How do you know the difference between an accountant who’s too busy and not getting your books to your accountant in time? Communication. Was your accountant in contact? Did they respond to you in a timely manner when you asked questions? Were you given all the info you needed to complete your part of the tax fining process? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’, then it’s time to shop. But before you do that, make sure you’ve talked to your current accountant. It’s only fair that you let them know the problem so they can do something about it.