If you need financial statements prepared, you should use a professional accountant.
The financial statements of companies usually include the following: income statements, balance sheets, statements of retained earnings and cash flow, and other financial summaries.
How to Find Great Financial Statement Preparation Services
The best way to deal with financial statements is to hire an accountant. The following tips will help you find a qualified professional accountant to prepare your financial statements.
- Research and receive a referral. Ask business colleagues, your bank or an attorney to refer you to a skilled accountant. You can usually find information published by the Society of Certified Public Accountants in your state. Remember that you need a reliable professional for financial statement preparation services.
- Interview all the candidates. You will need two meetings with the accountants – one at your site and one at theirs.
Since there are three categories of accounting services, you should know for sure that the accountant you hire can deals with financial statement preparation, specifically with the type of report you need.
- Make sure that the accountant’s style is compatible with yours. Ask the candidates how they would handle situations relevant to your business.
- Ask about their fee. Accounting companies usually charge per hour. Still, there are others that work with a monthly retainer. Make a comparison between the fees of the accounting companies and choose the one that fits your budget.
Your decision should not be based only on the price. The accountant who charges higher is usually more experienced and able to work better and faster than an inexperienced accountant who charges less in order to attract clients.
- Ask for references. When you receive references and call the companies the accountant has worked for, you will find out valuable information about how their professionalism. A lack of references is a red flag. It could mean that either the candidate is inexperienced or that his/her work is not satisfying.
You can find the right accountant for financial statement preparation if you do your research. Hiring an accountant with references and good professional reputation can save you money in the long run.