The Wisdom of the Gaucho

Considering the proximity to the dreaded April 15 th date you may be on the lookout for a Certified Public Accountant for yourself or your business. Choosing a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a difficult decision. Along with your stock broker, banker, and tax preparer, who you choose as the CPA for your individual or business needs can have a strong financial impact upon you. You are placing a great deal of faith in this individual, and you should take steps to ensure you're picking a good apple.  Here are some steps you can take to make sure you locate a reputable, competent, knowledgeable CPA:  1 - It's all about the letters. Make sure that you select a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). A CPA has an undergraduate college degree that includes a large amount of accounting courses, passed a grueling 17 hour test, completed 2 years of selected experience under the supervision of another CPA, and attends 40 hours of training per year (known as Continuing Profe...

As tax season rapidly approaches, it's good to dispel a few rumors, assumptions, and preconceived notions about your tax accountant or tax preparer. Here are just a few things to keep in mind as you're interacting with your tax professional this tax season. These are five statements that your tax accountant could probably make if they were being one hundred percent honest with you, as well as some ideas on how to alleviate the situation. I didn't actually do any of the work on your tax return. That sharply dressed professional you met with and handed over your shoebox of receipts to probably didn't do any of the work preparing your return. The work was done by an entry level accountant, the lowest person on the totem pole in the office. Hopefully this was still a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or someone with at least a four year accounting degree, but it may be someone who's not even that qualified or has a year or less of experience. After being pr...