Hiring Guide
A good accountant doesn't just file numbers — they help you understand your financial position, catch errors before they become problems, and build systems that grow with you. The gap between a high-quality accounting advisor and a mediocre one isn't always visible on a resume, but it shows up quickly when you're facing a tax deadline, preparing financials for investors, or navigating a compliance question. The AICPA reports approximately 665,000 licensed CPAs in the United States — but the most important distinction isn't just CPA vs. non-CPA. It's whether the person you're hiring has the right type of expertise for your specific situation. A bookkeeper who reconciles bank accounts is not the same as a CPA who structures multi-entity tax optimization. An accountant who specializes in SaaS revenue recognition thinks differently about your books than one who works primarily with restaurants or retail. Matching the credential and specialization to the actual need is the first and most important decision you'll make when hiring an accounting expert. This guide covers what to look for when vetting an accounting professional, the questions that surface whether they have the right depth and judgment for your situation, and the warning signs that separate careful, proactive professionals from those who will cost you more than they save.
The official AICPA directory to verify whether an accountant holds a valid CPA designation.
Verify that a tax professional is a licensed Enrolled Agent authorized to represent clients before the IRS.
Professional body for CMAs (Certified Management Accountants) — useful for verifying management accounting credentials.
Use these in an intro call or first session to quickly assess fit and expertise.
1.What credentials do you hold, and what does each specifically qualify you to do for my situation?
Why it matters: CPA, EA, CMA, and bookkeeper are very different roles with different scopes and IRS recognition. Understanding exactly what their credentials qualify them to do — and what falls outside their scope — avoids the costly mismatch of hiring someone for tasks beyond their qualifications or paying for a credential you don't need.
2.Do you have direct experience with my industry, business model, and stage?
Why it matters: Industry fit means fewer explanations, faster work, and materially fewer errors. An accountant who has served your type of business understands the sector-specific revenue recognition rules, tax treatment, and compliance requirements without having to research them on your time. The wrong industry fit creates expensive gaps.
3.Can you look at my current financial situation and tell me the top two or three things you'd address first?
Why it matters: This practical diagnostic reveals whether they actually analyze your numbers or default to generic statements. A strong accounting advisor will identify specific, concrete issues almost immediately — not because they're guessing, but because pattern recognition from similar clients makes the gaps visible quickly.
4.How do you handle errors — if something was filed incorrectly or a reconciliation contains a mistake?
Why it matters: Mistakes happen in any practice. The answer reveals whether they take ownership, have a clear correction process, and communicate proactively — or deflect, minimize, and wait for you to discover the problem. Accountability on errors is one of the clearest signals of a professional who operates with integrity.
5.What's your capacity like during tax season, and how do you ensure existing clients don't get deprioritized?
Why it matters: January through April is the period when your accounting advisor matters most. An accountant who has overstretched their practice will rush your return, miss filing deadlines, or be simply unavailable when you have urgent questions. Understanding how they manage peak capacity tells you whether you'll be protected when it counts.
6.What tax planning strategies do you typically recommend for businesses at my stage, and have you implemented them for clients like me?
Why it matters: Separates strategic advisors from compliance processors. A strong tax-aware accountant will name specific strategies — entity structure optimization, retirement account contributions, timing of deductions, QSBS qualification — rather than giving generic answers. Ask them to give you a concrete example from a similar client.
7.What information or financial metrics are you going to want me to track going forward that I'm probably not tracking now?
Why it matters: Reveals the gap between your current financial visibility and what a sophisticated accounting advisor needs to do their best work. Great accountants prescribe better data hygiene — not to create more work, but because better inputs produce better advice and catch problems earlier.
8.How do you stay current on tax law changes, and how do you communicate changes that affect my situation?
Why it matters: Tax law changes constantly. An accountant who only updates their knowledge at annual CPE courses and doesn't proactively inform clients when a rule change affects them is creating compliance risk. You want someone who flags changes that affect you before you encounter them — not after.
Sessions are structured and detail-oriented. Your accountant will review your current books, financial statements, or specific records, then walk through the issues, errors, or improvements needed. Expect precise, compliance-focused feedback with clear next steps — not vague financial advice.
GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles)
GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) is the standard framework of accounting rules used for financial reporting in the United States. Publicly traded companies are required to report under GAAP; many private companies must as well when seeking investment, bank financing, or preparing for acquisition.
Accrual Accounting
Accrual accounting is a method of recording revenues and expenses when they are earned or incurred — regardless of when cash actually changes hands. It provides a more accurate picture of a business's financial position than cash-basis accounting.
Balance Sheet
A balance sheet is a financial statement showing a company's assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time. It follows the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. It is one of the three core financial statements, alongside the income statement and cash flow statement.
Depreciation
Depreciation is the accounting process of allocating the cost of a tangible asset (equipment, vehicles, buildings) over its useful life. Rather than expensing the full cost in the year of purchase, depreciation spreads the expense across multiple years, matching costs with the revenue the asset helps generate.
Accounts Receivable (AR)
Accounts receivable (AR) is money owed to a business by its customers for products delivered or services rendered but not yet paid for. It appears as a current asset on the balance sheet and represents the business's legal right to collect payment.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Accounting & CPA selection · Reviewed March 2026