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A CPA can offer strategic advice and assistance in many aspects of your business. From choosing a business structure, filing your taxes, helping with business growth, assisting with IRS tax audits, or providing financial consulting, a certified professional accountant can be a great ally to your business, giving suggestions for business growth while staying up to date on ever-changing tax laws and regulations.

Even if you are already working with an accountant, it may be time to hire a CPA for a specific assignment or task. A CPA can perform many of the same tasks as an accountant while being able to offer specialty services such as preparing reviewed financial statements, audits, and IRS representation.

A qualified, experienced CPA can help advise on areas of growth for your business, assist with tax filing, save you and your business valuable time, and save you money in the long run.

Since 2012, Ageras has helped business owners find the best CPAs for their needs. Fill out our quick form and let us know how we can help your business. Compare 3 quotes from CPAs near you - easy, fast, and 100% free.

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  1. What do CPAs do?
  2. What is a Certified Public Accountant?
  3. How much does it cost to hire an accountant or CPA?
  4. How much do CPAs and accountants charge for tax help?
  5. Find A CPA Near You
  6. How much do CPAs charge?
  7. Contact us
  8. Do you have the best CPA for your needs?
  9. Get 3 free quotes for one of our services

What do CPAs do?

CPA Tax Services

For a CPA, an important area of service is advising clients about their tax strategies, as well as preparing their tax returns. Among these services are preparation and filing of federal, state, and local tax returns, and assisting organizations and individuals with minimizing their tax obligations. Clients can seek the assistance of their CPA firm during an IRS audit or when state or local tax authorities ask questions.

CPA Audit, Review, and Assurance Services

The primary responsibility of a CPA is to audit the books of clients. When a CPA evaluates the resulting financial statements of a client, the CPA will provide an auditor's opinion concerning the statements when they are distributed to third parties. An audit is a lesser form of a review, which clients may prefer due to its lower cost. Assurance services enhance the quality or context of both financial and non-financial information for decision-makers. The purpose of auditing is to ensure that financial and economic information is accurate and follows criteria such as generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

CPA Financial Management Services

CPAs may offer advice on financial planning, such as the best way to transfer a business to a buyer with the least amount of short-term tax impact. Clients may benefit from estate planning, which maximizes their ability to bequeath assets to recipients with the least amount of tax burden. Providing these services involves managing the daily activities of an organization or an individual as well as providing long-range and strategic planning. Among these services are cash management, budgeting, and financial planning; preparing financial statements; insurance coordination and risk management; and investment guidance.

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What is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)?

A CPA is a certified public accountant who provides a range of advisory services to clients. The audit is one of the only services that a CPA is specifically certified to do. Other accountants who are not certified public accountants can provide some of the same services. However, the CPA designation implies a high level of training and expertise, since he or she must undergo continuing professional education on an ongoing basis as well as pass periodic ethics examinations. When there are non-CPA competitors willing to provide the same services, the client may still choose the CPA firm because of these requirements.

Accounting professionals hold a four-year degree in accounting from an accredited university or college. An accountant can prepare, maintain, and examine financial statements for individuals, businesses, and institutions.

Accountants can also perform audits of public companies and prepare tax reports while assisting with tax preparation. Budgeting, analyzing profits and losses of a company, processing payroll, preparing financial statements for company leadership, and maintaining financial database systems are all common tasks.    

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation is not automatically awarded unless an individual passes the Uniform CPA Examination and receives the proper license. No matter if they are CPAs or not, accountants can assist businesses and individuals with bookkeeping and financial reporting, while CPAs are more knowledgeable about tax codes due to the CPA licensing examination and continuing education requirements.

If audit support from the IRS is needed, CPAs can also represent clients, while non-CPAs are not eligible. Accounting rates are affected by an accountant's experience, years in the field, and professional reputation.

Accountants who become Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) gain a higher level of respect from business contacts, colleagues, regulators, and clients. CPAs have met minimum education requirements, passed a rigorous four-part exam, and agreed to uphold a code of ethics.

The CPA designation remains one of the most sought-after and versatile credentials for accountants.

How much does it cost to hire an accountant or CPA?

Accountants' rates depend on their education, licenses, experience, and the work they are hired to perform. Accounting services can be charged hourly if a company or individual needs them on a short-term basis, such as when performing an audit or setting up a financial database. Depending on your geographic location and accountant, hourly rates can range from $40 to $300 or more. Please submit an inquiry to find out the average hourly rate for accounting services in your area.

Accounting firms may offer package rates for weekly, monthly, or annual services to reward repeat clients. There are many accountants who provide online accounting software and payroll assistance, and the accountant provides financial analysis and reporting of the numbers for monthly or other recurring fees.

Depending on what is included in a given package, the size of the client's business, and the scope of work, an accountant might charge anywhere from $75 to $500 or more for basic monthly accounting services. On average, full-time staff accountants earn between $40,000 and $80,000, depending on their experience and other factors.

Accounting is a serious business, whether you're an individual or a business. It is for this reason that most people entrust their finances to a certified public accountant (CPA). While many consumers and businesses could benefit from a CPA's services, some of them are intimidated by the potential cost of a CPA and related accounting fees. You may think you'll save money by handling your accounting or taxes yourself, but you will probably end up paying more in extra taxes or penalties down the road than you initially saved.

How much do accountants charge for tax help?

The cost of hiring a professional accountant to prepare your taxes will depend on your circumstances and the tax forms you are required to file.

Individual tax preparation services cost on average $242, and prices typically range from $137 to $454. There are several factors that can affect how much an accountant will charge for tax assistance, however. Get quotes from at least three certified public accountants (CPAs) near you to obtain an accurate price estimate. 

If you are self-employed and need a CPA to prepare a Form 1040 itemized with Schedule C and a state tax return, the average fee rises to $457.

You should keep in mind that these are average fees; the cost will be different if part of your tax filings are under special cases and take longer for the accountant to complete. The accountant may charge you more in consultation fees and overtime work in these circumstances.

Even though you can save money by doing your taxes on your own rather than hiring a professional, working with a CPA has many advantages. The software used by tax professionals is much more sophisticated than that sold to consumers. Programs such as these can scan financial information quickly and organize data accurately, thus reducing the possibility of errors.

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Small Businesses CPA

Financial and tax advisors are essential for all businesses, no matter how small. You need a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for your business, not just an accountant or an enrolled agent. Choose a CPA firm that includes a bookkeeper and accountant. You can then separate the routine financial work from tax and financial analysis performed by the CPA. Alternatively, you can hire a bookkeeper for those monthly, quarterly and yearly financial reports, then periodically consult your CPA about your business taxes. You can also request that a CPA review and sign off on your tax return if it was prepared by an accountant under the CPA's direction. Have you considered handling your business taxes yourself to save money? Remember that the tax law is complex and it's possible to overlook something important or make a mistake. Get professional help with your business taxes. Paying a CPA now is better than paying a CPA later to help you sort out a mess or accompany you to an audit.

Tax CPA

Accounting services provided by a CPA go beyond tax preparation and include more in-depth tax planning. If you need ongoing accounting support or seasonal assistance during your busiest seasons, a CPA can add value to your tax strategy and finances in general. Tax preparation for small businesses is usually combined with additional tasks, such as checking for financial discrepancies, auditing individual accounts, establishing budgets with CEOs and CFOs, and representing clients before the IRS.

CPAs for Audit

In public accounting, a certified public accountant is primarily responsible for auditing client financial statements and issuing an opinion on those statements. Auditors review and evaluate financial statements prepared by management as an unbiased third party. An opinion of the financial statements is provided by the CPA based on the audit, disclosing any material misstatements. All public companies are required by the SEC to have their financial statements audited by a CPA firm before they are released to shareholders and the public.

Find A CPA Near You

It's often time-consuming and frustrating to decipher IRS rules and forms, so hiring a CPA or tax pro can help. Unfortunately, hiring the wrong person could do more harm than good.

An experienced CPA or tax professional can relieve you of the time-consuming and frustrating task of deciphering IRS rules and forms.
As with most service providers, asking for a referral is a great way to find a CPA or accountant. However, don't just take the first name you hear. Make a list of three to four accountants. 

Visit the website and social media accounts of your potential CPA or tax preparer to find out what they post. Check Yelp, Google, Angie's List, Thervo, and Facebook for online reviews. See what comes up when you Google their name-and make sure you read the first few pages of search results.

After you've selected the most promising prospects, reach out and set up a meeting as soon as possible. 

Bring your most recent tax return with you to your first meeting with a potential accountant. Your tax pro will be able to assess your situation once they review your latest return. This will give you an idea of what you might expect to pay.

You may want to consider looking outside of your geographic location if you can't find a tax preparer or CPA that you feel comfortable working with near you. You don't have to work with CPAs and tax advisors in your town, even though many people prefer face-to-face meetings.

You are ultimately responsible for your tax return, regardless of who prepares it. Before signing a tax return, make sure it is accurate. Do not be afraid to ask questions if you're uncertain about something. Signing your return is an affirmation under penalty of perjury that it is accurate and contains no errors.

This tax season, make sure you choose a reputable tax professional and review their work carefully.

Ageras' large-scale, comprehensive network lets us find help for businesses of every size, every industry, and every corner of the country. Our network of CPAs, accountants, and auditors spans all across the United States. We can find the best CPA near you - simply fill out the form and let us know the help you need.

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Finding a CPA can be difficult a task. With many professional accountants near you, it can be hard to decide how to choose the right expert to meet your needs. When deciding on how to choose a CPA, it is important to think about how to find someone who is familiar or specialized with your business's industry and line of work.

US tax laws and regulations are always changing, so it is important to find a professional who is knowledgable about your trade. Reading customer reviews, asking about experience, making sure that they are using your preferred accounting software are all important in hiring a qualified CPA that will work for you and your business.

The location of your preference is also something to keep in mind, as many CPAs and accountants are able to now work remotely. If you've only worked with accountants locally in your area, virtual work is a new option to think about.

You also may already have hired a general accountant, so you might be wondering if it is necessary to hire a CPA. CPAs can perform many tasks that accountants cannot, so it is important to evaluate the task at hand and see if a CPA would be a better fit to do the job.

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