Small Business Services
Being the time of year that the tax season begins in Canada, you may find yourself being contacted by corporate tax preparers, keen to sell their services by offering quick turnaround times and hefty refunds. But before committing, it’s certainly worth checking out the credentials of such providers to make sure that the service that they offer is one that can actually benefit you and your small business. Here are some pointers to consider before you choose your corporation tax preparation service provider.
Do they offer adequate follow-up services?
The process doesn’t necessarily stop after your tax return has been filed, as many returns need some form of follow-up action. You therefore need to ensure that your tax preparer will still be available to support you on an ongoing basis, without leaving the follow-up to their juniors or clerks who are unlikely to have the first-hand knowledge of your situation that they have.
What credentials do they have?
You ideally want to employ the services of a Tax Attorney, a Certified Financial Planner or a Certified General Accountant. Such professions are bound by a professional code of conduct and are qualified and experienced in tax affairs so that you can trust in the quality of the advice that they offer you. What’s more, tax professionals understand the fact that your tax situation is inextricably linked to your wider financial situation, goals and objectives and can therefore offer you tax strategies that help you to achieve them.
Check out their history
Do some investigative work so that you can be confident that your corporate tax preparer has not had any historical issues or complaints, such as disciplinary action being taken again them. As part of this, make sure that they are a member of an overseeing body as this will give you vital protection should your tax preparer make an error on your tax return.
Don’t fall for golden promises
You need to be certain of the honesty and integrity of your tax preparer. It’s not unheard of for preparers to falsify information that is submitted to the CRA or to direct refunds due to you to themselves instead. Don’t be fooled by offers of too-good-to-be-true returns or timescales and use your common sense and intuition.
Due to the sheer numbers of corporate tax preparers offering their services, it can be confusing and overwhelming when choosing the right person for your small business. Being guided by the five tips above should help you to navigate this tricky area and find a tax preparer that you are confident in and can work effectively with. Talk to us, we can help.