What Questions Should I Ask My Accountant?

Whether you're meeting an accountant for the first time or you've worked with the same one for years, the right questions get you better service. Most people don't ask enough. Here are the ones worth raising, both when you're choosing and once you're settled in.

Before you sign up

Ask who will actually handle your work, what's included in the fee, and what counts as an extra. Find out how they like to communicate and how quickly they tend to reply. Ask whether they've worked with businesses like yours. None of these are awkward questions, and a good accountant will be glad you asked rather than defensive.

Questions that save you money

Once a year, ask the simple one: am I paying more tax than I need to? Then go further. Are there reliefs or allowances I'm missing? Would a different structure suit me better? Am I claiming everything I'm entitled to? You're not trying to dodge anything, you're making sure you're not leaving money on the table out of ignorance.

Questions about the future

Accountants are often treated as historians who tidy up last year's numbers. The good ones help you look forward. Ask what your figures say about the health of the business, whether now is a sensible time to invest or hire, and what you should be putting aside for tax. A quick forward-looking conversation is often the most valuable half hour of the year.

Questions when something changes

Big moments deserve a phone call before, not after. Thinking of buying a van, taking on staff, going limited, or crossing the VAT threshold? Ask first. The order you do things in can change your tax bill, and it's far easier to plan ahead than to fix it later.

If you've got questions piling up and nobody to ask, that's reason enough to talk to someone. We're always happy to answer them for businesses around Garforth and Leeds, even the ones you think might be daft.