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Accounting, Small Business Accounting

Wake up and smell the coffee!: Small business accounting services that your accountant has-and you should be using

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“Shoot, if I had only known!”

How many times have you said that to yourself. If you had only known that your favorite restaurant had a free dessert Wednesday night or that suit you wanted was half price, yesterday, or that the radio station was giving away tickets to your favorite singer’s concert.

Oh, if only…

It’s a familiar lament but, sometimes, there are second chances to great opportunities. Those opportunities missed are aggravating because you realize that you’ve lost out on something beneficial to your life. However, there is a much more important opportunity that exceeds any dessert, suit or concert ticket. We are speaking of small business accounting, of course.

Your business pays the bills and may even be the main source of income for your employees. It is crucial to your life. Don’t take the accounting and bookkeeping services your accountant has to offer for granted.

As any accountant will tell you, you may understand a lot about bookkeeping, but no one knows everything. Leave that to the professionals.   

So, here is a list of small business accounting services your accountant has and you should be using:

  1. Quickbooks Advice: Quickbooks is always updating, changing and upping its game. It is still the premiere business accounting program. Sometimes, keeping up with those changes can be a chore, if not impossible, during your long work weeks. Your accountant must keep up with the updates as they are probably using it themselves! Utilize their knowledge and expertise on this program and all you have to do is call.
  2. Setting up an Accounting System and Structure: Starting a business is a huge challenge and getting the correct accounting system for your business can be agonizing. There are many choices and many different fees. Do you know which accounting system is best? Most business owners and managers are not accountants plus they have too much on their plate, already. So, contact your accountant. They will analyze your business according to volume of business, number of employees and other factors to help you figure out which accounting system is best for your business. Then, your accountant can help you install it and set it up.

  3. Startup/New Business Consultation: You’ve got a great idea for a new business. You’ve done the research and even chosen a storefront. But, how do you get the financing? Hire employees? Set up payroll? Purchase inventory? Those and many important questions need to be answered. Your accountant can help you make all of these crucial, business startup decisions and get the launch of your dream off right.

  4. Record-keeping techniques: It is imperative that your business keep accurate accounting records. You have to deal with suppliers, employees, vendors, landlords, travel agents, garages, the IRS. That’s no small list of people and agencies who depend on your company to pay them. So, use the best accounting record-keeping methods you can find. Your accountant can advise you on what you can use that will be efficient, affordable and can be used by everyone in your company.

  5. Assistance with registering your company with all the appropriate tax authorities: What is an LLC and should your company be one? Which tax authorities do I register with in Washington, D.C., Maryland or Virginia? Or, should I register with all three? Do I need any licenses and permits to run my business? All good questions and they need to be answered. Your accountant can help you register, apply for the correct permits and licenses.

Did you know that these are just some of the services that your local accountant can provide for you and your company, no matter what its size or if it hasn’t even opened its doors, yet?! Like most business owners, you probably didn’t know it.

Running a business is hard work. Don’t make it even harder. Contact your accountant and have them be a partner in your success.      

A.K. Burton, PC, which serves the Washington, D.C. and Bethesda, MD area, provides all these services and more. Contact us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.

 

Tax Advice

It’s Tax Day Already?: Income Tax Preparation for Procrastinators

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So, it’s “Tax Day” and you are still rifling through your tax documents form last year. The baby is crying. Your spouse is irritated that the papers are still strewn all over the kitchen table. They haven’t been able to eat at that table for weeks since you last poured all your papers out on it. Still nothing has been done.

Oh, did we say that it’s “Tax Day” today?

You are really, really late. In fact, your accountant hasn’t even heard from or seen you since last year.

You are hours away from missing the deadline to send your tax return to the IRS. Your family is sick of seeing a pile of unorganized receipts and statements gathering dust on the kitchen table. And, finally, your accountant is looking up your name in the local paper obits to see if you’re still around.

You’re late to file. All seems lost. Will you ever recover from this incredible example of “Tax Filing Procrastination”?

Actually, all is not lost and, yes, you can recover. However, you need to act now. Here are Five Ways to Do Your Tax Preparation and Filing after you have passed the Tax Day deadline:

  1. Don’t panic: Losing your cool and bashing your head against the wall only compounds the mistake. Admit to yourself and everyone in your household that you are late this year filing your/their tax returns. There may have been circumstances that caused it (i.e. illness, surgery, family tragedy, etc.) or you may have just been flat-out neglectful. Whatever the cause, admit to it and then calmly get your tax filing plans in place.
  2. Organize your documents: You cannot file accurately if you don’t have all of your previous tax year papers organized. Now is the time to staple them all together or photograph them and store them on a flash drive. Clear the kitchen table and place all these documents in a hard file folder and/or electronic file.
  3. Contact the IRS: This is the scariest step to do, we know. However, the Internal Revenue Service has customer service people on call 24/7/365 to assist you with your questions to help you with your income tax preparation. Give them your contact information so they can note that you will be filing late.
  4. Request a Tax File Extension: Filing an extension pushes the due date for your tax returns up giving you time to get it completed. Just keep in mind that and extension for you to complete your income tax preparation protects you from likely possible late-filing penalties. Those penalties can be five percent (5%) of the amount due with your return for each month that you’re late.
  5. Consult with your licensed bookkeeper/accountant: Your accountant can be your best friend during these high-stress times. You may believe you’re the only client who has ever done this, but we can assure you, we have seen it all! So, get your documents in order and bring or send them to us. We recommend that you set up an appointment with your trusted accountant to help you with tax preparation,tax filing and, most importantly, communications with the IRS. You need to make sure all of your communications with the IRS are documented and your accountant will do that for you. We are your advocate.

So, as you can see, procrastination in filing your tax returns is not the end of life as we know it. You do have a “second chance.” Just get moving now and try not to let it happen in the future. (While this blog may be helpful, we also advise that you read the IRS specific instructions if you are filing late.)

If you need help with late tax preparation and tax filing, contact our A.K. Burton, PC offices in Bethesda, Maryland. Our experienced and licensed tax lawyers and accountants can answer all your questions and also assist you with your communications with the IRS. We serve clients in the Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Maryland and Northern Virginia region.

Tax Advice

Satire Alert: The IRS is On Its Way or How to Really Mess Up Your 2018 Income Tax Preparation

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You have read many blogs and articles, here and elsewhere, that give you steps 1, 2, 3, etc., on how to save money, pay your tax bill, incorporate your business. They all have tried and true advice which you may have used in your business and personal finances.

Blah, blah, blah…

We know that they can all be boring after awhile. So, to break up the boredom of your typical “How-to” finance article, we are going to offer you a satirical,  tongue-in-cheek Guide to Messing Up Your 2018 Income Tax Preparation:

  1. Don’t organize any of your documents: Be sure to pile them in a shoebox, willy nilly, with absolutely no organization whatsoever. Make sure they are ripped, have nothing noted on the receipts and are the wrong year.
  2. Forget to include statements: Credit cards, payroll, expenses. They are so much trouble to print.
  3. Travel expenses mileage: Don’t use mileage records during the taxable year, just make up a mileage number! It’s just fuel after all.
  4. Write all your contractors expenses on a piece of paper: Instead of submitting contractor expense receipts, just use a notepad with amounts on it. No dates or receipts needed. Too much trouble!
  5. Don’t ask for any receipts for donations to non-profit/charitable organizations: Donations are just a nice thing we all do. Sure, you may owe less to the IRS if you accepted them or kept them, but you did it for a good cause. Who needs to brag about it, after all!?
  6. Turn in all your tax documents to your accountant on April 14: Everyone is so persistent in getting the tax filing postmarked by April 15, Tax Day. That is so arbitrary! Besides, your accountant is working 24 hours a day anyway, from January 1 to April 15. They won’t mind one more client bringing their files in at the last minute. They should be happy to be doing your taxes, anyway. It’s job security, right? Be sure your shoe boxes have your last name and phone number on them.
  7. Argue with Your Accountant over their fee: Your accountant is charging that much per hour to add up numbers? Good grief that is highway robbery. All they need is a calculator and number two pencil and they got it made. Make sure they know you can do it better and be late in paying the bill.
  8. Forget to pay the IRS bill: They had the temerity to charge you even more after you have paid them all year from your paychecks!! You’ll show them. Yeah, pay late. That will scare them. Mean old government agency.

Now, do you feel better? Actually, no. This was after all, satirical,  tongue-in-cheek blog not meant to be taken seriously. You should do EVERYTHING OPPOSITE to what you read above.

After all, there are serious legal complications if you fail to comply with the tax laws. The IRS has an ITA (Interactive Tax Assistant) online which can help you with some legal questions you may have.

In fact, the best tax advice, besides doing exactly opposite of 1-8 above, is to contact our A.K. Burton, PC offices in Bethesda, Maryland. Our experienced and licensed tax lawyers and accountants can answer all your questions and also assist you with your income tax filing preparation. We serve clients in the Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Maryland and Northern Virginia region.

Tax Advice

How Smart Tax Preparation Can Help You Get A Better Refund in 2018

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Everyone is wondering: Now that the new tax laws have passed, will I be paying the IRS more or less in 2018?

My answer to that question is this: I have no Idea. It’s impossible to know or to even contemplate. Even with the new tax laws, everyone’s tax return situation is different. You may get more money back this year or you may pay even more money this year.

Yes, it’s complicated.

This year is done. But you can prepare for next year.

Of course, it all starts with your documentation and preparation. Here are Smart Ways Your Tax Preparation Can Improve Your Refund in 2018:

  1. Reconsider how you file: Do you always file jointly if you’re married? That is always the best way, right? Actually, no it isn’t. Don’t do the “auto-reply” on your filing. Married-filing-jointly is not always the best way. If you do married-filing-separately instead, you may get a larger return. AGI or Adjusted Gross Income determines if some deductions can be used for medical and certain other expenses. Filing separately may gives each spouse a lower AGI. So, don’t automatically file jointly. Do both jointly and separately if there are a fair number of medical expenses and COBRA payments.
  2. IRA Contributions: You can still take out an IRA contribution up until April 15thfor the previous You can then claim it on your return by filing early and then claiming the credit on your return. You can file early and use your tax refund to open the traditional IRA account. Just remember that it will reduce your income and you must be at least 50 years old. (Check the IRS guidelines on IRAs for detailed rules.)
  3. It’s all in the timing: There is an old saying from the famous golfer, Arnold Palmer that “Timing is everything, in life and golf.” It’s everything in tax filing with the IRS, too. If you pay your mortgage payment by December 31, you improve your chances of getting a larger refund. Also, schedule medical appointments by the end of the year and pay those bills before January 1, too. Keep in mind that your mortgage payments and medical expenses are still deductible expenses. They will certainly increase your refund.

These are just three basic but crucial ways to increase your refund in 2018 and beyond. However, it all starts now. Our best thought on this topic: See your licensed accountant or tax adviser. They can give you the best advice based on experience and knowledge of tax laws.

A.K. Burton, PC, which serves the Washington,D.C. and Bethesda, Md area, has experienced and licensed individual tax advisers who can help you with any questions you have on the new tax laws and how you should file. Contact us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.

 

Accounting

New Quickbooks Services Upgrades in 2018

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Just when you thought it was safe to figure that you have Quickbooks down, they change it again. Changes, however, can be a good thing and Quickbooks upgrades for 2018 are more than good-they are stellar.

In fact, the Quickbooks upgrades will make your accounting life for your business a bit easier, even for those erstwhile accountants who begrudgingly do it on a monthly basis (or less).

Here are a number of the Quickbooks Services Upgrades in 2018:

  1. Cash accurate toggle on reports: You will be able to get quicker assessment and management using the 1-clickthat changes from cash based accounting and accrual based accounting on a per-report basis. All in just one click!
  2. Merge vendors: This is so much easier now as you can go from manual duplicate vendor look-up, to leveraging QB search. Then, sort sort tools to identify vendors that need to be merged. You now can merge four vendors at a timeinstead of just You can also move account information from duplicate vendors under the master vendor account option.
  3. Portable bar code scanner: It enables the choosing process which improves accuracy. It also allows users to track thestatus of inventory movements. You have three options: Sent for Pick, Pick in progress, and Picked/Partially Picked. The efficiency of this upgrade is quite incredible, too.
  4. Payroll liability reminder: Penalties are a killer. You can void them by identifying alerts on QBDT home page. Then you can create an automated reminder display on the payroll setup. This version also has new alerts displayed on the homepagea week before the
  5. Past due stamp/payroll badge reminder: Payments arrive faster when you use the past due stamp tool to tag past due open invoices.Past due stamp labels are added on the PDF This option can be turned off.
  6. Secure web mail: Yes, your work is even more secure now! Oauth 2.0, the new security standard in emails, is now available.

These are just a few of the upgrades to the Quickbooks accounting and bookkeeping system, but we are impressed. We highly recommend if for your small business. It truly has all the tools you need to do your work efficiently.

A.K. Burton, PC, which serves the Washington, D.C. and Bethesda, MD area, works with Quickbooks every day and can provide all the Quickbooks Services you and your small business needs. Contact us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.

Tax Advice

Ten Tax Preparation Things Your Small Business Can Do Now

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This year is almost over.

In fact, by the time you read this blog, 2018 may have already arrived. Christmas has passed, the New Year’s parties have ended, school has reopened and regular life has returned.

Ho hum…

Well, I hope you had a safe and enjoyable holiday.

But, now that the New Year has arrived, I am going to bring up a topic you need to consider and now: Taxes. Yes, taxes. Tax season has just begun for small businesses and you can do something you may have never done before as a small business owner or an employee who works the accounting department: you can get ahead of the game.

Helping you and your small business be smart and successful in your bookkeeping and accounting is one of my own accounting firm goals. So, here are Ten Tax Preparation Things Your Small Business Can Do Now:

  1. Create a checklist of what you need: This checklist can be shared, such as on Google Documents, among you and your employees. It is a good way to keep updated on each item. (An excellent tax preparation checklist can be found at H. R. Block.)
  2. Find last year’s tax return: This will help you with deductions and other facts. Some businesses have the same deductions each year. It is also a legal document that may help you stay accurate for this year’s return.
  3. Balance Sheet: Your IRS tax return is based on income and expenses. It is that simple. So, you will need a balance sheet showing gross receipts, expenses and assets. It is an excellent one-glance document summarizing your past year.
  4. Asset purchases: Your business equipment can be included in your return. Some assets may written off using depreciation deductions for a number of years. For instance, if your company purchased new laptops, printers and cell phones for employees, they can be added on your tax return. Use receipts for each purchase and have them available for your accountant.
  5. Payroll Records: Payroll is, for most businesses, the largest tax deduction of all. All full-time, part-time employees, temporary employees and subcontractors’ pay should be included.
  6. Asset Dispositions: If your small business sold any depreciable assets, you will need to calculate gainsor losses on the sales. You will need a description of the asset, sale date, asset price, sale expenses and accumulated depreciation.
  7. Business vehicle(s): This may be a crucial deduction as most small businesses have fleet and/or service vehicles. You will need to get the total miles driven for business and commuting miles. (Personal mileage is not allowed to be deducted.)
  8. Credit card statements: Many small business owners use a company credit card to purchase gas, lodging, office supplies, business meals and other pertinent business purchases. The entire statement of the year’s credit card purchases need to be submitted. (Make sure that if any personal purchases were made with that card that they are marked as “personal” and not included in the business tax return.

This is a great start! In fact, if you get these all compiled and sent to your accountant, you may be able to file your federal tax return early and know how much you owe. (You may have to pay in installments, but at least you will know how much you owe and can budget it.)

It seems too early, to many small business owners, to be tackling their tax records and preparation in January. Yet, most owners will tell you that getting their tax preparation done now is a relief. Then, they can get on with running their business.

A.K. Burton, PC, which serves the Washington,D.C. and Bethesda, Md area, has experienced and licensed small business tax advisers on staff. If you need more advice on business and individual tax planning, contact us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.

 

Accounting, Tax Advice

How to Choose the Best Tax Advisor

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It’s only mid-way through the fall but it’s not too early to be thinking about your tax returns for next year.

In fact, now is the time to be thinking about your personal and business tax returns especially if you have had issues in the past and want to do it right or better this time. Your tax records and tax filings are too important to be done just by anyone, including yourself, who is unfamiliar with tax laws, deadlines and forms. It could be a serious financial and legal mistake to do it on your own without any advice.

So as the holidays draw closer, begin the search for a tax advisor. Here are Five Things to Consider When Choosing a Tax Advisor:

  1. Relevant Industry Experience: No tax advisor can know everything about every industry. Make sure you are comfortable with the amount of experience the tax advisor has with your industry. Don’t be afraid to ask the advisor if he has other clients in your industry and how long he has been doing work for them. The accounting firm partners should be able to tell you if they have enough experience to handle your case. If not, ask them to send you to a firm that can do it.
  2. Five-year Minimum experience: The senior member should have at least five to ten years of experience in completing business tax returns. Also, better to find a larger accounting firm with a variety of tax advisors. This means that the accountants have had diverse experiences with a variety of industries.
  3. Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) Designation: As a business owner, your tax advisor should be a CPA at a minimum.  You can also choose an Atty/CPA as your tax advisor.  An Atty/CPA is a dually designated individual who is both an Attorney and a CPA and is generally more knowledgeable than an advisor who is just a CPA.  Either way make sure you have one or the other.  As a business owner you cannot afford not to.
  4. Audit Representation: IRS audits are a fact of life. Even though IRS audits are down recently, you never know and cannot control whether they will audit you next. Even the most honest among us have had to go through the stress and endure the headache of having an IRS auditor reviewing our tax returns. It is, then, crucial for your tax advisor to agree to represent you during any and all audits. They can answer questions, find documents and, most importantly, advise you on any issues druing the audit. You do not want to go through an audit alone. Make sure your tax advisor is there every plodding step of the way.
  5. Fees and Fee Structure: Before you sign up with any tax advisor, find out what they charge for their services. Make sure that you are comfortable with how and what they charge. Being organized with your business records can help prevent your Accounting Bill from getting out of control.  Quicken, Quickbooks, Mint or other accounting programs can help maintain your records in reasonable workable shape. Any paper documents should be organized by type and date. Avoid the “shoebox style of organization” which forces advisors to spend hours (and your money) trying to put it all together. You will save a lot on time and fees (and bad will) by organizing your documents.
  6. Location: With the advent of the internet and the 21st century, your tax advisor does not have to be a few blocks down the road, though being local saves on expenses, especially if you are audited. They can be in another city or state. However, if you have multiple businesses that require a lot of attention from professionals, then you will probably be better served by having someone local who can drop by and advise you on a more frequent basis and keep abreast of your local issues as well.

Yes, it seems too early to be talking about tax advisors, but you may already be rethinking that after reading this blog. That’s good because the next quarterly filing is coming up in January. Don’t go it alone. Find a licensed and experienced tax advisor today.

A.K. Burton, PC has experienced and licensed tax advisors on staff. If you need more advice on business and individual tax planning, contact us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.

Estate Planning

The First Steps to take in Estate Planning

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Death.

Well, your death to be more specific. It’s not something you want to think about and we should not be obsessed with it.

However, not planning for it is a major mistake many people make. We will all die one day. Death is something we can’t plan but we can plan to provide for our family and loved ones once the inevitable happens.

Estate Planning can actually be a relief to many who do it. It eliminates a lot of stress for you and your loved ones. How many stories have you heard of someone’s sudden death and the spouse and family being left with thousands of dollars in debts and no money to cover funeral expenses.

So, now is the time to take the First Steps in Estate Planning. Those all-important first steps should include the following:

  1. Create a Will and sign it: This first step is so simple and yet seems to be the most difficult or most often forgotten. (Only 43% of adults have a will according to a 2011 Harris Interactive Survey.) However, this is the most important and simplest step of all. Your property needs to be identified and the heirs to them named. So, in your will, name an executor who can properly disburse your property according to your wishes and pay off any estate debts. If you fail to execute a will, your property and debts may be passed on equally to your spouse and children according to the Law of Intestacy. That may cause hardship and incur extra legal costs. It’s much better to have a will and also be sure to sign and date it.
  2. Leave a detailed letter: Sometimes, you need to say more than the will allows. In this case, write a detailed letter stating your desires for your funeral arrangements, wording for the obituary, sentimental items you want to give to heirs, funeral program and other items. This letter would be kept and read by your attorney and/or executor. (You may have to amend this letter, along with your will, over the years.)
  3. Create an advanced health care directive: Many people fail to plan for health care emergencies. This unfortunate lack of planning and insight leaves their loved ones having to plan or decide on how to take care of them causing great stress and expense. A stroke, cardiac arrest or other major health crisis occurs and you may be unable to express your end-of-life desires to your family. This is a nightmare scenario. So, plan your “Advance Health Care Directive” giving explicit directions on how you should be treated when that moment occurs. Many people have a “DNR” or “do not resuscitate” orders on their medical and HIPAA release form. Your estate planning attorney can prepare this form for you and they can give your health care agent/case management team the right to get this information under the HIPAA rules. (You can find out more from the ABA’s “Consumer’s Toolkit for Health Care Advance Planning.”)
  4. Hire a Durable Power of Attorney (DPA): Your will and executor are a great start but you will still need an attorney to make sure all your wishes are known and executed should you be too sick to have it done. You may need to choose a trusted family attorney or a financial advisor. It should be someone familiar with the legal and financial issues and also someone who provide professional and compassionate advice to your heirs. (A relative is not recommended in this case as they would not have necessary objectivity needed in making decisions.)

This is only the start of estate planning. We will get into more detail in future blogs. The main point here is this: get that will written and signed. Everything after that can be done in time. Make this sadness less stressful for you loved ones by making sure they are taken care of and your property and assets go to those whom you want to have it. It’s not too late to do it today, in fact.

If you need more advice on estate planning, we have licensed and experienced attorneys at A. K. Burton, PC who can help you plan every step of the way. Contact us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.

 

Accounting, Accounting Management, Client Services

Five Ways to Better Treat Your Small Business Accounting Clients

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No matter how long you have been in the accounting business, recruiting, maintaining and retaining clients is difficult, even with the best of them.

The reasons are long: they are offended by a mistake; they are offered a larger menu of services for a better price; a firm opens closer to their business; a partner they worked with leaves your firm…well, you get the idea. Some reasons small business accounting clients leave are out of your hands. Yet, many others are within your control and can be mitigated if done properly.

clients meeting A K Burton

Customer service is not an art. However, it’s just smart practice not to take your clients for granted. So, here are Five Ways You Can Treat Your Small Business Accounting Clients Better, so they thrive and you do, too:

  1. Develop a list of services your client could use: Currently, your clients may have only one service. But, could they benefit from estate planning, tax preparation or Quickbooks services? Also determine what they may not need like tax preparation or a financial advisor. Have a “Client Needs List” with checks and “x’s” on each service you offer. Then send a list to the client of what you can recommend to them with an offer to make an appointment at their convenience. While some may be skeptical that it is a sales tool (which it is, but only partly), most clients will appreciate that you have inquired and may gladly set up a meeting to discuss their small business accounting needs.
  2. Create and focus on your “Accounting Niche”: Your accounting firm may have a large number of services but which one do your do the best? Do an inventory of your firm and find out where you excel. That service should be the one you market the most to your clients. Once you have determined it, do a survey of your clients. You may even want to do a SWOT Analysis (Strength/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats) which will give you an objective report on everything. Once you have determined your strongest service, market it.
  3. Cultivate your referral sources: Your accounting firm is probably getting referrals from insurance agents, attorneys, bankers, realtors and other financially-related industries. Network often with these resources. Find out if your accounting firm can relate to their clients. Make improvements if you can. (Send them referrals, too. They will remember.)
  4. Inventory and grade your present clients: Develop an “A-F” grading system for your clients. Look at your entire client base and see if they meet the grade. Determine if any clients are bringing down your firm and are, in fact, a loss or drain on your resources. You will also see who your “star” clients are and who may need more attention than you have been giving them. (Your firm can get a free accounting client grading tool at this link: http://www.aicpa.org/InterestAreas/PrivateCompaniesPracticeSection/QualityServicesDelivery/KeepingUp/Pages/invigorate-the-focus.aspx.)
  5. Say “Goodbye” to the difficult clients: We all have that difficult client or two on the books who has a tepid relationship with us. Sometimes, in the long run, they are worth keeping. However, in many case, those difficult clients are a massive drain on time and money for your firm. They actually may be taking your time away from your other clients. It becomes necessary for your firm and clients, to let them go. This is not an easy thing to do. It is quite agonizing. But everyone, including the fired clients, benefits. Determine which accounting clients meet the “let-go” criteria and begin the process. You will not regret it.

Retaining clients in these austere, post-recession days requires some homework and time, but it can be done. Follow these steps and see your firm grow.

A.K. Burton, PC cares about all of our clients, whether business or personal. Our experienced and licensed staff can help you, your family and your business make smart tax and investment decisions (https://cpa-maryland.com/services/small-business-services/). Call us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.