A good CPA can be a valuable ally. You should find one who works with clients similar to you and who is easy to talk to.

Taxes and accounting are a part of nearly every financial instrument and consideration that people will be confronted with in their life. It can be very beneficial to work with a CPA who can advise you properly on the issues that affect you. It can also be detrimental to place too much trust in a CPA who isn’t really an expert in the areas he claims to be.

Different CPAs specialize in different areas of the tax code. For example, if you run a small business, you would want to have a CPA with knowledge of the intricacies of the tax code for small businesses. If you’re nearing retirement age, you might want to have somebody who specializes in retirement taxation.

As with the choice of a doctor, if you already have a CPA who meets your needs, it’s usually not a good idea to change him or her, but it’s good to know what else is out there. An easy way to get information about good CPAs is to ask people you know whose financial situation is similar to your own.

Remember that some CPAs have a tendency to overestimate how much of an expert they really are on various topics because they are so used to people taking their advice on financial matters, but in the realm of investments, for instance, unless they also hold a financial advisor designation, you are better off taking any of that advice with a grain of salt.

Also remember that communication is key for a good client-CPA relationship, so you should find one that you get along with and that is easy to talk to.

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