4 Tips for Finding a Qualified Accountant

When you decided to start your business here in the UK, you consulted with many professionals who offered you their experience and wisdom as you made decisions about your business plan, your web design, and your budget.  Now that your operation is successfully underway, have you considered using an accountant to carry some of the financial load of running your company?  It’s imperative that you accountant be qualified and by reviewing the helpful tips below, you’ll find the trusted professional who can handle your documentation, save you time and money, and help you to grow your business.

Accounting firms such as Griffin Stone Moscrop provide services that help your company realise its true potential

1. You should engage a qualified accountant to handle your company’s financial needs. According to the website, local-accountants-uk.co.uk, you should partner with an accountant “that has taken and passed the stringent exams set by one of the professional institutes.”  The ICAEW requires that candidates pass 15 examinations and have 3200 hours of applicable work experience.  This means that the professional with whom you partner will have had experience and gained knowledge that can be an asset for your company. 
2. Ask your accountant about his membership in professional institutes.  Affiliation with one of these institutes also means that they will have indemnity insurance that covers them and your company in case an error is made.  They will also have to observe the code for professional ethics that has been set forth by the institute; this is an accountability step that offers you an avenue to pursue if something goes wrong with documentation or work prepared by your expert.
3. What are his qualifications?  There are many different qualifications here in the UK which you can ask your accountant about.  Some of these  include:
   • Chartered Tax Advisor
   • Chartered Certified Accountant
   • Chartered Management Accountant
   • Certified Public Accountant
4. Does he belong to professional organisations?  Your accountant may belong to more than one of these reputable organisations and membership can be checked before you enter into an agreement with someone who speaks of his affiliation with a group. A few of them are:
   • The ICPA
   • The Institute of Financial Accountants
   • The Federation of Tax Advisers
   • IAPA

When your accountant has membership with his colleagues in professional organisations he is committed to providing you with exemplary service, sound financial advice, and work that is second to none.  His accuracy will be impressive and his advice will be such that you can trust and take confidence in it.  When you are seeking to partner with one of the chartered accountants in London, you’ll want him to be respected by his peers, to be courteous, and to attend to your documentation in timely fashion.  Professional firms such as Griffin Stone Moscrop offer continuity and clarity in the paperwork submitted on behalf of their clients and work diligently to provide accounting services that meet the needs of their clients.

To protect your company, you should only partner with a qualified UK accountant that has demonstrated his capability and professionalism by passing exams, working many hours to gain experience, and belonging to the organisations that represent his profession.