Certainty Now & Into the Future
Hiring a CPA is an absolute necessity for some, and choosing the wrong one can result in adverse financial consequences that may be difficult to overcome.
Smart consumers know that doing proper research can help avoid these 7 potential pitfalls:
- An increased chance of being hit by an IRS audit
- Significant damage to your retirement plan
- Unnecessary penalties for late or inaccurate filings
- Your tax payments could be stolen
- Wage garnishments due to incomplete or inaccurate filings
- A lower employment ceiling and credit score
- If you’re a business owner, you could be sued by your employees for failing to report taxes properly
This is only the beginning of what you can encounter when dealing with a less than stellar CPA, but it’s probably more than enough to get your attention. But don’t worry– there are proven ways to avoid these consequences and get the most out of your money. While the right ways depend on your specific situation, it all starts with making an informed decision.
Choosing the Right CPA in the Face of Too Much Information
Choosing a CPA is one of the most important financial decisions you’ll ever make. Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most difficult. There’s so much information out there that it can be hard to know where to begin, much less make a sound decision. Even when they go to exorbitant lengths to perform their due diligence, far too many people end up making a decision based on fatigue instead of reliable information. And who could blame them?
Difficulty Choosing
Psychological testing has shown that having too many choices can lead to a lack of motivation. This is fine if you’re trying to pick out what movie to watch tonight, but this sort of resignation can be catastrophic when it comes to choosing a CPA. It’s something we’ve witnessed again and again at the UCPAA– people who pick a CPA out of exhaustion or information-overload and end up regretting it.
We Help Consumers Access the Reputable CPAs
Fortunately, that’s where The United CPA Association can come in and help. It’s our expressed mission to help consumers access the reputable CPAs their financial futures deserve. And how exactly do we accomplish this? The short answer is through UCPAA’s membership program. We’ll explain how this process works in just a bit, but first, let’s have a look at what really matters– all the different ways the UCPAA can safeguard your business or family’s financial future.
Why You Should Choose a UCPAA Accounting Firm
There are many different reasons why people seek out the help of a CPA, bookkeeper or tax consultant:
- They find out they’ve been paying too much in taxes.
- They want to ensure the best possible financial future for themselves, their employees, and their families.
- They’re just too busy with other responsibilities to manage their finances on their own.
This list could go on and on, but the upshot is fairly simple. It doesn’t matter how complicated (or how simple) your finances are, there are always good and bad ways to manage them. We’ve already mentioned the damage a poor CPA can do to your financial situation, so now let’s get to the good part.
Benefits of Comparing UCPAA Member Tax Professionals in Your Local Area:
- Compare local accounting firms using numerous business data points such as number of employees, years established, reviews and more.
- No more guesswork in trying to figure out if a given CPA deserves to manage your money.
- Less time wading through the unverified glut of CPA information you discover online.
- Thanks to our myriad of UCPAA business data-points, much of your due diligence can be done in one place, leaving you with less stress and worry.
- Access to an accounting professional who’s received positive reviews across relevant social media platforms.
- Optimal money management and tax preparation.
How the UCPAA Membership Process Works
Choosing a tax professional who’s a UCPAA member is a smart move for several different reasons. Our experts have already done the research for you. We have member firms all over the country, and each of them has fulfilled a number of stringent requirements.
A quick free search of our CPA database will tell you everything you need to know about accounting firms in your area. Our experts examine critical data points of every firm that applies for a UCPAA membership.
If a firm has been granted a UCPAA membership, you can rest assured they meet these requirements:
- They have active and verified points of contact, such as a physical address, a working phone number, and a legitimate email address.
- Their firm is legally registered and has amassed a satisfactory number of clients.
- They’ve received consistently positive reviews across prestigious channels like Google, Twitter, Facebook, and Yelp.
- They have a track record of responding to negative reviews promptly.
- Most importantly of all, UCPAA member firms have demonstrated a commitment to the high standards of integrity, skill, and dedication that we require.
A UCPAA Membership is an exclusive and much sought after privilege. It’s also highly regarded by the accounting industry itself. If you have a complaint about one of our member firms, it can be escalated directly to the UCPAA if they don’t resolve it to your satisfaction. A failure to meet our high standards can result in a loss of their membership and a quick decline in business.
This gives our member firms all the motivation they need to remain in good standing. More importantly, it gives you the certainty you deserve.
Find Your CPA Today!
The UCPAA database has over 125,000 tax professionals.