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Published - 11/14/2022

Did you know that there are more than 465,000 professional CPAs in the United States alone? While there are thousands of CPA business advisors to choose from, that doesn't mean that they're all good choices for you. So, how can you choose the right business advisor for your unique business needs?

What should you look for when choosing, and what should you avoid? Keep reading and learn more about what you should look for when choosing the perfect Missouri business advisor for you and your business. 

Get Referrals and Check Online Reviews

The last thing you should do is randomly choose a CPA business advisor or choose one based on very little information. If you do that, you might end up with the worst possible business advisor for your needs. This, of course, would not be ideal and would not only waste your money but also your time. 

The first step in finding a good business advisor in Missouri is to ask for referrals from people you know. For example, suppose you have some friends that have used a CPA business advisor in the past. You can ask them about their experience with their business advisors to see whether or not they liked that advisor or whether the advisor did a good job. 

This is important because you'll be able to ask various questions about the advisor's performance and attitude. This will get you one step ahead in the journey of finding the right CPA for your needs. For example, if your friend used a business advisor in the past and says that the advisor was absolutely terrible, then you'll know not to go and hire that advisor to help you with your business. 

On the other hand, if your friend can't stop enthusing about their business advisor, then you're on the right track, especially if your friend is ready to refer you to that advisor. Getting a referral is like getting a shortcut to a great business advisor. 

But what if you don't know anyone who has used a CPA business advisor in the past? In that case, you won't be able to ask for any referrals, but that doesn't mean your journey ends there. Instead, you can head to the internet and check the online customer reviews for various business advisors. 

The Details

This is a very convenient way to filter bad advisors from good advisors. These days, most professionals and professional websites have at least a small number of reviews from previous clients. These reviews are important for a variety of reasons. 

For one, they provide information that you might not be able to find on the advisor's professional website. If you find that an advisor has mostly negative reviews, then this is a sign that you shouldn't opt for that advisor. The reviews might complain that the advisor wasn't very helpful or didn't cater to their unique business needs. 

Others might complain that the advisor's services were overpriced or that the advisor had a bad attitude. Whatever the case, you should never choose a business advisor that has mostly negative reviews. This is a sign that the advisor doesn't care about his or her clients but instead only cares about making a quick buck. 

Instead, you should opt for a business advisor that has many positive reviews. This is a sign that the advisor actually cares about their clients and the well-being of their businesses. Positive reviews might enthuse over an advisor's efficiency, speediness, positive attitude, and so on. 

Whatever the case, if you find a business advisor with many positive reviews, then you're on the right track. 

Make Sure Your Business Advisor Has the Right Credentials

While finding an advisor with many good reviews is a good start, you won't be in the clear yet. Good reviews can act as a guideline for advisors that will most likely produce good results. However, besides those reviews, you will need to consider a few more important factors. 

One of the most important factors to consider is the credentials of a business advisor. Keep in mind that a CPA stands for Certified Public Accountant. In order to be a Certified Public Accountant, the advisor needs to have real certification for that title. This can be tricky if you aren't looking very closely. 

This is because some business advisors will say that they are certified accountants even when they aren't. They might have a fake certification available or they might not even have any kind of certification or documentation at all. Of course, you will want to stay away from business advisors that don't have any certification for a variety of reasons. 

These "advisors" will likely try to scam you out of your money or they might advise you to do unwise things with your money or business. Whatever the case, these advisors are unprofessional and they certainly won't help you improve your business. 

But how can you make sure if a business advisor is a real CPA or not? To start, you should do a local search for CPAs in your area. This should provide you with a list of CPAs and their names. 

The Details

This will help you match up which advisor is a real CPA and which advisor might be a fraud. For a person to be a CPA, this means that they need to pass a specific test that will qualify them to be a real CPA. Besides needing to pass a test, a CPA will also need to be licensed by the state. 

Even more than that, a CPA needs to ensure that their CPA license remains valid over the years. To do this, the CPA will need to continue to further their education by completing all sorts of requirements. Only then will the CPA be legally able to hold a CPA license. 

Of course, this is a lot to keep in mind, but it is important to understand what you're dealing with when choosing a CPA business advisor. That way, you can filter the real CPAs from the fake ones or those who hardly have any credentials at all. Also, keep in mind that if you need a CPA to do your taxes for you, the CPA will need to have an extra piece of information: the Preparer Tax Identification Number, also known as a PTIN.

This number is essential for all CPAs that do peoples' taxes as part of their job. It is legally required for a CPA to have this number and provide this number when doing someone else's taxes, so keep that in mind if you need a CPA to do your taxes. 

Meet the Business Advisor in Person

At a certain point, you will be able to narrow down your business advisor options to just a few choices. Once that happens, you'll have to get much more involved in how you make your choice. At this point, the next step is usually to meet the business advisor in person. 

You might be wondering what the point of this step is. After all, everything these days is online, so why can't you just chat with the advisor over email or over the phone? While this can be somewhat helpful, it won't be the same as meeting the advisor in person. 

This is because you can tell a lot about a person when you see them face-to-face. First impressions are always important and they are often correct. If you immediately get a bad impression or a bad feeling about a business advisor upon meeting them, you might want to think twice about using them for your business affairs. 

After all, you don't want to work with someone that doesn't make you feel comfortable when considering your business affairs. Instead, you want to choose someone you really like and who you feel will be a good fit for your unique business concerns. Meeting a business advisor in person can also tell you a lot about that advisor's attitude. 

What to Know

If you find that the advisor has a bad attitude right off the bat or if the advisor seems rude or unhelpful, these are all bad signs. An advisor with a bad attitude won't be of much help to you or your business affairs. On the other hand, an advisor with a good attitude will make you feel much more comfortable. 

A good advisor should have a proactive attitude and should be ready to help you with whatever issues you might be concerned about with your business or finances. A good advisor should also impress you with the knowledge they have and their ability to solve problems. If you manage to find a business advisor with all of these qualities, you'll be on the right track to finding the perfect advisor for you. 

One other thing you should consider before you decide on a business advisor is some questions you should ask. Asking the advisor questions is a sure way to know whether or not that advisor is the right one for you. But what kind of questions should you ask?

Ask the Advisor Questions

The exact questions you ask will mainly depend on what kind of business or financial issues you are hoping to fix by choosing a good CPA business advisor. However, there are also some general questions you should consider asking so that you can get a better idea of how an advisor operates. 

For example, a good question to ask is, "How long have you been a CPA business advisor?" Experience is important for a CPA and the advisor should be ready to disclose that information. An advisor with several years of experience will obviously be more effective than one who has only been doing that job for a year or so. 

If you find that the advisor won't provide a straight answer about their experience, you should be a bit wary. A professional advisor should always be very clear about their credentials, skills, education, and experience. An advisor that isn't clear about this information may not be as professional as they seem. 

The Details

Also, if an advisor only has a few years of experience, don't drop them right away. While it is better to get an advisor with many years of experience, newer advisors may still have a lot to offer, so keep that in mind when narrowing down your choices. 

Another good question to ask is, "How much do you charge?" or "How do you charge?" This is important because different business advisors may charge their clients differently. For example, some advisors may charge a client by the hour. 

In this case, you will need to be careful about how many hours of your advisor's time you take up. On the other hand, some advisors charge by the job and they may have set fees for certain jobs. If this is the case, then you should find out how much the advisor charges. 

If you find that the advisor charges too much for your price range, you'll have to opt for a more affordable advisor that can also satisfy your business needs. 

All About Choosing the Right CPA Business Advisor

Choosing the right CPA business advisor can be difficult, but it isn't impossible as long as you know what to look for. To start, you should consider asking for referrals or looking for online reviews from previous clients. You should also be aware of an advisor's credentials and make sure that the advisor is as professional as they say they are. 

As long as you do all that, you shouldn't have any trouble finding an advisor. Complete an interest form here to get in touch with our professional advisors.