Tax Calculator: don't pay your accountant more than necessary!

Why pay more than you have to for an accountant? Save money with these tips...

Get you records in order

All accountants charge by hour. The longer it takes to prepare your return, the more it's going to cost. It's therefore worth having all your records in order and submitting them on time. Contact your accountant before they begin to find out their preferred way of presenting your records. Make sure everything is organised in the most efficient manner.

Work with your accountant

Work with your accountant to help minimise the time it takes them, reducing the cost to you. Make sure you're on hand to give them everything they need and answer any questions they may have.

Computerise your accounts

Efficient computerisation of your accounts will also save time and money. This doesn't have to be a complicated system - a simple cashbook system can often be the most effective method.

Don't contact your accountant unless it's necessary

Avoid contacting your accountant over unnecessary tasks. Generally if something takes less than five minutes, it's done for free. Anything more than this is charged for - including phone calls.

Shop around

Shop around for accountancy services. City firms can often be quite expensive, so it may be worth looking into a smaller suburban firm.

Beware of cheap bookkeepers

Beware of cheap bookkeeping services. Although offers can be tempting, the services are often provided by under-qualified individuals. What you get from them is simply a bookkeeping service - they are unable to provide strategic solutions to particular problems and they may not be up to date on the latest tax changes. What you save in a few dollars of accountant fees could cost you thousands in lost tax benefits.