Yes.  The more you understand about your needs, the better job we can do together of matching our services to those needs. 

Your first step is to decide what you want from your CPA. Different CPA firms offer different levels of experience and provide different services.  Prior to meeting with any CPA you are considering you should review your present and future financial goals and needs.  Some general questions you should ask yourself might be –

• Will you need help with personal financial issues, individual or corporate tax returns, retirement, estate or college planning?  Are you seeking investment help?
• Do you need financial statements prepared for your business?  Must those statements be audited or reviewed?  Will you need special financial reports for government agencies? 
• How comfortable are you in your own ability (or in the case of a business, your staff's ability) to handle financial and operational details.  Do you want to do as much as possible in-house or are you considering out-sourcing some of your bookkeeping, accounting, or CFO functions?
• Do you need help preparing a business plan or a personal or business loan application?
• Will your business need other services, such as technology planning, strategic planning, process consulting, or costs analysis?
• What is your budget for CPA services?

How much do you charge?

We base our fees on a number of factors including the type of services required, the time required to perform the services, the level of expertise and experience required, and the complexity of the work.  The fees at HCT fall into two categories.

• Hourly based fees - For much of our work we are compensated based on the numbers of hours it takes to complete the work.  We are happy to quote our hourly rates and to provide fee estimates for specific tasks.

• Fixed fee services - For some longer term projects or commitments such as monthly write-up we charge a fixed fee

Different types of services require different rates because of the expertise level of the people who perform them.  We will talk frankly with you about our fees and put together a plan that utilizes the right CPA or staff person for the services you need so that the value of the service and the price of the service make sense for you.

The bottom line is that for HCT or any other CPA you need to come in prepared to discuss your needs and to ask about fees so there are no surprises regarding what you get and what you pay.

How do I know what exactly services you will perform and what they will cost?

We use engagement letters that define the work and the associated fees before any work is performed.  The engagement letter is designed to prevent any misunderstandings and describes in detail the services to be rendered, fees, and other terms and conditions of the engagement.  It is a contract that determines our responsibilities and your responsibilities and sets both of our expectations for a successful relationship.