What ‘Paperless Accounting’ Says About an CPA Firm
Paperless accounting in St. Catharines is of course healthy for the environment. But it’s more.
From a client’s perspective, it indicates a lot about a CPA firm’s efficiency and willingness to embrace
change.
Digital documents are easier to store, manage and sort through. As a result, productivity is
improved – as no one is heading off to the filing cabinet to hunt for a file or piece of paper (that likely is
still in a pile on someone’s desk anyway).
Duplication of documents is reduced and focus increased – a desk covered in paper can be an
impediment to clear thinking. And of course there’s the sheer expense of paper, with all the attendant copying
costs. That can add up, especially for a small or medium sized firm – and those costs are inevitably passed along
to clients.
But again, it’s what the lack of paper says about a firm that is also important. It says the
firm is moving with the times. In particular in the area of taxation, the ability to keep up with a constantly
shifting playing field is vital to the financial well-being of clients.
What to Look for in an Accounting Firm
The Greater Niagara area has a diverse economic base of small and large businesses, agriculture,
and tourism-related service industries. The company whose services you engage should be able to satisfy the unique
needs of your business – however big or small it is. Does the firm have expertise in your area?
Along with knowledge of your industry, that expertise should be present in the professional
qualifications of the staff; the different licensing levels will indicate the range of experience of the staff as
well as the fields in which they specialize.
A firm offering a team approach is probably of the most value to your business, in that it can
offer in-house the varying skill sets you need. A large national firm would also have all those skills available
too, but might give you the feeling that you are not the key to their success – and indeed may even contract out
your work.
Referrals and word of mouth are often the best tactics for choosing a CPA firm. Find a business
in your area with similar needs and ask them for a referral. Your accountant – whether he or she is advising you
on tax or planning issues or any of the other areas of concern – is ultimately a trusted business advisor. That
relationship is essential to your success.
Blogs Contain Up-to-Date Info on Tax Optimization
We talked earlier about what "going paperless” might suggest about an accounting firm in St.
Catharines. Another indicator of a firm that is staying abreast of changing developments can be found on their
website.
Jones & O’Connell LLP is a firm of Chartered Professional Accountants that serves the entire
Niagara Region and beyond. The firm’s website includes blogs by the company’s partners.
A quick survey of topics is instructive and indicates the company’s desire to keep you abreast
of changes in the financial landscape in this rather tumultuous time. Three of the paperless St Catharines
accounting firm’s blogs specifically deal with current events: ‘The Tax Benefits of Working from Home’; ‘Ins and
Outs of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)’; and ‘Changes to RRIF Withdrawal Requirement for
2020’.