Accounting and tax

Accountants, bookkeepers and tax return help for individuals and small businesses.

• Hiring an accountant for a small business

  What a small business accountant does, how sole traders and companies differ, which qualifications to look for by country, and what to agree in writing.

• Getting help with your tax return

  How to find a qualified person to help with a personal tax return in the UK, US, Canada or Australia, what to bring, and the warning signs of a bad preparer.

• Bookkeeper vs accountant: which one you need

  The difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant, when a small business needs each, what qualifications to check, and how the two can work together.

• How accountants charge and how to compare proposals

  How accountants price their work, from fixed monthly packages to per-return and hourly fees, what pushes the price up, and how to compare proposals.