A good accountant saves you money and stress: how do you choose the right one?

A reliable accounting partner isn’t just an expense—it’s an investment that gives you peace of mind and time to grow your business. When you’re just starting out as a self-employed individual, an Excel spreadsheet might suffice, but once you register for VAT, the rules of the game change. How can you spot a professional who will keep track of deadlines for you and save you money—not just on taxes?

When does it no longer make sense to handle accounting on your own?

Handling your own accounting makes sense only in the early stages of your business: when you have a minimum of documents, are not a VAT payer, and use flat-rate expenses or a flat-rate tax. However, as your business grows, so does the risk of costly mistakes.

As orders increase, costs rise, or you even start hiring employees, it’s best to entrust your accounting to professionals.

So, as soon as you feel that accounting is taking up valuable time and energy that you could be investing in growing your business, it’s high time to delegate.

When does the tipping point occur?

• Growth and VAT Registration: Are you, as a self-employed individual, approaching the threshold for mandatory VAT registration? That’s when tax reports kick in, deadlines become increasingly tight, and administrative work skyrockets.
• Foreign clients and identified persons: Have you started selling services abroad, buying ads on Facebook or Google, or purchased a license for Canva or other foreign software from an EU country? You are becoming so-called identified person. The paperwork suddenly becomes more complicated, and any mistakes will be costly.
• Time is money: Paperwork takes up hours of your time that you could put to much better use working for clients or growing your business.

A freelance accountant or an accounting firm?

If you decide to outsource your accounting, you face a choice: a freelancer or an established firm? Both options have their pros and cons, and as a self-employed individual, either may be suitable for you. It depends on your preferences.

Freelance accountant

• Advantages: Personal and informal approach, direct communication (you always know who you’re calling), often a slightly lower price.

• Disadvantages: Limited capacity. If the accountant gets sick, for example during tax filing season, or retires, you’re in trouble. The technological infrastructure may also not always be top-notch.

Accounting firm

• Advantages: Redundancy. At an accounting firm, someone will always take over your case. They have specialists in various areas (payroll, VAT, international taxation) on their team, established control mechanisms, and generally work with modern software.

• Disadvantages: Higher initial costs and sometimes a slightly more formal approach.

How to Choose the Right Accountant for Your Business?

Choosing an accountant isn’t just about finding someone to file your tax return. You’re looking for a reliable partner who’s got your back, so ask about these areas:

Communication is the foundation of successful collaboration

Collaboration should always be based on a contract that defines the scope of services, price, liability for errors, and communication methods. How does collaboration with accountants work in practice?

Establishing a partnership involves clear steps so you know where you stand right from the start:

• Initial consultation: the accountant should understand your business and needs.
• Setting up the collaboration: scope of services, pricing, and processes.
• Regular submission of documents: you’ll agree with the accountants on how often you’ll submit invoices, receipts, and other accounting documents.
• Document processing and review: a professional will verify the accuracy of invoices, notify you of any missing information, and post everything to the books on an ongoing basis.
• Deliverables: reports, VAT returns, tax returns, financial statements.
• Ongoing consultation: discussing changes, planning next steps, and highlighting potential risks.

How to choose a reliable partner?

There are certain things you shouldn’t tolerate as a self-employed individual. If you encounter the following red flags, look elsewhere for accounting services:

• Suspiciously low price: This often means the accountant prioritizes volume, doesn’t have time for a personalized approach, and hasn’t factored in reserves for insurance or professional development.
• No contract: Never work with someone without a written contract that defines the scope of the collaboration and liability for errors.
• No response: Is the VAT deadline approaching, and your accountant hasn’t answered the phone or replied to emails for three days? That’s a nightmare you want to avoid as a business owner.

We’d be happy to prepare a quote for accounting services

If outsourcing your accounting makes sense for your business, get in touch with us—we provide external accounting services for both self-employed individuals and companies. Let us handle your payroll, advise you on taxes, or take advantage of our other services. Simply fill out the contact form below, and we’ll prepare a no-obligation quote for you.