FML CPAs partner Karlene Barry is a featured source in a new Wall Street Journal guide for small-business owners weighing when and how to bring on a CPA.
The article, “When to Hire a CPA for Your Small Business,” walks readers through what CPAs actually do, what they cost and how to find one. Karlene shared that entity selection is among the first things she helps new business owners work through, since the structure they choose drives both how the business is taxed and how exposed the owner is to liability.
She also offered readers a practical note on cost: disorganized records mean more hours on the CPA’s end.
On finding the right fit, Karlene recommended asking for referrals through local and regional business organizations, then meeting with several candidates. She suggested prioritizing CPAs with experience in the owner’s industry or with businesses of a similar size, and made the case for hiring a firm over a solo practitioner. At a firm, someone can answer an urgent question when the owner’s usual contact is out. Anyone considering a solo CPA, she said, should ask directly what happens when that person is unavailable.
Karlene is based in FML’s Enfield office and has more than 20 years of public accounting experience working with closely held businesses and their owners.
Read the full article at WSJ Buy Side.