Why Do I Need a CPA?

There are lots of good reasons to utilize the services of a qualified CPA. The first is that Certified Public Accountants have only one thing on their minds: How can we achieve the greatest tax savings for our clients? A good CPA spends the time required to keep up with our beloved government's constant changes in the tax code. Every year both the Congress and state governments seem to find something to change and every year these changes will impact what you keep and what you hand over to the IRS or your state. A dedicated CPA studies these changes and determines how they will impact different clients. Sometimes these changes will have no effect on one person but a serious, negative effect on another. A good CPA knows the difference and knows when to sound the alarm.

CPAs are also trained and certified to know what "creative accounting" is and what is over the line. While it may seem perfectly reasonable to you that your cat is a valid deduction, the IRS may have a different perspective. Once again, a good CPA knows the difference.

CPAs also know the right questions to ask to help you plan for the future. Whether you know it or not, retirement can become a nightmare if you do not plan ahead. So can buying that vacation house you've always wanted or paying for your children's college tuition. Should you business buy or lease the new equipment that's needed? Your accountant, with his or her intimate knowledge of the effects the choices will have on your particular circumstances, can guide you in making the right decisions.

To illuminate the best reason to use a qualified CPA, we make this analogy. If you were arrested for some heinous crime (falsely accused, obviously), you would hardly show up in court alone, without an attorney. Nor would you decide to give yourself that triple bypass you need, forgoing the use of a surgeon and operating room. The same is true when it comes to taxes and financial planning.

While we're slightly prejudiced to our own services, there are other qualified firms who are out there as well. The point is that you need help and guidance in order to achieve your goals and that comes in the form of a Certified Public Accountant. So whether you choose Herman & Company, or another qualified and reputable accounting firm, don't go it alone. The money you spend will be repaid many times over in dollars and in peace of mind.