The decision to engage with a CPA firm is not something that you should undertake lightly. If you are a small business owner in San Francisco, or perhaps you are a technology worker, you may have significant income, expenses, and complex tax issues. In fact, we work with many people who have international tax exposure, because, for example, they are Canadian citizens who work for startups here in the San Francisco Bay area.
Leaving that aside, however, many people when looking for the so-called best CPA firms in San Francisco, make a number of mistakes. A common mistake, for example, is to select a CPA firm that is physically nearby. While, of course, most people work in the downtown area, there is no real reason that your CPA firm needs to be in the downtown area. We prefer the calm or more suburban area of San Francisco out here on the avenues!
Being physically close to the client is not that big of a deal. We may meet face-to-face only once or twice, and most of the time we will be exchanging documentation via the Internet, or perhaps talking on the phone or using web meetings. So don’t choose a CPA firm in San Francisco solely because of their location! That’s not a big factor.
Choose a Truly Local San Francisco CPA Firm
Another factor which is more important is whether the CPA firm is a truly local business or is one of the huge national chains that hire people on a come and go basis. The huge national chains with their brand equity are certainly visible, but the reality is that they are not local businesses, and the persons that you work with may come and go on an as-needed basis. You are not actually having a relationship with an individual in this case, but rather are having a relationship with a big box chain, which is to say you’re not having much of a relationship. We are, in contrast, a local CPA firm and you will be dealing with the same people on a year in and year on basis. We do not have a lot of staff turnover!
Because we are a local CPA firm and are recognized as one of the best boutique CPA firms in San Francisco, we provide better customer service. We are more motivated to work with you than a national chain.
Finally, another factor can to consider when choosing a CPA firm in San Francisco is its areas of expertise. We have a very strong focus on international tax and expat tax returns, for example. Many of our clients choose us because of our expertise in international tax. Another strong area for us is small business tax returns. We can help with issues such as audited financials, which are often required to get a loan from a San Francisco bank or perhaps to get a business relationship with the city of San Francisco.
The most important step when selecting a CPA firm in San Francisco is to come in for a consultation. There is no substitute for the face to face, gut instinct decision as to which CPA firm in San Francisco is going to be the best choice for you. We welcome the opportunity to meet you face-to-face!
