Finding a Contractor Accountant

If you’re a contractor, freelancer, or small business owner, feeling in control of your finances is hugely important. But busy independent professionals running their own successful businesses often have little time to devote to their finances, so they choose to hire the services of a personal accountant - a sound investment, since nothing offers greater peace of mind that the feeling that your finances are being handled by an expert.

A quick Google search for ‘contractor accountant’ reveals that there are a burgeoning number of companies out there offer accounting services aimed specifically at contractors and freelancers…so how do you find the one that’s right for your business, and what kind of service should a specialist contractor accountant be offering you?

Perhaps the most important asset to look for in a specialist contractor accountant is expertise: only a company tailored specifically towards contractors and freelancers will have a sufficient understanding of the tax issues that affect you to offer you the best service. Their knowledge of these issues – such as tax legislation, IR35, and corporation tax laws - should be second to none.

Secondly, you should look for a contractor accountant who offers a comprehensive range of services: the best packages on the market often include an online accounting program, which gives you access to an impressive array of software, plus the services of a specialist contractor accountant, all for one monthly subscription. The online software enables you to take quickly care of tasks such as recording expenses, viewing current assets and creating pay slips, and your accountant provides dedicated support and takes care of time-consuming tasks like completion of self-assessment, VAT, PAYE and corporation tax returns.

Most importantly, a good contractor accountant should offer a comprehensive yet versatile service – this means that they will take the time to understand the nature of your business and what you require from your accountant. So whether you're an experienced contractor who needs an all-inclusive accountancy service, or you're new to contracting and need help setting up a limited company, your accountant should be able to offer a service that’s exactly right for your business. And of course, this package should come with transparent, good value subscription fee as well as advice on how to reduce the amount of tax you’re currently paying.

In a nutshell, a good contractor accountant should enable you to pay less and get more: by choosing the right accounting partner you’ll be able to lessen your tax bill and at the same time access a range of services and software that will allow you to save time and money. For these reasons, and for true financial peace of mind, every contractor and freelancer should make sure they sign up for a service that specialises in contractor accounting.