Finding a new contracting accountant can seem like a daunting task, especially when you’re busy contracting or just starting out and have little free time to shop around. That’s where this blog comes in! Finding the best contractor accountant for you is all about asking the right questions and doing your research, and here we help you with both.
When approaching potential new contractor accountants, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are they specialist contractor accountants?
Many claim to know how Limited Company contractors operate, but a specialist contractor accountant will be up to date with the latest laws affecting umbrella and limited companies such as IR35 legislation and understand how your industry works inside and out.
- Will you have a direct line to your Personal Accountant?
Account Managers and call centre staff will only push you from pillar to post, and leave you waiting days for a response from an actual contracting accountant. Save yourself lots of time (and sanity!) by ensuring you’ll only ever be speaking directly to your dedicated Personal Accountant. Make sure you get their personal email address and phone number from the get-go.
- Are they accredited accountants?
You wouldn’t seek professional advice from an unauthorised lawyer or doctor, so make sure your chosen contractor accountant has the credentials to back up their claims. In particular look out for The Freelancer and Contractor Services Association (FCSA) accreditation, as it is recognised as the industry’s compliance gold standard. FCSA accreditation is only ever awarded to contractor accountancy firms who demonstrate the highest industry standards, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.
- Are they specialist IR35 accountants?
Understanding IR35 legislation and how you’re personally affected should be at the forefront of everything your contractor accountant does. It’s their job to determine your IR35 status, guide you at both the contract and working practice stage, and provide IR35 guidance services throughout the time you’re a client at no extra monthly cost.
With the impending IR35 legislation changes due in April 2020 whereby both IR35 for contractors in the private sector and public sector will be decided by the end hirer, it’s so important to choose a contracting accountant who understands these changes to IR35 regulations and is active in getting ready to support you.
- What contractor accountancy services do you actually get for your money?
You know how much you’ll be paying each month, but which contractor accountancy services does that actually include, and does all-inclusive really mean just that? Be aware of hidden charges and added extras which some accountancies may sneak in. Above anything else be sure that free IR35 contract reviews and advice are included in the price, as that’s the service you’ll rely on the most in the next 12 months.
- What do other contractors think of them?
Spend some time on the online forums and see what other contractors have said about the contractor accountants you’re considering. Ask your contracting colleagues who they use and if they recommend them, and take a look at their Trustpilot and Google reviews. You’ll soon get a good idea if what they promise on their websites is what they actually deliver to their clients…
Why should you consider Intouch as your new contractor accountant?
We’d love to be on your list of the best contractor accountants to consider and are proud to offer our award-winning service with everything you need to be stress-free from a tax and contractor accounting point of view.
We will take care of all your Limited Company’s accounting and tax tasks for a monthly fee of £115 + VAT
- Direct line to your dedicated Personal Accountant
- Unlimited IR35 contract advice and free IR35 reviews
- 24/7 portal access (or Freeagent friendly for an additional £15 VAT/m)
- We’ll handle the switching process
- No set-up or catch-up fees
- All HMRC and Companies House returns completed and filed
- Contractor-specific mortgages, wealth and protection services
Switching from your current contractor accountant?
Just let us know you’d like to switch and we’ll take care of the rest. We obtain your records from your current accountant and inform HMRC and Companies House of the change. We don’t charge setup or catch-up fees, have tie-in periods or leaving fees – as we believe in earning customer loyalty, rather than enforcing it!
But don’t just take our word for it
50% of all our contractors have been referred to us by a friend or colleague
We have an ‘excellent’ 5 star Trustpilot score for our contractor accountancy services
We’ve won ‘Best Contractor Accountant’ in the reader-voted ContractorUK Reader Awards for three years running
Freelancer and Contractor Service Association (FSCA) Accreditation – recognised as the industry’s compliance gold standard.
