How much do you pay your accountant?

[Hopperbin]

I am still going to change accountants some day soon but just worried that the new accountant will see how much I am currently paying and want to charge more. So can some of you tell me how much in a total year your accountant fees come out to and what you do to keep them lower, with all the programs included, not including costs for an audit. I paid FBC 9 grand last year and I logged everything into a book and had the totals. Next year my fee will be less as my gross income will be lower, they charge by gross income, give me a year end tax consultation, and a crappy financial advisor that does not care to see me cause he cannot sell me life ins. or mutual funds.

[Hopperbin]

I want to go with a firm that will be around for the rest of my years and carry the farm into the next generation. Changing accountants is not a good thing.

[Hopperbin]

Not a good thing if done too often

[Hopperbin]

what do you want your accountant to do for you? Besides the traditional services I want my accountant to help me with other things like ratio's and benchmarking and helping me understand my business, goals and future direction.

I currently pay 3000-8000 depending on what I do and time spent. I do not understand the thinking behind charging based on gross sales. The other thing is, don't you pay a year in advance also? I receive a bill once a certain amount of work is complete and more often when the job is done.

Why do you mention the audit? There should be no reason to be worried about the potential chance of an audit and I don't think any "professional organization" would help you in the event you are audited.

I have heard that these guys use a scare tactic and don't buy their BS about the fear of an audit and that if you change accountants that you will be auditted. If there work is that bad that you are guaranteed an audit if you leave then that should be enough to make the decision.

[farming101]

Last year paid about 7K for filing 2 corporate tax returns, doing up financial statements for same corporations plus a partnership and filing a couple T4's. Personal tax on top of that.
If accountant charges based on gross income and farmer has a bad year (down 50% or more) would they drop their fee a similar amount? That would be a good deal.

[farming101]

I agree with SF99. Share the wealth is what you do with your shareholders, partners, family, and the taxman. Accountants should be well, accountable.

Grains board a nice shade of green this morning..

[Burbert]

0$ paid to a counter. Sharpen a lead
pencil and have at er yerself! Maybe
you'll learn somethin about framing!

[Hopperbin]

I agree paying ahead sucks. I would much rather pay for service provided.

[lnewman]

Depends on how much time mine takes , one company
I share with brother $4000/ year , Other less
complex with wife $3000. I fired my account of 12
years ,2 years ago best thing I ever did. He was
charging $ 8000 and $ 4500 . Change after tax season
old accountant charged me for a year, and did about 4
hours work. Now I'm getting estate advice along with
accounting its a relief .

[malta]

About 3k for a corporate and 4 personal returns as well as about 4 hours of consultation per year. Everything is presented to CA 95%ready to file but I want the sober second thought. I file my own CAIS. I would not prepay or deal with a door to door type.

[freewheat]

400 bucks, but I'm just a small potatoes
guy.

[freewheat]

FBC was looking at charging me 4000 bucks
or so the last year I used them. I make
300 bucks a month NOT using them. lol

[fjlip]

Unless you do not have the time or skills, doing your own books, accounting, investing and tax returns is definitely the best way to understand your business.
We do it all with various software and have had no regrets, no tax due audits.
Time well spent according to the costs incurred above.

[LEP]

I spent a decade in the ag banking business. My customers that used FBC
had the most mistakes, paid the most and were the least satisfied with the
result.

Personally I wouldn't touch them.

I use a local CA firm and pay $3,500 for a corporate return, CAIS, and two
personal returns. This includes some forecasting and minor tax planning that
are run of the mill.

If and when I get into the estate issues I would expect to pay extra for that
work.

[hobbyfrmr]

Same thing, I hand in my Excel ledger of income and expenses, I do the numbers for CAIS or AGstability or whatever its called.
I am small potatoes as well, $800 for myself and my wife.
I truly hate doing the agstability bs.I have never caught on to software, although I am not computer illiterate. Somehow, I have this aversion to self learning any kind of accounting software.
Can someone suggest a place to take classes on simply accounting, or microsoft books or something? After all, I sit at the computer and plunk in the names and numbers into Excel.