Table of Contents
- What Makes Springfield Accounting Firms Unique?
- What Does an Accountant in Springfield Do?
- How Much Does a Springfield Accounting Agency Charge?
- Why Should You Work with a Springfield Accounting Company?
- How to Select the Right Springfield Accounting Firm for Your Business
- 10 Questions to Ask an Accountant in Springfield
- Takeaways on Springfield Accounting
What Makes Springfield Accounting Firms Unique?
Springfield accounting companies offer several financial management services to businesses of all sizes. Their services include tax preparation and compliance, financial auditing, and payroll processing.
Aside from that, here are four traits that make working with an accountant in Springfield unique:
Feature #1: Top Paying State
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Massachusetts is one of the top-paying states for accountants and auditors. As of May 2021, the state employs more than 38,000 accountants and auditors who earn an average annual salary of $92,310. That said, business owners can work with a Springfield accounting firm and rest assured that their accountants are paid well.
Feature #2: Diverse Industry
Aside from having a job that pays well, there is a demand for accountants in various industries within the city:
- Consulting firms
- Real estate developers and contractors
- Healthcare and wellness facilities
- Information technology
- Financial services
In relation to this, the top five industries in Springfield, MA are education and health services, trade and transportation, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, and professional and business services. This increases the likelihood that Springfield accounting companies have experience serving businesses in the mentioned sectors.
Feature #3: Affordable Cost of Living
Springfield is known for its affordable cost of living. Hence, it is one of the ideal places to live in Massachusetts. Additionally, the city has plenty of urban amenities, and it is near many outdoor attractions.
Springfield is home to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, where locals and tourists can delve into the sport's history. You can find Mount Tom and Ashley Reservoir outside the city limits, where people go hiking and biking.
That said, it is safe to assume that accountants in Springfield are well-rounded and active people.
Feature #4: Best Workplaces
According to The Boston Global, Springfield is home to two of the top 25 best workplaces. These are MassMutual (insurance company) and Behavioral Health Network (provider of comprehensive behavioral health services).
Besides getting paid well and having enough time off, outsourcing your accounting needs to a partner agency in Massachusetts means you are supporting businesses that treat their employees well.
What Does an Accountant in Springfield Do?
In general, a Springfield accounting company helps organize your business's finances. However, the types of services they provide will depend on what kind of company they are. Some offer full-service accounting -- including bookkeeping, tax preparation, and advisory services -- and some offer specialized accounting services.
Regardless, here are five accounting services that you can expect from a partner agency:
Service #1: Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is one of the most common services an accountant in Springfield can provide. What bookkeepers do is record and reconcile all of your business transactions.
Service #2: Tax Planning and Preparation
Tax planning and preparation allow your business to be tax compliant. That's because every company has to file a tax return, although this can be tedious. This explains why small business accounting firms are growing in popularity.
Whether you are a startup or an enterprise, a Springfield accounting agency can help optimize your business's tax situation.
Service #3: Payroll Processing
As straightforward as it sounds, payroll processing can be complex. You may have employees who are paid by the hour while your contractors charge you monthly or per project.
That said, payroll companies ensure that people who render services to your company are paid appropriately. Your partner agency can also handle their withheld taxes and government-mandated benefits.
Service #4: Business Valuation
There will come the point when you need to seek investors to grow your business. However, you must be able to prove to them that you can repay their investments. This is where business valuation services can be helpful.
Accounting agencies will run valuation reports and audits. They will review your accounting books and financial history to see growth patterns. This can help investors determine your company's actual market value.
Service #5: Outsourced CFO
Accounting firms also provide advisory and outsource Chief Financial Officer (CFO) services. This means they can help you build a robust financial strategy, which often does not require a full-time CFO. Outsourced CFO services are also helpful if you need someone to oversee your business's financial performance but need more money to hire one.
How Much Does a Springfield Accounting Agency Charge?
A Springfield accounting service provider may charge between $7 and $300 per hour. If you want to hire a partner agency on a retainer, expect to shell out $1,000 to $50,000 per month.
How much an accountant in Springfield charges will depend on the following factors:
- Complexity of the project: An accountant who only does payroll processing for your company may charge more if you exceed a certain number of employees. They may also charge more if you add bookkeeping to their tasks.
- Nature of your business: Startup accounting services may cost more than accounting services for nonprofits.
- Tools and technologies: Some accountants have certifications for using the best accounting software. Hence, they are likely to charge more for their services. Using proprietary accounting technology also comes with a price.
Why Should You Work with a Springfield Accounting Company?
Working with a Springfield accounting service provider ensures your business is financially well. This means that your employees are paid appropriately, you are tax compliant, and your company can stay afloat.
Here are four more benefits of working with an accountant in Springfield:
Benefit #1: Tap Expert Accountants and Auditors
What's great about hiring an accounting company is that you have access to expert accountants and auditors. Organizing your business's finances can take time and effort. Hence, you will need someone knowledgeable to consolidate your books, prepare your taxes, and process your employees' payroll.
Benefit #2: Get Cost-Effective Services
Outsourcing your accounting needs allows you to ensure that your business is financially afloat at a fraction of the cost. For instance, you only need to hire a part-time accountant if organizing your accounting books takes 20 hours per week. You only need to pay someone at least $560 monthly to organize your books.
Benefit #3: Save Time and Money in Hiring
Another advantage of outsourcing your accounting needs is that you no longer need to hire an accountant. That's because your partner agency already has a team of accountants and auditors. You no longer need to spend time and money on hiring an in-house accountant.
Benefit #4: Focus on What Matters
Ultimately, hiring a Springfield accounting firm enables you to focus on what matters. Instead of consolidating your books, you can spend more time growing your business, improving your products and services, and providing customer satisfaction.
How to Select the Right Springfield Accounting Firm for Your Business
Your Springfield accounting service provider is like your business partner. Hence, it is vital that you take your time when hiring a partner agency. It is your company's best interest to work with an experienced and capable accountant from Springfield.
That said, here are x factors to consider when hiring a Springfield accounting company:
Factor #1: Certification
It is vital that your Springfield accounting agency can provide you with certified public accountants (CPA). While processing payroll is something that an accounting graduate can do, financial audits may require accredited accountants.
Factor #2: Relevant Experience
The size and nature of your business can impact what taxes you need to pay. That's why you should look for a service provider that can guide you with your financial management needs.
Factor #3: Matched Software
If you are using accounting software, working with someone familiar with the tools you already have will be easier. That's because it eliminates the need to train them. It also ensures that data sharing is as seamless as possible.
Factor #4: Location
Many business owners feel confident when hiring a service provider from a nearby area. Although it is no longer a necessity nowadays, we recommend hiring a partner agency from where you operate.
For instance, you have law firms in Massachusetts. You can hire law firm accounting firms based in Springfield for convenience. Should they need documents from your offices, it would be easy for your service provider to travel.
10 Questions to Ask an Accountant in Springfield
Aside from knowing what factors to consider when hiring a Springfield accounting service provider, you must also ask the right questions. That way, you can better evaluate whether a partner agency is right for your business.
- Do you provide specialized accounting services or full-service accounting?
- Based on the nature of our business, what types of tax do we need to pay?
- What documents do we need to prepare for tax compliance?
- Do you also provide business registration services?
- Do you have experience working with a business like ours?
- How would we know if you remit our taxes to the appropriate agencies?
- Can we have a paperless accounting process?
- Do we have to pay for our accounting software?
- What accounting tools do you use?
- What is your most recommended payroll processing tool?
Takeaways on Springfield Accounting
A reliable Springfield accounting service provider ensures that your finances are organized, and your business is compliant. That way, it will be easier for you to compensate your employees, pay your taxes, and send financial reports to investors.
However, you must know what factors to consider when looking for a suitable partner agency. It also helps to ask the right questions for further evaluation. From there, you can easily find an accountant in Springfield that can help manage your business's finances.
