Choosing an accountant
Twelve questions to ask an accountant before you hire one
Reviewed by EverStone CPA · August 2026
Quick answer: The fastest way to evaluate an accountant is to ask questions with checkable answers: who exactly does the work, what does the fee include, what happens between filings, how do they handle CRA letters. Below are the twelve we would ask — with what a good answer sounds like, and our own answer to each, so you can hold us to the same standard.
Credentials and the person doing the work
- 1. Are you a CPA, and can I verify that? The designation is verifiable — our verification guide shows how. Ours: yes; the steps to check are published on that page.
- 2. Who actually prepares and reviews my file? In some firms the person you meet is not the person who does the work. Ours: the CPA you speak to is the person on your file, year-round.
- 3. How many clients like me do you act for? “Like me” matters — incorporated contractors and owner-managers have different needs than employees. Ours: owner-managed corporations are the practice, not a sideline.
Fees and scope
- 4. Is the fee fixed and quoted in advance? Hourly billing makes every question cost money. Ours: fixed, in writing, before work starts — published here.
- 5. What exactly does the fee include? The gap between quotes is usually scope, not efficiency. Ours: the engagement letter lists inclusions; questions between filings are part of the fee, not billable events.
- 6. What costs extra, and how is that decided? A good firm can name the boundary. Ours: one-time work — like catch-up — is quoted separately, once, before it begins.
The service between filings
- 7. What happens the other eleven months? A year-end-only relationship means planning happens after the year is closed — too late. Ours: deadlines tracked, questions answered, planning done in-year.
- 8. If the CRA sends a letter, what do you do? The answer should be a process, not reassurance. Ours: send it before responding; reading it is part of the service — see our letter decoders.
- 9. How fast do you respond, in writing? Ask for a stated standard. Ours: one business day.
Fit and exit
- 10. How does the year-end handover work if I join mid-mess? Ours: the switching process is published, and we do the chasing.
- 11. What do your clients say, verifiably? Reviews should be checkable at the source, not quoted at you. Ours: on Google, unedited.
- 12. If I leave, what happens to my records? The records are yours; a professional says so plainly. Ours: handed over completely, promptly, no hostage-taking.
General information, not tax advice. A letter’s own wording and dates govern — confirm anything that affects a decision on a free consult.
Common questions
What is the single most revealing question?+
Number 2 — who actually does the work. It predicts the quality of everything else, and firms where the answer is vague tend to be vague about scope and fees as well.
Should price be the deciding factor?+
Price should be knowable in advance — that is a professionalism test — but the deciding factor is usually fit: whether the firm’s core clientele looks like your business, and whether the person on your file answers you in-year.
Is it rude to ask an accountant these directly?+
A good accountant enjoys these questions, because they are easy to answer well and they filter for clients who value the service. Any offence taken is itself an answer.
Can I ask EverStone these on the free consult?+
Please do — the list exists because we are content to be measured by it. Book the consult, bring the twelve, and hold the answers to the standard on this page.
Got a letter you’d rather not face alone?
Send it over before you respond. A CPA reads it, tells you what it actually asks, and what to send — free.
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