Category
Choosing an Accountant
The difference between a CPA, an enrolled agent and a bookkeeper is not price. It is what each one is licensed to do, and what happens when something goes wrong.
These guides explain the credentials, what to ask before you hire, and how to check a license yourself. The directory does the IRS check for you, but the reasoning behind it is here.
Bookkeeper vs Accountant: What Each Does, and Which You Need
Neither title is licensed in the US. What a bookkeeper actually does, what an accountant does, and which one your business needs.
CPA vs Accountant: What the License Actually Changes
Every CPA is an accountant; most accountants are not CPAs. What the state license adds, what it does not, and how to check one.
Enrolled Agent vs CPA: Same IRS Rights, Different Licenses
Enrolled agent vs CPA: both can represent you before the IRS without limit. An EA is licensed federally for tax; a CPA by a state, and can sign attest work.
Do I Need a CPA for My Small Business? When It Is Required and When It Is Optional
No law makes a small business hire a CPA. A lender, an investor or an attest requirement can, and this is exactly where that line falls.
Tax Preparer Credentials: What the IRS File Shows About 2,711 US Firms
We matched 4,874 accounting and tax firms against the IRS preparer file. At 18.1% of the matched firms, no preparer listed any credential at all.