Cloud Tax Accountants Are Better
Why is a cloud tax accountant better than a tax accountant? The best accounting services are convenient and easy. Cloud accounting is more convenient, highly accurate, and better poised for the future. It’s not for everyone, but if getting your taxes done without leaving your home sounds appealing you should consider a cloud tax accountant.
Convenience of Cloud Accounting
The biggest advantage of working with a cloud-based tax accountant is convenience. One customer review indicated, “I like being able to do my taxes in my pajamas from my kitchen table.” That may not be everyone’s favourite thing about working with us, but it certainly made us giggle.
Opportunities in Cloud Accounting
Many Canadians have increased caregiver requirements and need to be home more often. Others live in more remote communities with limited access to tax accountants. Some live abroad. If you need to be at home all the time, have limited local accounting services, or like working online you’ll enjoy working with a cloud tax accountant. No long lines, no long drives, just a quick Zoom meeting and a few uploads to Google Workspace.
Technology For Cloud Tax Preparation
Cloud-based accountants stay up to date with technology. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses new technology. So does your bank and your employer. If you’re self-employed or incorporated, you likely have at least a few tech-savvy customers. Working with a cloud tax accountant will help you keep up with them.
Save Time & Money in the Cloud
Cloud accounting technology saves time and improves accuracy. That makes your life easier. No more waiting in line at the bank for a paper copy of your statement to give to your accountant. Download them from the comfort of your home, send them with convenience to your cloud accountant at the same time. Put your feet up and relax – you’re done already.
Faster Turnaround
Remember waiting months for your assessment in 1997? I remember waiting a long time for my refund in 2001. But with EFILE and cloud tax-accounting software, the CRA has it in seconds. Refunds, if you’re entitled to one and not everyone is every year, can come in days instead of weeks. Why wait?
More Value
Tax accountants that leverage the cloud save money on brick-and-mortar space. Those savings get passed on to you when you choose to use one. Why should your tax preparation fees go towards someone else’s office space?
Access Anywhere
Forgot your laptop? No problem when you use the cloud. Login from any device, anytime. You’re never caught in a bad situation, unless of course your wifi went out.
Paperless is Healthier
By going paperless, you potentially help remove over 100 million ink toner cartridges from landfills every year.
Be Smart When in the Cloud
Working online comes with benefits, but also has some challenges. Be savvy about getting your tax solutions in the cloud with these helpful tips.
Technology Skills Required
The ability to use computers is important when working with a cloud-based tax accountant. If you don’t have a computer or don’t know how to use a smartphone, it probably isn’t a good fit.
Offshoring Your Tax information
Some tax preparation businesses and some tax accountants are offshoring your tax returns without your knowledge. This presents a serious security risk to your personal information. You deserve to know what happens with your information. Ask any cloud accountant about their security and privacy policies. If they can’t answer well, keep looking.
Legitimacy of Cloud Tax Accountants
Make sure you’re working with a professional by looking them up. In Ontario, you can look at the Chartered Professional Accountant’s CPA Firm Directory to check that the company you select is aboveboard. You can also see if the CPA is in good standing by checking the CPA Member Directory. All CPAs providing services to the public need to be listed on both directories. If not, they aren’t registered or they’ve been removed for some reason.
Be Careful Online
There is no such thing as a guaranteed tax refund. Tax rules change all the time. Be wary of promises. No accountant should promise you a refund. If they do, you should keep looking.
Cloud Vs. Old-School Tax Accountants
If you like working from home, enjoy using technology, and love flexibility, a cloud tax accountant is probably the right choice for you. If you don’t like computers, prefer physical locations, and have stacks of paper, you’re probably best served by an old-school tax accountant. Both exist, both have opportunities and weaknesses. It’s all about which one fits your personality. The choice is yours.
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