CPA's - why would you recommend

I'm curious to hear these answers as well.

I was just wondering if they look at only current years tax savings potential or do they actively help you prepare for future years(retirement) to help alleviate taxation at that time if possible.

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I was just wondering if they look at only current years tax savings potential or do they actively help you prepare for future years(retirement) to help alleviate taxation at that time if possible

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To answer the OP and this, yes. I basically fired my wife's families CPA and chose my own this past fall because I was not getting personal actual advice ever. It was always reactive, as in "oh you did "X" this year so next year we need to do this". Instead of talking about things I should do this freaking year. Basically I always felt a year behind and missing out on opportunities.

But I will say and I have a small business so I need this even more so, I plan to meet with my CPA every fall before tax season. To finalize everything, get on the same page, BS, and see if they have any recommendations. One of the reasons I had to fire my Families CPA was because we weren't in the same state and those fall visits were not easy.

Long story, part of the reason to get a CPA is to make your financial situation more comfortable to you that you are doing things properly and best. So you need to find a CPA that does that for you, more so than one that someone recommends that does not.

Let me also say, that I pay for that hour every fall. But It makes me feel much more confident and is well WELL worth the money and my time.

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Agreed. I think it brings into question the need of CPA's in general

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This seems like an answer from someone who is a W-2 employee of under $200k a year household income. Which frankly you are correct in that many don't.

If you are a w-2 employee than paying a CPA the $500-1000 for a fairly simple return every year may not be worth it. But if you are 1099 or own your own business then they can easily be worth it if for no other reason time well spent on your work over 20 hours on taxes because you don't know what you are doing.

One of the things you need to look for is knowledge in your area of need. I've found CPAs don't like to admit they don't know all the areas and will not always tell you they need to bill you more because it takes them time to learn your area of need. But finding one that knows your field is very important.

To get a CPA to do it for you that is any good is going to cost around $500 for something that is not terribly complicated. If you have a schedule C for your business, I'd plan on closer to $1000. Generally the work is done by a tax prep person and then the CPA looks it over and reviews, if you go to a larger firm 2 CPAs will review it.

I was told about $120/ hour combined is what to expect.