How To Create An Accounting Firm

Start an accounting firm by following these 10 steps:

You have found the perfect business idea, and now you are ready to take the next step. There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your accounting firm. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Check out our How to Start a Business page.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What are the startup and ongoing costs?
Who is your target market?
How much can you charge customers?
What will you name your business?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What are the costs involved in opening an accounting firm?

An accounting service requires an office, computers, accounting software, high-speed Internet, desks, filing cabinets, printers, insurance, and money for advertising. It is also necessary to become a certified public accountant (CPA). CPA exam fees typically cost around $1,000.

What are the ongoing expenses for an accounting firm?

An accounting service must pay monthly office rent, utilities, high-speed Internet, employee salaries, marketing costs, insurance, computer/software upgrades and general office expenses. The cost of monthly office rent for an accounting service depends on the size of the space as well as the location. In general, you can expect to pay between $600 and $1,500 each month to rent an office. It is also possible to operate out of your home or another property you own. Budget at least $150 to $200 per month for utilities including high-speed Internet.

A receptionist will require a salary of $25,000 to $35,000. A marketing professional will demand an annual salary in the range of $35,000 to $60,000 or more. If you do not want to handle the accounting work on your own, it will be necessary to hire one or several accountants. These professionals typically command a salary of $40,000 to $80,000 per year.

Budget in at least a couple hundred dollars per month for marketing. You will eventually have to replace and upgrade computer hardware and software. It is prudent to put $100 to $200 aside each month for these inevitable expenses. This way, you will have money available for replacements/upgrades when the time comes to implement them. Budget between $100 and $200 each month for office sundries like coffee, pizza parties, bottled water, staples, paper, ink toner etc.

Who is the target market?

The ideal client is a large business. Other ideal clients include wealthy individuals and business owners with myriad sources of income.

How does an accounting firm make money?

An accounting service makes money by charging clients fees. Some work on an hourly basis while others accept a flat rate for project work. Other accounting services are paid an annual sum of money that covers the entire year's worth of accounting work.

How much can you charge customers?

The amount of money charged to clients differs on the size of their enterprise, the scope of the work, the region in which you are located and a number of other factors. If you secure a high-profile business with substantial revenue, you can likely charge $125 to $350 per hour. If you are handling a single project such as year-of-end taxes for an individual, you can likely charge a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars depending on the complexity of the project.

How much profit can an accounting firm make?

If you are a one-man operation, you will likely make between $30,000 and $75,000 in the first year or two. Continue to grow your business and your profits will eventually reach six figures. If you secure a steady roster of clients and expand throughout the region, it is possible to make millions of dollars.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Ask clients to recommend your services to colleagues and friends. Jump at the opportunity to tackle side projects such as a wealthy client's personal taxes. It is also possible to make extra money by teaching accounting classes and training others on accounting software programs.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don't already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Accounting Firm Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

Your state's business records
Federal and state trademark records
Social media platforms
Web domain availability.

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your accounting firm is sued.

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can start an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services. You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN for free through the IRS website, via fax, or by mail. If you would like to learn more about EINs and how they can benefit your LLC, read our article, What is an EIN?.

Learn how to get an EIN in our What is an EIN guide or find your existing EIN using our EIN lookup guide.

Small Business Taxes

Depending on which business structure you choose, you might have different options for how your business will be taxed. For example, some LLCs could benefit from being taxed as an S corporation (S corp).

You can learn more about small business taxes in these guides:

LLC Taxes
Sole Proprietorship vs LLC
LLC vs Corporation
LLC vs S Corp
How to Start an S Corp

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Additionally, learning how to build business credit can help you get credit cards and other financing in your business's name (instead of yours), better interest rates, higher lines of credit, and more.

Open a business bank account

This separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
It also makes accounting and tax filing easier.

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Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank, credit union, business-loan friendly banks, one with many brick-and-mortar locations, and more.

Open net-30 accounts

When it comes to establishing your business credit, net-30 vendors are considered the way to go. The term "net-30," which is popular among vendors, refers to a business credit arrangement where the company pays the vendor within 30 days of receiving goods or services.

Net-30 credit terms are often used for businesses that need to obtain inventory quickly but do not have the cash on hand.

Besides establishing business relationships with vendors, net-30 credit accounts get reported to the major business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business Credit). This is how businesses build business credit so they can qualify for credit cards and other lines of credit.

Get a business credit card

This helps you separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
It also builds your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money and investment later on.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

In most states, it is necessary to obtain an accounting license. Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate an accounting business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA's reference to state licenses and permits .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

For more information about local licenses and permits:

Check with your town, city or county clerk's office
Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources .

Certificate of Occupancy

An accounting business is generally run out of an office. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

If you plan to lease a location :

It is generally the landlord's responsibility to obtain a CO.
Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to an accounting business.
After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.

If you plan to purchase or build a location :

You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business' location to ensure your accounting business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

CPA Certification

In order to provide accounting services, you may need to be certified (a Certified Public Accountant). This certification allows you to perform services that would otherwise be illegal to provide without certification.

Services Contract

Be sure to create a services contract. The contract should make it clear exactly which services you offer, how much you will charge, and what will happen in case of any contingencies--for example, if your client is audited, will you be responsible?

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company's financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you're unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it's a great place to start for your business.

Learn more about General Liability Insurance.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers' Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it's a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

How to promote & market an accounting firm

The best way to promote an accounting business is by establishing relationships with local business owners and professionals. Attend networking events and conferences. Join the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) and/or the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) so you can learn as much as possible about the industry and stay up to date on trends. Advertise throughout the community with flyers, brochures, press releases, ads on radio stations, commercials on local TV, regional magazine ads, town newspaper ads, etc. Make sure your website looks professional and has an intuitive user experience design. All website content should be optimized for search engines (SEO), so locals find your accounting service when conducting online searches for accountants within the community.

How to keep customers coming back

Start out by obtaining a license to operate your business in your home state. This credential is necessary to attract and retain customers. Spread out your marketing budget across an array of mediums. Press the flesh at networking events. Seize every opportunity to introduce yourself to business owners, investors, and anyone who you suspect might need accounting services or have the authority to make decisions related to hiring accounting services. Be sure to ramp up your marketing efforts during tax season when accounting services are in high demand. Match or beat competitors' prices, develop strategies to reduce client expenses, and explain accounting details in layman's terms clients can understand.

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Still unsure about what kind of business you want to start? Check out the latest Small Business Trends to help inspire you.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it's out of their reach because they don't have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn't delay building your website:

All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don't need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Using our website building guides, the process will be simple and painless and shouldn't take you any longer than 2-3 hours to complete.

Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That's not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We've reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2021 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Nextiva

Nextiva is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.