Your accountant should be a strategic advisor, not just someone who files your tax return once a year. Asking the right questions upfront gets you far more value from the relationship.
1. Can I speak to one or two of your current clients?
A reference confirms the accountant genuinely understands businesses like yours, and gives you real assurance of their reliability before you commit.
2. How do you calculate your fees?
Some accountants bill hourly, others charge for specific outcomes like your annual financial statements or tax return. Know exactly what you’re paying for before you start.
3. How will you add value beyond compliance?
Increasingly, business owners want a strategic advisor who helps cut costs, through automating payroll or inventory management, or spot new revenue opportunities, not just a bookkeeper.
4. What accounting software do you use, and recommend for my business?
Using the same cloud-based accounting software as your accountant makes collaboration far easier, and a good accountant should help you choose the right one for your specific needs.
5. Am I managing my cash flow optimally?
Ask your accountant to review your cash flow specifically for problem areas and opportunities to improve receivables and payables, not just at year-end.
6. What industry-specific risks am I overlooking?
An accountant familiar with your sector should be able to flag risks you wouldn’t necessarily spot yourself, from inventory cost management in retail to sector-specific compliance requirements.
7. What day-to-day mistakes do businesses like mine typically make?
Experienced accountants have seen the same errors repeated across many small businesses, from inaccurate tax filings that trigger penalties to poor supplier payment terms.
8. Which records and reports should I actually be keeping?
Get clarity on exactly which transactions and documents to retain, and which financial reports you need for compliance versus better internal planning.
9. What do you need from me to file my return accurately?
Confirm which records your accountant needs to prepare your financial statements and return, and which documents to keep on hand in case the South African Revenue Service selects you for an audit.
10. What can we do differently next year to reduce the tax bill?
A good accountant should proactively flag ways to lower future liability, including confirming whether you’re using available incentives like the employment tax incentive for hiring younger staff.
Frequently asked questions
Should my accountant only handle compliance, or advise on strategy too?
Increasingly, small business owners expect both. A good accountant should proactively flag cost-saving and growth opportunities, not just file returns.
How do I know if an accountant’s fees are reasonable?
Ask upfront exactly how fees are calculated, whether hourly or per outcome, and confirm what’s included before signing on.
What records does SARS expect me to keep for a tax audit?
Your accountant should confirm exactly which invoices, statements and supporting documents to retain, since requirements vary by business type and can change.
Is it worth using the same accounting software as my accountant?
Generally yes. Shared cloud-based software makes collaboration significantly easier and reduces the back-and-forth of exchanging records.
Getting real value from the relationship
An accountant who only files returns is leaving value on the table. Ask these questions upfront, and you’ll get a far clearer sense of whether they can genuinely help grow the business, not just keep it compliant.
Further reading: How to Get Your Business Ready for Tax Year-End | South African Revenue Service for official tax filing and record-keeping requirements
Originally published in June 2019. Updated September 2026 to refresh this guest advice on choosing and working with an accountant. The underlying questions remain durable and not tied to a specific tax year.
