CPA recommendation for part-time online LLC

November 6, 2011 12:17 PM

I've read How to pick an accountant for your online business and I'm ready to find a CPA, but a little lost on where to start. Online searches tell me who is good at SEO, but not who is good at tax advice. The few people I know with similar work situations are still doing their own taxes. I was comfortable doing that before, but my tax situation has grown complicated this year. So I'm looking for recommendations from people in similar situations.

In short, I have a full time job, and some income from side projects split between an old multi-owner LLC (moving away from), a new single-owner LLC (moving to), and some stocks I bought earlier this year.

My LLC income is mixed between contract consulting and personal web projects. My expenses are minimal: mostly hosting and domain registration, an occasional hardware or software purchase. I've started paying others to do specific things outside my expertise, e.g. design and hopefully taxes.

If this sounds anything like you and you're happy with your tax advisor, please point me to them. Someone near Denver would be ideal, but not necessary as long as they can help with Colorado state taxes.

posted by scottreynen to Work & Money (2 answers total)

Ask around with people you know. Especially your lawyer, bank, branch manager or loan officer. The bank will have a good feel for who in the area is good. Get a few names and interview them. You will probably find out quickly who is good when you start hearing the same names popping up. This is how I found my CPA firm. (which, as an aside, I would recommend a CPA firm over a sole practitioner. They don't have to be huge but when things get complicated it's comforting having a team of people behind the CPA you are working with. You'll probably pay a premium but when you *need* them........... they're worth their weight in gold. Of course, YMMV)
posted by jamesalbert at 4:22 PM on November 6, 2011

Response by poster: Ask around with people you know.

I've done that already. I have no lawyer nor loan officer and my bank does not recommend tax advisors. So I'm left with business acqutainances, all of whom either have a real business with multiple employees, payroll, health benefits, 401k, etc. or they're so small they do their own taxes. I don't know anyone in between where I am. I figured asking people I don't know here is the next best thing before I just start calling random accountants.

CPA firm over a sole practitioner

That's a helpful general direction, but I'm really looking for specific names. Which specific firm(s) would you recommend?
posted by scottreynen at 9:07 PM on November 6, 2011