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Seek Healthcare Specificity

Staff Reporters

Use these 25 questions to educate yourself about accountants. And, use this 25-point checklist on how to pick a good healthcare focused CPA. It can be a powerful list for any medical professional and might help you bring in extra money, immediately.

Other Areas

In the areas of estate planning and financial planning, it is essential that doctors have a good team of financial professionals. This usually involves, at the very least, a CPA, an attorney, and a fiduciary focused financial advisor [maybe].

CPAs

If you are a CPA for docs, use this list as a reference for your doctor-clients. By bringing up the concept of due diligence on your own, it strengthens your position and makes a perfect opportunity to ask for referrals. You may also want to use this list as a newsletter insert or advertisement of some sort. Put a brief notice at the top of the list stating that doctors should ask their CPAs these questions, and if they need someone who fulfills these requirements, you would be glad to meet with them to discuss the questions.

Financial Advisors

As an FA, use this list as a networking tool. Refer your clients to a competent CPA who you already do business with or would like to do business with. When you refer clients to a good CPA, you open the opportunity for him or her to return the favor. Send this list to your existing clients at tax time as a neutral third party to help them find a good CPA (they already have a good financial advisor—you).

Attorneys

As an attorney, use this list the same way a financial advisor or account would—to network with the top CPAs and MDs in town. You can make it a standard piece in your mailings or newsletters once a year. When you start giving leads to other financial professionals, it will open up referrals that will be beneficial to your business.

Certified Medical Planner®

And, if you are a CPA, FA or attorney, be sure to promote your hard-won credentials for healthcare specificity; like the Certified Medical Planner® designation, for example.

 25 Questions to Ask Your Future Accountant

1. What designations or credentials do you have?
2. Are you in practice full-time?
3. How many years of experience do you have in tax practice?
4. Do you do all your returns by computer?
5. What are your fees, and do you have a schedule that I can see?
6. Can you provide references from other businesses similar to my own?
7. Do you use any checklists to maximize my deductions?
8. How soon do you return calls from clients?
9. Do you teach any tax courses or have you written for any tax publications?
10. Are you conservative, aggressive, or somewhere in the middle?
11. What review process do you use in order to ensure a quality product?
12. Do you specialize in taxes?
13. What percentage of your practice relates to taxes?
14. What other accounting services do you personally perform?
15. May I look at your tax library?
16. What do you do after tax season?
17. How often do you take tax courses?
18. What is your attitude toward audits?
19. How do you treat gray areas?
20. Have you ever been disciplined by the IRS, the SEC, or any accounting society?
21. How many other clients like myself do you have?
22. Do you offer pre-year-end tax planning as part of your tax service? If so, is there      an extra fee for this?
23. Are you generally familiar with current health law and managed care policy?
24. Do you offer any tax planning during the year?
25. Can you give me a recent tax planning tip or tax change that may benefit me?

Finally, and most importantly of all; how do all of the above synergize into medical and healthcare specificity, for me?

Assessment

As you likely now realize, this list is not for CPAs only; but as a due diligence reminder for most fiduciary financial advisors professionals or attorneys who wish to work with doctor clients; “often the most difficult clients in the business.”

Disclosure

Dr. David E. Marcinko MBA, our Publisher-in-Chief and former CFP®, is founder of the online CMP® program in healthcare economics, management and finance for advisors www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

Conclusion

Your thoughts, opinions and comments are appreciated.

Practice Management: http://www.springerpub.com/prod.aspx?prod_id=23759

Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421

Healthcare Organizations: www.HealthcareFinancials.com

Health Administration Terms: www.HealthDictionarySeries.com

Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com  or Bio: www.stpub.com/pubs/authors/MARCINKO.htm

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Filed under: Accounting, Financial Planning, Health Law & Policy, Practice Management | Tagged: CFP, CPA, FA, JD | Leave a comment »