Ask the Experts: How to Make the Most of Your Partnership with Your Accountant

Are you making the most of your childcare accountant partnership? A great CPA does far more than file your taxes. They should help you price tuition, plan hiring, reduce taxes, and actually grow your center. In this guide, you will find five simple questions to ask yourself — and your accountant — to find out whether your current relationship is earning its fee.

Why a Childcare Accountant Partnership Is Different

Childcare is not a generic small business. You deal with food program reimbursements, subsidy payments, teacher-to-child ratios, multi-site licensing, and tuition models that shift by age group. A general CPA can miss all of it.

That is why the right partnership matters. The AICPA makes a clear case that industry specialization is one of the biggest drivers of value a CPA can bring a client. For ECE owners, that specialization is not optional — it is the whole point.

Here are the five questions to run your current accountant through.

1. Does Your Accountant Work With Clients in Your Industry?

Start here. Does your CPA actually have other ECE, daycare, or preschool clients on their book?

If the answer is “not really,” you have a problem. A generalist will struggle to advise you on CACFP meal reimbursements, dependent care FSAs, childcare subsidy accounting, or the quirks of a seasonal enrollment calendar. Meanwhile, a childcare-focused CPA brings pattern recognition from dozens of similar centers.

You deserve guidance tailored to your industry — not advice written for a dentist’s office.

2. Is Your Accountant Transparent About Fees?

A great accountant is worth their weight in gold. However, you still need to know what you are paying for.

Some CPAs charge a fixed monthly rate. Others bill hourly. Too often, owners open an invoice without understanding what is inside it.

Ask for a written scope of services and a clear fee structure. Then check the list against what you actually use. Are you paying for services you do not need? Are you missing services you should have? Investopedia offers a useful primer on how to read and compare CPA fee structures.

3. How Often Do You Meet With Your Accountant?

Frequency matters. You only get the full value of your CPA if you actually talk to them.

We cover this in depth in our article on when to meet with your accountant. The short version: plan for a quarterly meeting at minimum, plus any time you are considering a major decision — a second location, a new program, a refinance, a large hire.

Regular meetings keep your books clean and your options open. They also give your CPA the context to advise on tax deductions, software choices, cash flow, and big-picture strategy. As with any important relationship, you get out what you put in.

4. Are You Using Your Accountant’s Full Expertise?

Your CPA is not a “bean counter.” They are a financial advisor with a license.

A strong accountant can read your complete financial picture. They can flag weaknesses you cannot see from the inside, recommend cleaner processes, and advise on decisions that drive long-term profitability. For example, they can help you decide when to raise tuition, when to hire a director, and when to open location number two.

If you are only bringing tax questions to your accountant, you are leaving most of the value on the table. Pair that advisory work with a financial dashboard and your decisions get faster and sharper. SCORE has a great overview of the full range of services a CPA can provide a growing small business.

5. Does Your Accountant Really Know Your Business?

Industry experience is table stakes. However, you also want your CPA to know the specifics of your center.

Every childcare business is unique. Enrollment mix, staffing model, tuition structure, and owner goals all differ. A good accountant customizes their approach to match.

Sure, there is a core list of services every CPA offers. Still, your accountant should layer individualized guidance, industry knowledge, and forward-looking strategy on top of that baseline. For the tax side of things, the IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center is a useful reference — but your accountant should already be translating that for your specific situation without you having to ask.

Get the Right Partnership

Walk through these five questions and you will know quickly whether your childcare accountant partnership is working — or whether it is time for a change.

The Honest Buck Accounting team takes pride in our deep expertise with Early Childhood Education businesses — childcare companies, daycares, and preschools. Schedule a call with us to learn about our financial services and our individualized approach to every client.