Ask the Experts: When Should You Meet with Your Accountant?

How often should you meet with your CPA? For most childcare business owners, once a year — usually at tax time — is not enough. A strong working relationship with your accountant is built in shorter, more frequent conversations throughout the year. Below are three simple rules for timing those meetings so you get maximum value from your CPA and avoid the classic “I wish I had called you sooner” moment.

Why It Pays to Meet With Your CPA More Than Once a Year

Your accountant is only as useful as the information they have. If the only time you meet is April, they are advising you on a tax year that is already closed.

The AICPA has long argued that CPAs deliver far more value as year-round advisors than as once-a-year tax preparers. For childcare owners, that is especially true — enrollment cycles, staffing costs, and tuition changes all move fast. Three simple rules keep you and your CPA in sync.

Rule 1: Schedule Quarterly Check-Ins

For most owners, once a year is not enough. Aim for a quarterly meeting with your accountant — in person, by video, or by phone.

Quarterly check-ins give you three wins at once:

• A review of your estimated tax payments so nothing sneaks up on you at year-end.
• A strategy conversation based on how your childcare business has actually performed that quarter.
• A quick clean-up of your books (especially helpful if you keep your own books).

In addition, regular meetings give your CPA real-time insight into your financial picture. As a result, the advice you get is sharper and more specific. Some owners prefer a monthly cadence. For most, quarterly is plenty — and still a massive upgrade over “once at tax time.”

For more on building that working relationship, see our guide on how to make the most of your partnership with your accountant.

Rule 2: Meet Before Any Big Business Decision

In accounting — like most of life — we work on a spectrum between the ideal and reality.

The ideal: clients call their CPA before a major move. That includes starting a new business, launching a new center, implementing a new payroll system, buying real estate, or signing a big lease. A pre-decision call gives your accountant room to advise on the best legal structure, the right accounting setup, tax consequences, and cash flow implications.

The reality: many owners call their CPA after the decision is already made. At that point, there is only so much even a great accountant can do.

Being proactive saves everyone frustration. The IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center offers a good baseline on how business decisions affect tax outcomes — but the tailored strategy should always come from your accountant, and it only works if you call first.

Rule 3: Set Realistic Expectations During Tax Season

Here is one of the most practical tips we can offer: be realistic about tax season.

Your CPA enters the most demanding stretch of the calendar between January 1 and April 15. Making sure your taxes are filed accurately is their top priority in those months. However, they simply do not have the bandwidth to deep-dive into non-tax financial questions at the same time.

For example, do not wait until mid-March to ask your accountant whether you should buy or lease a company vehicle, or which deductions you qualify for this year. Timing matters. SCORE has written extensively on the same point — tax season is for filing; strategy belongs in Q3 or Q4.

To get the most from your CPA, work with the calendar. Handle non-tax questions between May and December. Save tax season for what it is actually for. Our 5 tips for tax season article walks through exactly how to prepare so your filing meeting is smooth.

Great Communication Is the Whole Game

In the end, this is all about communication. The Honest Buck Accounting team is passionate about helping our childcare clients hit their financial goals, save money, and grow.

We are committed to giving you our best — financial services, professional advice, and clear communication. When you schedule quarterly meetings, call us before big decisions, and set realistic expectations during tax season, you help us serve you better. Schedule a call with us to learn more about our financial services.