Louisiana accountants provide invaluable consulting and accounting services to companies both large and small. Whether you need tax advice or assistance with implementing an accounting system, an accountant offers critical guidance. Finding the right Louisiana accounting firms to meet all of your needs can be challenging as not all accountants provide the same services, and those services may be expensive and out of your budget.

Knowing your business goals is the first step in finding Louisiana CPA firms that will meet all of your requirements both now and in the years to come. Follow these steps to help you find a business accountant in Louisiana that will be the best match for your organization:

1. Search for Louisiana accounting firms.

2. Research Louisiana accountants' validity of the licenses and affiliations with associations.

3. Decide which Louisiana accountant or firm is the best fit with your company.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Perform a general search of Louisiana accountants and accounting firms

All accounting firms in Louisiana are not full-service. Some specialize in estate planning or bookkeeping while others may handle the full range of small business accounting needs such as tax planning and IRS representation.

I recommend: The Society of Louisiana CPAs website offers a free locator service to help you find an accountant in your area that meets your business’ specific needs. The CPA Finder website is another search option to locate a Louisiana CPA firm. The Accountants World website is a great tool to do a directory search of a Louisiana-based accounting firm. Finally, the CPA Firms website helps you locate accountants in Louisiana for small businesses as well as giving you their websites and email addresses.

Research the credentials of the Louisiana CPA firms that you are interested in working with

Make sure the CPAs in Louisiana you are considering are professional and licensed. Verify their affiliation with local and national accounting associations as well as the status of their professional license.

I recommend: The Etaking website verifies the licenses of participating accounting firms and lists them on their website. CPADirectory is another option to check licensing information on specific Louisiana accountants. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants lists their accredited members as well as their licensing information on their website.

Choose Louisiana accounting firms that meet all of your business' needs now and in the years to come

Your business has special accounting needs and not all firms offer the service or services that you may need the most. Most accountants charge on a per-service basis, making it easy for you to pick and choose what services you want their assistance with. It is important to find one that will fit the best with your organization, as you will be working closely with them.

I recommend: Business accountants in Louisiana specializing in bookkeeping can help you get started with an accounting system for payroll and accounts payable. Miriam Brown & Co. is one example, serving the areas of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. For more involved services like tax planning, you need more advanced Louisiana accounting firms. Michael Love, CPA, who serves the New Orleans area, offers tax planning services as well as IRS representation. For a firm that specializes in the needs of small companies, you may consider The Dupuy CPA Firm, LLC, which is located in Baton Rouge and services the surrounding areas. If you want a well-known firm with locations around the world, Deloitte is a good option with an office in New Orleans.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Interview more than one accounting firm before making a decision. Talk to colleagues and members of local accounting associations to find Louisiana accounting firms with exceptional reputations.