Many people find it necessary to hire an accountant during the divorce process. In fact, your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer may recommend that you hire one – but how can an accountant help you?
Most people, whether they’re divorcing or not, can benefit by working with an accountant. If your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer recommends that you find an accountant, and if you can afford to, you might want to start looking as soon as possible.
What Can an Accountant Do during Divorce?
During your divorce, you’ll need to make budgetary adjustments; you may be giving your spouse additional money, or you may have stopped receiving money from your spouse. In any case, your finances will likely be affected by divorce.
An accountant can help you manage your money and other assets during the divorce process, as well as after your divorce has been finalized, based on your new financial situation.
Your accountant can help you:
- manage tax payments and file tax returns
- create a budget that works for your income level
- help you determine which assets you can keep during and after your divorce
- help you determine which assets you should get rid of during your divorce
- provide an accurate snapshot of your financial situation for your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer and the court, which will help determine how child support and alimony are calculated
How to Find an Accountant during a Chapel Hill Divorce
If your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer has recommended that you find an accountant, ask him or her if they know a local professional. Since your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer has likely told other clients to find accountants, he or she may already have connections with established, highly qualified accountants in your area.
You can also ask your friends and family for recommendations; sometimes the best accountants don’t advertise their services because they work only through referrals.
If you’re not comfortable asking around, or if you don’t have any luck doing so, check your local phone directory for a Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, or search for a CPA online.
What to Ask Potential Accountants
Before you commit to working with an accountant, you’ll need to interview several and find the one you feel can best meet your needs – even if he or she comes with a strong recommendation from your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer, you’ll still need to ask a few questions.
Ask your potential accountant:
- What kind of education, experience and license do you have?
- Do you do estate planning, taxes and budgets? What other services do you provide?
- Do you charge an hourly fee or a monthly retainer? How much is each?
You can also ask your accountant for references if you haven’t gotten his or her name from a trusted source.
Keep Talking to Your Chapel Hill Divorce Lawyer
Be sure you include your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer on any major financial decisions you make, whether you hire an accountant or not. Your Chapel Hill divorce lawyer’s job is to look out for your best interests, and he or she can’t do that if they don’t have an accurate view of your situation.
