Perform a general search of Washington, DC accountants and accounting firms

Not every small business accounting firm in Washington, DC is full-service. Some specialize in different aspects of accounting such as estate planning or bookkeeping while others may handle the full range of small business accounting needs.

I recommend: The Greater Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants offers a free referral 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 Washington, DC CPA listing. Finally, Accountants World is a great tool to do a directory search of CPA firms in DC.

Research the credentials of the accountants in Washington, DC that you are taking into consideration

Make sure that the CPA firms in DC that you are considering are professional and licensed. One way to check this is by their affiliation with local and national accounting associations as well as the status of their professional license.

I recommend: Etaking verifies the licenses of participating accounting firms and lists them on their website. CPAdirectory is another option for checking licensing information on specific accountants in Washington, DC.

Choose a Washington, DC CPA that meets the particular needs of your company

Your business has special accounting needs and not all accounting firms in DC may offer that service. It is important to find one that will fit the best with everything that is important to your organization: professionalism, experience and integrity.

I recommend: A firm specializing in bookkeeping can help you get started with an accounting system for payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable. Acumen is one example, serving the areas of Bethesda, Falls Church and Arlington. Another option is Bay Business Group whose service areas include Bethesda, Silver Springs and Rockville. For more involved services like tax planning, you need more advanced Washington, DC accounting firms. Daniel Black & Associates, CPA which serves the Bethesda, Baltimore and Northern Virginia areas, offers tax and financial planning services. LP Chess, CPA PC is another firm in DC that offers tax services. For a firm that specializes in the needs of small companies, you may consider The aRi Group, LLC located in Washington, DC, which services the areas of Fort Washington, Alexandria and Baltimore. If you want a well-known firm with locations around the world that serves companies of all sizes and industries, KPMG is a wise choice and they have an executive office in DC.