Finding The Right CPA in Detroit Michigan: A Guide for SMBs
Looking for a CPA in Detroit, Michigan? Many CPAs would rather work with mid-sized or larger organizations than deal with small businesses. It’s an unfortunate truth I’m willing to bet most small business owners have learned the hard way.
Maybe you’ve found a CPA who will work with you, but any time you call with a question, they act like you’re interrupting them. Or maybe you can’t find someone who quotes you at a price anywhere near the realm of possibility for your business.
The accounting shortage isn't helping either. With fewer CPAs entering the profession and experienced ones retiring faster than they're being replaced, finding quality help has gotten even trickier.
So, what’s a Detroit-based SMB owner supposed to do? There are CPAs who actually want to work with small businesses — and who understand the challenges and needs you wrestle with on a daily basis. You just have to know where to find them.
In this guide, I'll walk through exactly how to find a CPA who actually wants to work with small businesses like yours. I'll cover the red flags to avoid, the right questions to ask, and where to look in Metro Detroit for accounting professionals who get you.
Why SMBs Need Different CPAs Than Big Businesses
Before we get into my guide for finding the small business CPA of your dreams, let’s discuss something that doesn’t get covered enough: why small businesses need different things from their CPAs than big businesses.
Traditional accounting firms work really well for some bigger businesses. These firms love their cookie-cutter approach where they slap together some financial statements, file your taxes, and see you next year. But growing businesses don't need a once-a-year relationship; they need a partner.
Small businesses don’t just need help with taxes and a few numbers. They need a financial guide who can help them weather the storms of small business operations; someone who answers emails within 24 hours (not 24 days) and can explain why your profit margins are shrinking without making you feel like an idiot.
Red Flags to Avoid When Choosing a CPA
You're not an accountant, so how are you supposed to know how to identify the great CPAs from the ones who will be more trouble than they’re worth? Here's your cheat sheet for spotting the CPAs you should run away from as fast as possible.
Related Read: Top 5 Bookkeeping Mistakes Service-Based Businesses Make
Communication Red Flags
If they take a week to return your email, what do you think April's going to look like? Good CPAs respond within 24-48 hours, period. Another red flag is any CPA who speaks in accounting jargon without ever bothering to translate for you. Those CPAs are either showing off or parroting terms they don’t fully understand themselves… neither of those options is good.
Service Red Flags
Run if they only want to do your taxes and nothing else. You don’t need a more expensive version of TurboTax, remember: you’re looking for a business advisor. Another red flag is if they staunchly refuse to use QuickBooks Online or insist you still need desktop software: those CPAs are stuck in 2005, and your business deserves someone from this decade.
Relationship Red Flags
You don’t want to pay for someone who makes you feel dumb for asking a simple question. A good CPA should make complex stuff feel simple, not the other way around. You want a partner who makes you and your business feel valued, supported, and understood, not someone who treats you like a hassle.
Essential Questions to Ask Potential CPAs
An essential part of your CPA search is interviewing potential candidates to find the right fit for your business. This is your chance to flip the script — after all, you’re the one doing the hiring, here (no matter how much the big firms may make you feel like you’re begging for scraps).
Let’s take a look at some of the questions I’d recommend asking any CPA you consider hiring for your SMB.
Experience and Specialization
You wouldn't hire a divorce lawyer to handle your business contracts, so why settle for a CPA who's never worked with someone in your situation? You need to start by asking some questions that dial in on their experience and see if they have the work history they’d need to support your business.
"How many clients do you have in my industry?"
"What percentage of your clients are small businesses vs. large corporations?"
"Can you walk me through your typical engagement with a business like mine?"
Communication and Availability
You don’t want to hire a CPA who is going to ghost you out of nowhere. Their answers to these questions (and, honestly, just their reaction to being asked these questions) will tell you everything you need to know about their communication processes and habits.
"What's your typical response time for emails and calls?"
"How often will we meet throughout the year?"
"Are you available for questions outside of tax season?"
"Do you offer video consultations?"
Services and Approach
Here's where you discover if they're just a tax-filing machine or if they can actually help you grow. The best CPAs will light up like Christmas trees when talking about strategic planning and business growth. If the CPA you’re interviewing looks bored when you ask these questions… you might want to keep looking.
"Beyond tax prep, what other services do you provide?"
"How do you help businesses with cash flow and future planning?"
"What accounting software do you recommend and why?"
“What kind of continuing education are you doing right now to keep sharp?”
Fees and Value
Nobody likes surprises when the bill comes. Good CPAs are upfront about costs and should be able to connect their fees to the real value they provide.
"How do you structure your fees?"
"What's included in your base service? What costs extra?"
"Can you provide references from similar businesses?"
Asking these questions will help you determine if the CPA you’re considering has the experience, approach, and transparency you need from your financial partner.
Where to Find Quality CPAs in Metro Detroit
Okay, we’ve talked a lot about how to weed out the bad CPAs, but where can you actually find a good CPA in Detroit Michigan?
Start with the Michigan Association of CPAs directory. This resource should be your official starting point for verified professionals in the area. The IRS also maintains a preparer directory that's great for double-checking credentials and making sure whoever you're considering isn't some fly-by-night operation.
Another way to find a great CPA is by seeking out word-of-mouth recommendations. Ask around at networking events or local small business meetups to see who other business owners are working with and how happy they are with their services.
Your business banker probably has some solid recommendations too, since they see which CPAs actually know what they're doing versus the ones who submit messy paperwork. Detroit has a pretty tight entrepreneurial community, so you can also check local business groups and online forums.
Once you've got some names, do your homework. Verify their licenses through the state board, check for any disciplinary actions, and make sure they carry professional liability insurance.
The Metro Detroit area has plenty of solid CPAs. Finding one who specializes in small businesses and isn't just trying to squeeze you into their corporate-client template takes a bit more digging, but it's worth the effort.
Making the Final Decision
After you’ve asked around, interviewed, and vetted your options, you need to make a decision. How do you know when to pull the trigger?
A big piece of the puzzle is… trust your gut.
You're going to be working with this person for years (hopefully), so personality fit matters more than you might think. Can you imagine actually enjoying a monthly check-in call with them? Do they explain things without making you feel like you should have paid more attention in business school? If you're constantly second-guessing whether it's "okay" to ask a question, that's your answer right there.
On the practical side, don't get hung up on geography unless you really need face-to-face meetings. A responsive CPA who works remotely beats an unresponsive one down the street every single time. More important is whether their fee structure makes sense for your budget and if their services align with where you are now and where you want to be in three years. You don't want to outgrow your CPA in eighteen months.
When you find the right fit, expect a proper onboarding process. A good CPA will spend time understanding your business, reviewing your current books (however messy), and laying out a realistic timeline for getting everything cleaned up and systematized. They should also set clear expectations about communication frequency and what kinds of questions warrant a quick email versus scheduling a call.
Finding the Best SMB CPA in Detroit Michigan
Finding the right CPA for your small business is all about investing in finding a partner who can help you grow your business. The right CPA will give you monthly insights, help you plan your cash flow, and answer your questions in July just as readily as they do in March (and vice versa).
The right CPA is a strategic partner who, yes, will help you with taxes but will also help you keep your books in order and understand your ongoing financials. My final piece of advice is to start looking for a partner ASAP. Don’t wait until you’re panicking about taxes in February. Instead, take the time to find someone who understands small businesses and wants to work with entrepreneurs like you.
At Primary Care Financial, small businesses and solopreneurs are our best clients. If you’re tired of being treated like a small fish in a big pond, I’d love the opportunity to help you grow. Schedule a consultation, and let's see if we're a good fit.
