Probity Accounting, PLLC

I don't price by the hour. Instead, you and I will see what the scope of the work is ahead of time, and we will agree on the price, set it down on paper, and that will be what it is. You will have the opportunity to call and ask questions at any time without worrying about "billable hours." No surprise large bills. If the scope of work increases, we will come back to the table and talk about price again before any price increases.

A new client may involve an interview and gathering of data and documents. As work gets started, there could be several phone calls and communications as details are ironed out and the process becomes smooth for both of us. Eventually, I learn how my clients are working and I'm able to advise them based on my knowledge of their financial situation.

I earned my 5-year Bachelor of Science with a major in Accounting (minor in music) from Southern Nazarene University. I also have obtained my CPA designation. I am licensed in Arkansas (CPA license 9617), but CPA licenses have reciprocity all across the United States.

I started doing this work during college and haven't stopped. From the very beginning of my career, I have always been in a small accounting firm, which gave me experience in a broad range of topics very quickly and early communication with clients that you wouldn't typically find from accountants working in a larger firm.

I have worked with clients in a variety of industries. From restaurant owners, contractors, health care professionals, lawyers, small business owners, real estate professionals, multi-state businesses, and more. I provide services that include basic tax returns, advanced tax needs, tax representation, accounting and bookkeeping, financial statements (compilations and reviews), payroll services, sales taxes, and personal financial planning.

Oh man, there are so many. With bookkeeping, the "how long" doesn't apply, but I do want to tell a story. I prepared a bookkeeping engagement and had just completed it and was reviewing the financial information. My son (who was eight at the time) had come into my office (which he doesn't do often, but he did that day) and asked me what I was doing. I took the opportunity to show him how the business took money in (revenue), spent the money (expenses), and was left with some money afterwards (profit). Then how the business had cash at the end of the month, some assets it had to use to make the revenues we just talked about, some money it owed other people, and all the money it had kept since the beginning of the company (retained earnings). That eight-year old listened with wide-eyes and it was amazing to see. I love what I do. I love teaching others how their money works and what it is doing for them, not just what it did last month or last year.

A lot of CPAs can do the same stuff. Usually you get to choose two out of three: Cheap, Fast, or Good Quality. But when you are interviewing a CPA or CPA firm for new services I would advise you to ask "what makes you different from your competitors?" If they don't know, or if they give you some boilerplate answer like "we provide the best quality work," then keep moving along. Look for someone that will take care of you.

When you are thinking about the work you need to complete, think about how it fits in the rest of your work. If it is bookkeeping, think about how it is not just about the compliance with your business, but the ability to provide management with usable data to make better business decisions, or a tax return is able to provide tax planning opportunities next year to reduce your taxes. Many new clients also have trouble realizing the value of the services or the "product" they are asking for. Many CPAs are not very good at telling them how to use the information they give them either. See if you can fully integrate what you are asking for (the service) to its maximum utility. Get the best bang for your buck.