Picking a CPA is one of those decisions that quietly shapes your financial life for years. The right one keeps you out of trouble, finds money you didn’t know was there, and gives you straight answers. The wrong one creates anxiety, surprise bills, and the suspicion that something on your return isn’t quite right. Here are the eight questions I’d ask if I were on the other side of the table interviewing a CPA in Houston.
1. Are you actually a CPA?
Not every “tax preparer” is a CPA. The credential matters because it requires a 150-hour accounting degree, passing a brutal four-part exam, ongoing continuing education, and a state license you can lose for misconduct. Texas CPAs are searchable on the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy website — verify the license is active. Enrolled Agents (EAs) are also legitimate professionals who can represent you before the IRS, but seasonal storefront preparers without credentials are a different story.
2. What kinds of clients do you specialize in?
A CPA who mostly serves W-2 households is going to be out of their depth on a real estate portfolio. A firm that focuses on tech startups will struggle with a 30-truck oilfield services business. Ask directly: who are your typical clients, and how many like me do you have? You want someone who has seen your situation 50 times before.
3. Will I work with you, or with a junior staffer?
At larger firms, the partner you meet during the sales conversation often hands you off to a more junior preparer once the engagement starts. That’s fine if the junior is competent, but you should know who’s actually doing the work and who’s reviewing it. At Whetzel CPA, I work directly with my clients — that’s the model.
4. How do you bill, and what should I expect to pay?
Fees vary widely depending on complexity. A simple W-2 return might be $400-$700. A small business return with a Schedule C runs $800-$1,500. An S-corp or partnership starts around $1,500 and can climb depending on the books. Ask for a quote in writing before you engage and ask how fee changes are communicated — surprise invoices are a leading complaint about CPA firms.
5. How responsive are you during and after tax season?
The cheap CPA who never returns calls in October isn’t actually cheap. Ask how the firm handles communication: who answers the phone, what’s the typical email response time, and whether you can call with quick questions throughout the year without getting a bill for every five-minute conversation. Most of the value a good CPA provides happens between filings, not at filing.
6. What software do you use and how do I get documents to you?
You should be using a secure portal, not emailing W-2s and bank statements as PDF attachments. Ask how the firm handles document collection, e-signatures, and storage. If a CPA is still doing everything by mail and physical paper, that tells you something about their tech — and your data security.
7. Do you do tax planning, or just preparation?
This is the single biggest distinction between a transactional preparer and a real CPA relationship. Preparation is recording history. Planning is changing the future. A good firm meets with you mid-year to look at projections, identify opportunities (retirement contributions, entity election timing, real estate strategies, charitable bunching), and adjust before December 31 when most options are still on the table. We dedicate an entire tax planning service to this work.
8. What do you do if I get audited?
The CPA who prepared your return should also be the one who represents you if the IRS comes calling. Ask if the firm handles audit representation, what the process looks like, and whether there’s an additional fee. Some firms include basic representation in the prep fee, others charge hourly. Either is fine — you just want to know in advance.
Red flags to walk away from
A few things should send you for the door immediately:
- Promises of unusually large refunds before the CPA has seen any of your documents
- Pressure to sign a return without reviewing it
- Refusal to e-file or insistence on paying the preparer fee out of your refund
- No PTIN (Preparer Tax Identification Number) on the return — required by law
- Vague answers about credentials or experience
- Cash-only fees or refusal to provide a written engagement letter
One more thing — trust your gut
You’re going to share more financial information with your CPA than with almost anyone else in your life. If something feels off in the first conversation, find someone else. There are plenty of good CPAs in Houston and there’s no reason to settle.
If you’d like to talk through whether Whetzel CPA is a fit for your situation, call the office at (832) 983-7080 or reach out through the contact page. We’ll have an honest conversation about what you need, what we do, and whether it makes sense to work together. No pressure either way.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a CPA in Houston cost?
Houston CPA fees vary by complexity. Individual tax returns range from $250 (basic) to $1,200+ (complex with rental property or business income). Small business tax returns (1065/1120-S) typically run $1,500-$3,000. Monthly bookkeeping is $400-$1,500/month. Fractional CFO engagements are $2,000-$5,000/month. Most reputable Houston CPAs use flat-fee pricing instead of hourly billing.
How do I know if a CPA is good?
Look for these signals: clear flat-fee pricing scoped before work starts, direct access to a principal (not associate handoffs), experience with your specific business situation, demonstrable tax planning beyond just tax preparation, and references from clients with similar needs. Avoid CPAs who bill hourly with no scope cap, use heavy templates, or can’t answer specific questions about your industry.
What questions should I ask a CPA before hiring?
Five essential questions: (1) What’s your fee structure and what triggers extra charges? (2) How do I reach you between January and March, and how fast do you respond? (3) What’s your experience with my specific situation? (4) How do you handle tax planning (not just preparation)? (5) Walk me through what happens after I sign — the first 90 days of the engagement. Vague answers to any of these are yellow flags.
Can I switch CPAs mid-year?
Yes. The best time to switch is between June and October when both your old and new CPA aren’t in tax season crunch. You’ll need to transfer prior-year returns (your old CPA must provide these — they belong to you, not them), QuickBooks files or financial records, and any active correspondence with the IRS. A good new CPA will handle the handoff process and have you fully onboarded within 30-45 days.