The best way to find a quality SMSF accountant is to seek out a referral from friends and family.
Too many people walk in our door after having been promised the earth by an adviser with a shiny website and a brochure depicting sailing boats and sunny skies.
Look for an accessible accountant who is at least CA/CTA/CPA qualified but ideally who has also gone on to qualify as a SMSF specialist through additional study and experience.
This is the path I have taken yet it worries me that I have rarely been queried on my qualifications or experience by prospective clients.
Our firm do not advertise in any way and simply rely on referrals from our existing clients.
In addition I am usually wary of one adviser who provides accounting/taxation advice as well as commission-based investment/insurance advice. The potential for a conflict of interest is glaringly obvious. An SMSF member under such an arrangement may be no better off than they would have been had they simply remained in an industry/retail Superannuation Fund despite now having the added burden and responsibility of acting as a Trustee to the Fund.
