Tipping our accountant?

[NY Princess]

Hello!!

So I just got back from meeting with our accountant and he dropped a hint about tipping...it was weird because he has been doing our taxes for several years and the truth is I have never tipped him. I honestly didn''t think I needed to especially since he is not cheap. My husband promptly gave him a tip but I''m not sure if it was appropriate or not...

Please tell me what you think. Perhaps I''ve been a total cheapo all these years and not even realized it! Arghhh!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/12/2010 12:55:49 AM
Author:NY Princess
Hello!!

So I just got back from meeting with our accountant and he dropped a hint about tipping...it was weird because he has been doing our taxes for several years and the truth is I have never tipped him. I honestly didn't think I needed to especially since he is not cheap. My husband promptly gave him a tip but I'm not sure if it was appropriate or not...

Please tell me what you think. Perhaps I've been a total cheapo all these years and not even realized it! Arghhh!

Well, I don't know if there's such a custom in the US, but it sounds really weird to me. I mean the man is paid a fee directly by you to perform his services, so why the need to tip? It's not like he's a waiter at a restaurant or works in some other areas where he's only paid a meagre wage by his boss?

Also, I strongly suspect that Chartered Accountants in the UK are bound by some rules on ethics not to receive such "gifts". I'd be very surprised if US CPA's weren't also similarly bound!

Oh, I was thinking also if yr accountant didn't think the fee was appropriate, surely he could propose a revised fee? Why the tip instead?

 

[whitby_2773]

a ''tip'' in this scenario is just him jacking up the fee.

both my parents were accountants and i''ve NEVER heard of such a thing.

it seems hugely unethical to me, apart from being not at ALL the norm.

don''t do it.

 

[that_someone_special]

That''s absurd!!!!

 

[lulu]

I''ve never heard of anybody tipping an accountant. What''s next- tip your lawyer?

 

[waterlilly]

First word that comes to mind:

UNETHICAL

Time for a new accountant.

 

[Shoopy]

My initial impression is that this is wrong!

If he works for an agency/accounting firm, that''s what his salary is for.

And if he owns his own business, that''s what his fees are for.

He doesn''t get an extra tip

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I believe CPAs in the states aren''t supposed to accept cash or other expensive gifts.

I think the idea of tipping my accountant is absurd. I ''might'' consider sending him a fruit basket at Christmas if he''s been particularly helpful, but I''d never tip cash. My accountant charges enough as it is.

 

[MAC-W]

Date: 2/12/2010 12:55:49 AM
Author:NY Princess
Hello!!

So I just got back from meeting with our accountant and he dropped a hint about tipping...it was weird because he has been doing our taxes for several years and the truth is I have never tipped him. I honestly didn't think I needed to especially since he is not cheap. My husband promptly gave him a tip but I'm not sure if it was appropriate or not...

Please tell me what you think. Perhaps I've been a total cheapo all these years and not even realized it! Arghhh!

huh

warning warning warning

time to get a new accountant.


No way would I tip my accountant. Well actually I would but only if he drastically reduced (i.e got rid of) his fees.Then depending on how much tax I got back I would tip him. But with the fees I'm paying... definately no tip. I just wish I got paid that amount of money for that amount of work.

 

[zipzapgirl]

I worked for a large public accounting firm for several years and there were no tips. We charged by the project or hourly and the client paid the bill. Sometimes the client got a discount, but they never paid more than the invoice. Staff get a bonus at the end of the year--that is their "tip" for the year. In fact, the best thing you can do for someone at one of these firms would be to write an email to their boss (and copy them) saying how much you appreciated their good service, competence, aand how pleased you were with the results of the work.

Tax preparation charges are tax deductible as itemized expenses (assuming you are itemizing). If the preparer wants a higher fee, he should add this to the invoice--with your prior consent of course!--so that you get the benefit of this. If you are giving him/her cash after the fact, they are likely not claiming it as income, which would be illegal.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that this was probably a preparer for a tax preparation company who is paid hourly and has taken it upon himself/herself to ask for the tip. I bet if you call the company and speak to someone, they will not be happy with this development.

 

[upgrade]

Never heard of tipping an accountant. That''s why they get paid the big bucks!

 

[Rachel9]

Great advice given...big

I see our cpa is just like our doctor!

 

[movie zombie]

an accountant is a professional and should be charging appropriately for his services......and not hinting for a tip like a waiter in a cafe. get another accountant who is a professional.

mz

 

[meresal]

Very unethical.

I would worry that his "effort" is going to start resembling what he receives in tips.

Get a new accountant. If he doesn't own his own firm, then I would call his manager as well.

 

[jewelz617]

Um... no. Accountants don''t get tipped. This isn''t Starbucks! Waiters, baristas, bartenders, coat checks, valets and door men get tipped.

Your accountant makes quite a healthy paycheck doing your taxes, as that is his JOB.

Get a new accountant. You don''t see a tip jar at H&R Block, do you?

 

[steph72276]

Date: 2/12/2010 2:13:38 PM
Author: PinkAsscher678
Um... no. Accountants don''t get tipped. This isn''t Starbucks! Waiters, baristas, bartenders, coat checks, valets and door men get tipped.


Your accountant makes quite a healthy paycheck doing your taxes, as that is his JOB.


Get a new accountant. You don''t see a tip jar at H&R Block, do you?

Yeah, this.

 

[tlh]

Date: 2/12/2010 3:03:19 PM
Author: steph72276

Date: 2/12/2010 2:13:38 PM
Author: PinkAsscher678
Um... no. Accountants don''t get tipped. This isn''t Starbucks! Waiters, baristas, bartenders, coat checks, valets and door men get tipped.


Your accountant makes quite a healthy paycheck doing your taxes, as that is his JOB.


Get a new accountant. You don''t see a tip jar at H&R Block, do you?

Yeah, this.

Thritto

 

[HollyS]

I must be living in an alternate universe. Tipping your accountant? News to me. What next? Your doctor? Your lawyer?

I. Ain''t. Gonna.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

My husband is an accountant...and he has never been tipped. Half the time he won't even take any payment from those he knows when he does their taxes...

 

[Cehrabehra]

No, I would never tip my accountant. Is he chinese?

 

[Cehrabehra]

careers that have degrees associated with them - I''ve never heard of anyone tipping.

I would let him know that tip you already gave him was his severance package lol

 

[IdLikeToBuyAVal]

Not standard practice AT ALL. Was this the owner of the firm or just a staff member?

 

[NY Princess]

Okay, so I''m glad that I''m not the only one who thought it was out of line. My accountant actually owns his firm and it''s a one person shop. He''s very personable and does a good job on our taxes.

We usually pay our accountant about $250 to $275 for our tax preparation. It''s a 45 minute meeting and I feel that if he wanted more money he should have charged more. We have never haggled with him or asked for a reduction so I don''t know why he acted that way.

I have been wanting to try TurboTax but my husband is nervous about it...Maybe this will help me convince him.

 

[yssie]

No way, no how - I''d go broke if he wanted a tip too!