The 3 CPA Relationship Styles: Finding Your Perfect Match for Financial Peace of Mind

Introduction

Even the best CPAs and the most dedicated practice owners don’t always mesh well—and it’s not about skill or diligence. Often, the issue comes down to misalignment between what the CPA’s service model offers and what the practice owner truly needs, wants, or feels comfortable investing in.

From my experience, there are three general categories in which CPAs work with their clients. Understanding these models can help you pick the best fit and avoid mismatched expectations that lead to wasted time, stress, and costly errors.

The 3 Categories of CPA Service

1) Do-It-Yourself

This is typically the least expensive option but also the most time-consuming for you.

What It Looks Like

• You manage your own books (e.g., QuickBooks).
• You calculate and pay your own estimated taxes.
• You handle day-to-day issues—everything from reconciliations to random financial “fires.”

CPA’s Role

• Largely hands-off, stepping in at year-end to take your numbers “as-is” for tax preparation.
• Little verification or ongoing support; minimal communication overall.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Lower professional fees
• Cons: Potentially higher risk of errors, plus the burden of staying on top of bookkeeping and tax compliance. If you’re juggling multiple priorities in your practice, this can become overwhelming.

Who It’s Best For:

DIY works best if you have solid accounting know-how, enjoy managing your own books, and want to keep costs down. However, be prepared to invest significant time, keep up with changing tax laws, and handle all financial tasks yourself.

2) Done-With-You

Think of this as a shared responsibility model. You maintain primary control of your books, but the CPA provides intermittent guidance throughout the year.

What It Looks Like

• You handle tasks like posting transactions and reconciling accounts.
• The CPA might jump in periodically to help with technical questions, unusual transactions, or new account setups.
• You get some help calculating estimated taxes or setting up reminders for key deadlines.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: More support than pure DIY without the cost of full outsourcing.
• Cons: Blurry lines of responsibility. When something slips through the cracks—like a missed tax deadline or an unreconciled account—it can lead to finger-pointing and frustration. Whose responsibility was it anyway??

Who It’s Best For:

I personally advise against this type of relationship. In my experience, managing who-is-going-to-do-what turns out to be a job in and of itself. It’s redundant, it’s inefficient, and I believe practice owners are better served by the other two options.

3) Done-For-You

This is the comprehensive, white glove approach that my CPA firm adopts when handling our private practice clients. Essentially, we handle every financial responsibility we possibly can so you can focus on your practice and patients.

What It Looks Like

• We do it all: bookkeeping, reconciliations, estimated tax calculations, and more. You rarely, if ever, need to log into QuickBooks (unless you want to).
• We have access to bank and credit card statements, payroll providers, and other financial platforms—no constant chasing down documents or burying you in to-do lists.
• We even set up a custom-tailored process to save for estimated taxes and make payments (in many cases), so you can sleep like a baby at night – or at least, you don’t have to worry about anything tax-related.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Zero day-to-day involvement from you, drastically reduced risk of errors, and a deeper professional relationship that keeps your finances in sync year-round. Less stress at tax time because everything is already in place.
• Cons: This level of service is typically the most expensive up front, but the time and potential headache you save can more than make up for the higher fees.

Who It’s Best For:

Practice owners who hate taxes, are uncomfortable doing their own books, value peace of mind, want to offload financial tasks completely, and appreciate proactive guidance—particularly if your time is better spent serving clients than wrestling with spreadsheets.

Choosing the Best Model for Your Practice

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” CPA relationship. The key is matching your preferences, budget, and comfort level with a service style that delivers the right amount of support. A mismatch often leads to frustration, wasted energy, and mistakes that can hurt your bottom line or your peace of mind.

• Assess Your Bandwidth: How much time and mental space can you dedicate to bookkeeping and taxes?
• Evaluate Your Comfort Level: Do you enjoy managing financial details, or would you prefer to delegate?
• Determine Your Budget: While cost is crucial, consider the potential “opportunity cost” of doing your own bookkeeping (or partial support) versus fully outsourcing.
• Communicate Clearly: If you choose a done-with-you model, especially, ensure responsibilities are spelled out. Exactly who does what, and when?

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the best CPA relationship is the one that aligns with your needs, budget, and preferred level of involvement.

Whether you thrive on managing your own books, want occasional guidance, or are ready to hand off everything for true peace of mind, there’s a model that fits. The key is knowing what you need most—from your time and mental bandwidth to your comfort level with financial oversight—and finding a CPA partner who can deliver exactly that.

Shameless plug: I can’t write an article about CPA firms without mentioning mine, Angelo & Associates. We’ve been helping private practices for decades, we love our clients, and based on our reviews, they don’t think we’re too shabby either! Give me a call!