A dedicated accountant who works as part of your team

With outsourcing, you buy finished work (a closed month, a prepared return) and the provider manages the people. With dedicated staffing, you get a person and manage the work yourself. Staffing gives you more control and suits steady volume; outsourcing needs less of your time and suits uneven volume. Many firms use both.

Offshore accountants often work shifted hours so part of their day overlaps with yours and the rest finishes work while your office is closed. How much overlap you get depends on the provider, so ask for it in writing before you sign. Our team is distributed across the US and internationally; tell us the hours your reviewers need and we will say what we can cover.

India, the Philippines, Pakistan and Malaysia all supply accountants to US firms, and good and weak providers exist in each. Where matters less than four things you can check directly: training in US GAAP and US tax forms, hours of overlap with your team, how the provider protects client data, and whether the same person stays on your account. Ask any provider for all four in writing.

Start with one accountant on a defined set of clients, write down your procedures as you hand work over, and review closely for the first two months. Add a second person once the first one closes on time without heavy review. A senior accountant or reviewer is usually the third hire, not the first.