This site is not intended to be used as any sort of financial advice, knowledge of financial proceedings, or as a substitute for qualified financial counsel …
In other words … GET AN ACCOUNTANT!
The other professional service that you should not “cheap out” on is a qualified accountant or CPA. I fully recommend that you shop around a little and make sure that your accountant is familiar with the issues surrounding a small business and it’s needs. It is even better if they already have experience working with another sign company (don’t worry, they are restricted from divulging any information about your company).
You accountant will help you make sure your financial house is in order and that all of those pesky little legal items are properly handled. You know… sales tax, IRS filings, payroll withholdings, Workers Comp… things that you definitely do NOT want to mess up. The last thing you want to see show up in the mail is a nice $30,000 tax bill from Uncle Sam because you forgot to file for some federal or state system withholding item.
In addition to taxes and payroll, a good accountant can also help you keep your finger on the pulse of your sign company. The information that they gather can be used to figure out where your profits are coming from, what market segments are not suited for your business structure, what materials are making you money and which ones are more trouble than the cost savings. Do you want to know if you actually made money at the end of the year? Unfortunately, it is not as simple as looking at the sign company’s bank account and your accountant can help.