Company Background
Working With AccountLancer
Billing & Payments
The Portal
Company Background
Can I visit you?
Sure, if you make an appointment.
Who is involved in the company?
It’s a one-person show for the time being. Just me, Eric J. Nisall. This way everyone knows exactly who they are dealing with, and there is a single point of contact. Too many firms try to complicate things with levels of contacts and it just makes thing too difficult to ever get anything done.
How long has the company been around?
October 28, 2014 is the day I came up with the name (with the help of Andrea Whitmer), registered the domain and got to work on this company. In reality, the corporation which became AccountLancer has been in existence since 2006, and I have been in the industry since 2002.
Working With AccountLancer
Will my personal and business information be kept private?
In a word: YES! All clients are given a Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement right from the start. Additionally, I don’t even give any client info for reference purposes until I personally ask for, and receive, permission to disclose such information.
Can I interview you before making a hiring decision?
You better! The smartest thing you can do is to interview an accountant the same way you would interview a prospective employee. You not only need to find someone with whom you feel comfortable giving access to your personal information, but also someone who is in tune with your goals and understands your business. So, please, by all means schedule an appointment and ask me a ton of questions before you decide to hire me.
Are there any contracts/commitments required?
Not at all. The only documents that are required are
- Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement – which is for your protection against sharing of personal information and /or trade secrets.
- Engagement Agreement(s) – a document which outlines each party’s responsibilities and lays out the pricing structure.
Neither document sets a time limit on the length of time we have to be in business together. All that is required is 30 days notice prior to the engagement being ended by either party for any reason.
What kinds of clients do you work with?
While specifically targeting freelancer and and solopreneurs, I won’t necessarily turn down anyone who is in need of my services based on that qualification alone. The reason I prefer working with my target market is simply due to the fact that most traditional accountants don’t understand the concepts of location-independent businesses and in particular, the world of online entrepreneurship. My preference is to concentrate on an under-served market to ensure as many people as possible get the help and guidance they need & deserve from someone who understands their needs very well.
Billing & Payments
When are invoices sent?
For accounting and consulting services, you will (generally) be billed at the beginning of the month which is for the prior month’s work. For tax returns, you are paying for a specific task, and you will receive an invoice only after you sign off on filing the return(s).
When are invoices due?
My preference would be for you to pay upon receipt of your invoice, but sometimes that’s just not possible. As long as you pay the invoice by the due date stated, you’ll be fine.
How can I pay?
Almost any way you’d like. Every form of payment aside from bitcoin and barter is accepted. The preferred method of payment is to simply use the link that is contained in your emailed invoiced and pay by credit/debit as that makes things a whole lot easier for me. However, I understand some people like to use PayPal (even though I personally hate it), and some others still like writing checks, so I say pay however you’d like–I’ll still accept it.
What if the payment is late?
Even though I expect your payment to be made on time, I will not hound you if don’t pay immediately. If, after a month has passed and you have not made the payment, you will receive a reminder message. If, after more time passes, and you have not made arrangements to pay your bill, you may be subject to interest charges as laid out in the engagement agreement for your specific engagement. If, after a significant amount of time has passed without any communication on your part or response to communication sent by me, you may be subject to collections.
The Portal
What is “the portal”?
The portal is a way for us to exchange files and documents safely and securely. It’s totally cloud-based so there’s no need to download additional programs, and you can access it from anywhere at any time.
Is the portal secure?
Yes it is. SmartVault uses bank-level AES-256 bit encryption to protect the contents of the servers. It also uses granular user permissions, which means that access permissions are set on a folder-by-folder basis. Each person or company gets a folder within my account, and the only people who have access to it are that particular client and myself.
Will I have to pay extra for access?
Not a single penny. This is a cost of doing business to me. You will pay the same fee regardless of whether or not you choose to obtain access to the portal.
Why should I use it instead of email?
Well for one, it’s more secure. It’s also easier to manage files within the portal than it is to search and sort through your entire email account. Another point to consider is the attachment-size limitations email providers implement. For instance, with Gmail, a straight attachment is limited to 25mb but when uploading to the portal, you can upload a single file that is as large as 2gb.