What a mali müşavir (accountant) does and does not do

The mistaken belief of Cemil Usta the barber

Cemil Usta is a barber. When he opened his business he found a mali müşavir (certified public accountant) and relaxed: "From now on, tax, books and accounts aren't my problem; they'll take care of everything."

Three months later the accountant called: "You haven't brought any documents for three months; I can't make any entries." Cemil Usta was surprised: "I'm paying you, so you do it."

Cemil Usta's mistake is this: the accountant processes the information, but does not produce it. The information comes from your shop.

Who is a mali müşavir?

A mali müşavir (full title: serbest muhasebeci mali müşavir, certified public accountant) is a professional authorised by law. They keep books, prepare tax returns and give advice on tax legislation. To do this work, an exam and an internship are required; the profession is regulated by Law No. 3568.

What does a mali müşavir do?

• Keeps the books. Makes entries based on the documents you provide.
• Prepares tax returns. Prepares and files returns such as VAT (KDV), the withholding tax return (muhtasar beyanname), and income or corporate tax.
• Handles employee paperwork. SGK (Social Security Institution) notifications and payroll are often prepared at the accountant's office. Payroll (bordro) is the calculation sheet for the salaries paid to employees.
• Answers questions. Acts as an adviser on questions like "Can this spending be recorded as an expense?" or "Should I set up a limited company?"
• Warns you. Knows the calendar and reminds you which payment is due when.

What does a mali müşavir not do?

• Does not collect documents. You bring the invoices, receipts and bank statements.
• Does not manage money. You run your cash box, collections and supplier payments.
• Does not make business decisions. How many employees to hire and what price to set are your job.
• Does not make up missing documents. Without a document, an expense cannot be recorded. The accountant cannot do this, and should not.
• Does not take on responsibility in your place. The tax return is filed in your name; the tax debt is your debt.

What do you hand over once a month?

Your accountant has a request that repeats once a month. Agree with them on which day and in what form you will hand things over, but generally it is these:

If you are late with your documents, the accountant will be late too. Tax return dates are fixed; a late document means a missed deadline. And when a deadline is missed, a penalty may follow.

Who is responsible?

For the tax office (vergi dairesi), the taxpayer (mükellef) is you. If there is an error in a return, unpaid tax, or an expense recorded without a document, you are the one the tax office deals with. If the accountant made a mistake, you settle that with them separately; but the state deals with you. An accountant can be held jointly responsible with you only in serious cases, such as preparing a return contrary to the books and documents, or acting as an intermediary for fake documents (Tax Procedure Law, Vergi Usul Kanunu, VUK, repeated art. 227, mükerrer md. 227). They are not responsible for documents that were never given to them.

So trust your accountant, but keep an eye on things:

• Every month, ask for the return and the tax assessment slip (tahakkuk fişi, the paper showing how much tax you will pay and on which day).
• You can also check your tax debt yourself on the Internet Tax Office (İnternet Vergi Dairesi) with your e-Devlet (e-Government) password; look once a month.
• If a word comes up that you don't understand, ask. A good accountant will be glad to explain.
• Write your tax debt and payment date in your own calendar too.

How do you choose an accountant?

When choosing, look at this: do they reply to calls or messages within a reasonable time? Do they state clearly their fee and what it covers? Have they worked with your sector (a hairdresser, a haulier, a café and so on) before? Someone who says "I'll take care of everything" at the first meeting may not be someone who knows their job well; a good accountant asks something of you too.

Put the agreement in writing as well: on which day documents will be handed over, how approval of the return will be obtained, and whom to contact with an urgent question.

What does good cooperation look like?

Your accountant has hundreds of clients on their mind every month. Your file arriving in good order makes their work easier, and easier work ends up working in your favour. Hand over documents regularly, write down your questions, and note the dates.

Make the fee clear from the start: which work is included in the monthly fee, and which is charged separately? Year-end work, registering employees and company set-up procedures are often discussed separately. When paying the fee, ask for a self-employment receipt (serbest meslek makbuzu); this payment is your expense.

A small glossary for working with your accountant

In the first months it is enough to know the meaning of these words they will often use with you: tax return (beyanname) (the report of your accounts given to the state), payroll (bordro) (the employee's salary calculation sheet), books (defter) (where the records are kept), tax office (vergi dairesi) (the institution through which your dealings with the state are handled). Each of these is the subject of a separate lesson; for now, getting to know them is enough. Don't hesitate to ask about a word you don't understand: a good accountant sees this as interest.