I’ve always found it difficult to extract advice about tax from accountants, and it seem to the same no matter what country I’ve lived in, from the UK to Sweden and Spain.
Do you rely on your accountant for tax advice or do you hire someone else?
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I rely on a friend who is an international tax advisor both as an accountant and tax advisor.
For me I came to the conclusion that tax advisors seem to work for the country you are in, don’t give any usable advice that exceeds the basic stuff you can read in “tax for dummies” books and have no interest or knowledge to actually ADVICE and COUNSEL you on your endeavours as the cost for the real knowledge would exceed the amount saved.
But it also depends on the size and location of your business and your location and type of personal income on how you can turn the dials.
An all time favourite for the country i am in is my cell phone… i use it for business and personal use…
I depreciate it in my business as I bought it for my business - 33.33% per year because it is more a computer than a phone 
The phone bill is split 70% business and 30% private use… the private part i deduct from my personal income as i sometimes use my phone to call customers or partners in my private time. Same with my cable internet bill… 70% business 30% private and deduct that again as i write some business emails during my private time. And YES i do have business times 
My TV is not a TV it is a computer screen that i use for designing websites most of the time… 70%/30% split. The fan i bought is for my office. All phone accessories are business, so are my noice cancelling Bose headphones - perfect for business trips and phone calls.
In times of pandemic i collect all my invoices for anything related to hand sanitiser, alcohol swipes, masks etc and deduct it from my personal income tax as most items are mandatory. Don’t forget to buy those items for your workplace, too.
Thanks, yes expenses like you mentioned i’m ok with. It’s more about tax efficiency and planning. Specially since in Europe some places have wealth taxes and high capital gains. But actually finding advice on how to create the best setup and where is hard to find.
Advice is hard to find actually and if you find it’s cost intensive as the advisor is liable for it
An international tax advisor is what you need
I have a great accountant here for business and personal tax and business planning, however for financial planning/wealth planning, I use my investment advisor.
I’m very transparent between the two professionals, and relay their advice and information back and forth so we can work as a team for business and personal planning, investing and tax purposes. It works.
Hiring professionals has save me thousands in fees and taxes and earned me thousands in investment returns. My hubby was always “DIY” but I finally convinced him to at least have a discussion with professionals and it has made a huge impact on our finances and future.
Yes this is what I need to find as well for investment and wealth planning. So far I’ve relied on my accountant for taxes and been handling the investments myself but it’s now time to get professional help.
My only advice about a financial advisor is DON’T use one from a bank.
Speak to people at Investment Firms. Bank advisors are mandated to give you advice only surrounding their own offerings, which are not necessarily best of breed.
Investment Firms work on your behalf. After that, be clear about your goals.
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Yes that’s actually something I need to keep in mind because my account said oh speak to your bank…
It takes a LOT of effort and continuing education to keep up with tax law in one state/province and country, much less keep up with evolving tax regulations across borders, so professionals that truly understand international taxation are rare birds to find. Compounding the problem for adult-oriented businesses is the fact most are relatively tiny operations compared to typical businesses that have international tax obligations, so finding a professional that is knowledgeable AND willing to take on a small business is even harder. International tax pros tend to work for big accounting firms or big law firms and they deal with big clients, not adult companies with a handful (or fewer!) employees and under 8-figure annual revenues. 
Mary is 100% correct – do not seek financial planning advice from a banker! I will add insurance agent to that – don’t take financial advice from an insurance agent, or anyone that makes money from selling you stuff. Always ask your financial advisor, “What’s in this for you?” and demand honest answers. If an “advisor” is rewarded for selling financial products to you, that person has a vested interest in selling you stuff and might not be acting in YOUR best interests. They want you to trade, to make transactions, because only when you buy and sell do they make money. I am a bit jaded and believe a monkey with a dartboard can get the same long-term results as paid financial advisors… the vast majority do NOT beat the market over 5 years. Where are the customers’ yachts??