October 2011
By: Milton Lawney, DDS
Public Member — New York State Board for Public Accountancy
As a licensed dentist who practiced for many years in upstate New York, I found that many of my patients chose their CPA primarily through word of mouth referrals. CPAverify provides the public with added assurance that the CPA referred to them by their friend or business associate is currently licensed and authorized to practice in his/her home town. CPAverify is a consumer-oriented website that helps the public identify qualified licensed individuals who provide necessary professional services.
For many years, I used the services of a licensed CPA for both my dental practice and my personal tax returns. When I retired and relocated to another part of New York, I found that I didn’t have the same trusted referral network that I had in my home town. Having access to a tool such as NASBA’s new CPAverify website will provide the public with ready access to information provided by state boards that will assist the consumer in making informed decisions.
I am confident that in future, whether I need to identify a CPA in upstate New York or my daughter’s family needs to find a CPA in Texas, we will have the same opportunity to find qualified professionals through one central website.