The Teaspiller Rating is our way of making it easier to find an accountant. It’s calculated using an algorithm that evaluates the information in an accountant’s profile, including an accountant’s years in the industry, disciplinary history, professional achievements and industry recognition - all factors that, in our opinion, are relevant to determining an accountant’s qualifications.
How can the Teaspiller Rating help you find the right accountant?
Remember that the Teaspiller Rating, or the information within an accountant’s profile, is NOT all you need to know to choose the right accountant. It is only one of several tools you should use to choose the right accountant for you. There’s no substitution for getting on the phone with an accountant and making sure that you’re comfortable.
Teaspiller Rating FAQs
What information does the Teaspiller Rating consider?
The Teaspiller Rating is calculated by assigning different weights to the information in an accountant’s profile, as we believe that some things are more important than others. We’ve made these weighting determinations based on our research and, we think, informed opinions.
Do you disclose the details of how the Teaspiller Rating is calculated?
The Teaspiller Rating is based on all of the information presented in an accountant’s profile. We do not, however, disclose how we weigh this information, because we don't want anyone gaming the Teaspiller Rating system. Yup, kind of like how Google won’t disclose how they rate websites in their search results.
Keep in mind that these ratings speak to an accountant’s background. They do not evaluate an accountant’s actual knowledge of the request, past performance in specific matters, personality or communication skills. These are items that the Teaspiller Rating cannot evaluate.
What do the numbers on the Teaspiller Rating mean?
Why don’t all accountants have a numerical Teaspiller Rating?
For some accountants, we only have publically available information gathered from various state boards and other licensing organizations. If that’s all we have, then we display a Teaspiller Rating for the accountant of either "Attention" or "No Concern." The "Attention" rating is displayed if there is information in the licensing records that, in our opinion, you should be aware of, such as a disciplinary action. Otherwise, we display the "No Concern" rating.
Should I rely solely on the Teaspiller Rating in choosing an accountant?
No. While the Teaspiller Rating is informed by our experience and research, it is only one of many tools you can use to help choose the right accountant for your needs. Look at the other information on Teaspiller regarding the accountant, including Practice Areas, Client Ratings, Peer Endorsements, and locations. Keep in mind that the Teaspiller Rating does not measure subjective factors like personality and communication style. At the end of the day, there's no substitute for talking to the accountant.
Do accountants need to pay or sign-up to be included in the Teaspiller Rating?
Nope! Teaspiller publishes an accountant’s profile and Teaspiller Rating for every accountant we can locate. The accountant profile is free to all accountants, and the Teaspiller Rating cannot be influenced by advertising or any other form of payment.
Do peer endorsements and client ratings affect a Teaspiller Rating?
Peer endorsements do affect the Teaspiller Rating but client ratings do not. We feel that peer endorsements—one accountant endorsing another— are a form of industry recognition, one of the factors the Teaspiller Rating considers. Client ratings provide important subjective information on the professional service of an accountant, which we concluded did not belong in the Teaspiller Rating. However, in our research, consumers told us that client ratings are very important to them. We therefore include them in an accountant’s profile but not in the Teaspiller Rating.
I'm an accountant and want to change my Teaspiller Rating. How can I make this happen?
If you have a Teaspiller Rating of "No Concern" or "Attention", you can receive a numerical Teaspiller Rating by adding license and/or certification information to your profile.
If you already have a numerical Teaspiller Rating, the rating cannot be changed, as it is based on an algorithm that is applied in the same way to all accountants. However, your score may change for the better if you update your Teaspiller profile with current information about yourself, including your work experience, practice areas, professional achievements, associations, and peer endorsements. The more we know about you, the better we can determine your score.
But be sure that the information you add to your profile is accurate, as your Teaspiller Rating can be negatively impacted if you post inaccurate information to your profile.
In addition, it is the responsibility of accountants to ensure that any information they place on Teaspiller, and any communication they may have with prospective clients through Teaspiller, comply with the applicable rules of professional conduct regulating the form, manner or content of communications with clients. We will report any accountants violating any rules as dictated by their licensing board or the IRS.
Can an accountant’s Teaspiller Rating change over time?
Yes! As we collect more information about an accountant, their Teaspiller Rating may be recalculated. Some information, such as disciplinary actions and industry recognition, are given less weight as time passes. It is our opinion that, in these categories, the most recent information is the most important. We may also periodically change the algorithm used to calculate the Teaspiller Rating, which may result in a change to an accountant’s Teaspiller Rating.
