Bankeo Trust Index: How an accountant conducts an audit (20+ criteria)

At a Glance. The Bankeo Trust Index is the verification checklist that every accountant must pass before joining the Bankeo network: more than 20 criteria grouped into six categories, ranging from legitimacy (registration with the Ordre des CPA du Québec, Business Registry) to the quality of support provided. Five criteria are publicly disclosed because they are factual and verifiable by anyone; the rest constitute the matching formula. This page outlines the methodology: the structure of the evaluation grid, the process for joining the network of over 1,500 accountants, ongoing monitoring, and what the verification process guarantees (and does not guarantee). To the best of our knowledge, no comparable directory or platform publishes its evaluation grid.

In Quebec, “accountant” is not a protected title: anyone can offer bookkeeping or tax filing services. The CPA designation, on the other hand, is protected by the Ordre des CPA du Québec, but it says nothing about availability, areas of expertise, or the quality of service. As a result, entrepreneurs looking for an accountant are left to navigate between directories that simply list professionals without vetting them and online reviews that are impossible to evaluate. This is exactly the problem the Bankeo Trust Index addresses, which is why we’re publishing our methodology. Since 2023, Bankeo has received more than 15,000 matching requests; every accountant presented in response to one of these requests has been evaluated using the criteria described here. For the “do-it-yourself” version, check out our guide at How to Check If an Accountant Is Reliable in Quebec.

Why publish your audit methodology?

Many websites promise “verified” professionals. Almost none explain what the term actually means: verified how, based on what criteria, by whom, and how often? A promise of verification without a published method is a marketing ploy; a published method is a commitment. By documenting the Bankeo Trust Index, we agree to be judged by the criteria themselves: if a criterion is poorly chosen, it can be challenged; if it is well chosen, it can be reused by any entrepreneur, even without going through Bankeo.

This is also what distinguishes a verification from a simple listing. The table below compares what is actually verified depending on where you search for your accountant:

To the best of our knowledge, no directory of accountants or matching platform in Quebec publishes a comparable checklist. That’s precisely why we’re publishing it: so that “vetted accountant” is a verifiable claim, not just a slogan.

The evaluation grid: More than 20 criteria in six categories

This checklist didn’t originate from a theoretical document. It was developed based on real-world experience: more than 15,000 requests received since 2023, recurring reasons for dissatisfaction reported by business owners (accountant unreachable in April, lack of understanding of the industry, unexpected charges on the invoice), and feedback collected after each matching session. Each category of criteria addresses a real, observed risk:

Why six categories rather than a single license check? Because no single factor is sufficient on its own. A vetted CPA may be overwhelmed and unreachable for three months a year. An excellent technician may be working without liability insurance. A firm with a strong online presence may have no clients in your industry. The assessment grid cross-checks these areas precisely where a single screening might miss issues. The weighting of criteria and specific thresholds, however, remain internal: that’s the secret to successful matching.

The five criteria revealed to the public

Of the more than 20 criteria on the checklist, five are published in detail because they are factual and any business owner can verify them themselves, for free, through a public registry or concrete evidence:

• Professional Liability Insurance. An up-to-date certificate, including the insurer’s name and the coverage period. This protection ensures you won’t be left holding the bill if an error occurs in a case.
• A real, established business. The business behind the service is registered with the Quebec Enterprise Registry: NEQ number, address, executives, and length of operation consistent with its claims.
• Registration with the professional association (for CPAs). If the professional holds the CPA designation, their registration with the Ordre des CPA du Québec must be active and in good standing. You can verify this on cpaquebec.ca in just two minutes.
• Real customer reviews. Reviews spread out over time that are consistent with one another, and the ability to provide references. A perfect rating received all in the same week is worth less than an imperfect but genuine track record.
• Expertise in the industry. The accountant has real clients just like you and provides precise answers to questions specific to your situation: collecting GST/QST on online sales, source deductions for a first-time hire, choosing between Form T2 and Form CO-17 for a corporation, and advance payments required by the CRA and Revenu Québec.

The process, from application to ongoing monitoring

Step 1: The application

An accountant or accounting firm wishing to join the network provides the following information: business profile, services offered (bookkeeping, individual and corporate taxes, payroll, incorporation, catch-up services), service areas, software used, and languages spoken. This information serves as the basis for the verification process: all claims must be supported by evidence.

Step 2: Completing the checklist

Factual criteria are checked first: registration with the Business Registry, the professional association’s roster for listed qualifications, proof of insurance, and any existing reviews. Next come the interview-based criteria: actual areas of specialization, competence, and work style. An application that does not meet the criteria is simply not presented to business owners; however, the door remains open if the professional corrects any deficiencies, such as an insurance certificate that needs to be renewed.

Step 3: Matching, where the grid becomes a filter based on needs

Being part of the network isn’t enough: for each request, the grid serves as a matching filter. Industry, company size, applicable obligations (GST/QST, payroll, corporate income tax), geographic area, language, software: Categories 5 and 6 carry significant weight here, because an excellent accountant with no available capacity is not a good match. It’s this filtering process that enables matching, often within 48 hours, since the verification is already complete by the time your request arrives.

Step 4: Ongoing monitoring

The vetting process doesn’t end once an accountant joins the network. After each matching session, feedback from business owners feeds into the rating system: quality of the initial contact, adherence to deadlines, transparency of fees, and performance throughout the engagement. It’s this feedback loop that maintains the 4.7/5 rating based on over 180 Google reviews, and it’s what brings our support promise to life: if the matched accountant is no longer a good fit, even months later, we’ll find you a new one at no cost. Any professional who fails to maintain the expected standard is removed from the network; the rating system is a standard to uphold, not a one-time test.

What the index guarantees, and what it doesn’t

A published methodology must also honestly state its limitations. The Bankeo Trust Index is not an audit of an accountant’s client files, nor is it a public ranking of accounting firms, nor is it a guarantee of tax results: no one can promise a tax refund, and any professional who does so fails the evaluation criteria. What the Index guarantees is that verifiable facts have been checked before an accountant is recommended to you, and that an ongoing monitoring process continues afterward. The final choice is always yours: to make that decision, use our Questions to Ask an Accountant Before Hiring Them.

Budget-wise, the verification process doesn’t cost anything extra. The Market benchmark is a median of about $3,000 per year, with most engagements ranging from $500 to $6,000 depending on the service and industry. These amounts are based on the actual fees from 1,248 engagements secured through Bankeo (2024-2026), out of more than 15,000 requests received; the breakdown, by service and sector, is published in the Bankeo Fee Barometer, and we present the Quebec perspective on it in our Study on the Cost of an Accountant in Quebec in 2026. The two metrics complement each other: the Index tells you who is being audited, and the Barometer tells you how much it actually costs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Bankeo Trust Index?

This is the verification checklist that every accountant must pass before joining the Bankeo network and being introduced to a business owner: more than 20 criteria grouped into six categories (identity and legitimacy, client protection, expertise and specialization, reputation, availability and capacity, quality of support). Five criteria are publicly disclosed because they are factual and verifiable by anyone; the rest constitute Bankeo’s matching formula.

Are all the criteria publicly available?

No, and we stand by that. The five public criteria (professional liability insurance, a real and registered business, membership in the Ordre des CPA, genuine customer reviews, and industry expertise) are published because each can be verified for free in a public registry or through concrete evidence. The others are based on internal data, such as feedback from business owners after being matched with an accountant, and a fully public rating system would merely be window dressing rather than actually improving the service.

How can I evaluate an accountant myself in Quebec?

Cross-check public records with concrete evidence: the Ordre des CPA du Québec directory on cpaquebec.ca if the professional uses the CPA designation, the Quebec Business Registry for the NEQ number and to verify the business’s actual existence, a current liability insurance certificate, client reviews spanning a range of time periods, and three specific questions about your situation, such as the GST/QST or source deductions. This is the “do-it-yourself” version of the Bankeo Trust Index’s public criteria.

Is the Bankeo Trust Index a ranking of accountants?

No. The Index does not publish rankings or individual ratings for each accounting firm. It serves as a standard for entry into and continued membership in the network: an accountant either meets the criteria and can be featured, or does not meet them and is not featured. During the matching process, the criteria then serve as a filter to match your needs (industry, requirements, location, language) with the available, verified profiles.

What happens if the matched accountant is no longer a good fit?

We’ll find you another one, free of charge, even several months after the matching process. Feedback from business owners fuels the ongoing refinement of our evaluation grid: quality of communication, adherence to deadlines, and transparency of fees. It’s this feedback loop that underpins the 4.7/5 rating based on over 180 Google reviews, and any professional who fails to maintain the expected standard is removed from the network. We’ll support you for as long as you need.

How much does a vetted accountant verified by the Bankeo Trust Index cost?

The Bankeo service is completely free for business owners: matching, vetting, and support cost you nothing. Bankeo is compensated by the accountants in its network through a fixed fee per file, which is known in advance. For accountants, the benchmark is a median of approximately $3,000 per year, with most engagements ranging from $500 to $6,000, based on actual fees from 1,248 engagements completed through Bankeo (2024-2026), out of more than 15,000 requests received; the details are published in the Bankeo Fee Barometer.

Official sources

1. Ordre des CPA du Québec (Membership Roster and License to Practice)
2. Quebec Registraire des entreprises (Business Registry, NEQ)
3. Revenu Québec, Business Section (GST/QST, withholdings, taxes)
4. Canada Revenue Agency (federal business obligations)