Any accounting firm can experience an unhappy client, but not every unhappy client has a legitimate legal claim. Before trying to resolve a client issue or threat, consider these 10 factors from national accounting risk management firm, CPA Mutual, that can create — or worsen — liability. Plan ahead with these tips and proactively manage your potential liability.
![Young woman making a mistake on a pink background](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eb8d91b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5520x3360+0+0/resize/904x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2F03%2Feb%2Facfee3a54ec3b2382a1efec9100b%2Fslapping-head-mistake.jpg)
1. Admitting mistakes too quickly
![Center of dispatching maintenance. Waist up portrait of afro-american specialist speaking on headset microphone while working on navigation controller board](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/39309ea/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6016x4016+0+0/resize/824x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2F36%2Fb641698f4481a97b60e6ca6ae2d7%2Fbinoculars-guy-phone.jpg)
2. Neglecting to follow up
![Casual man in eyeglasses talking on old-fashioned phone looking away in misunderstanding.](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/63fa07b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4970x3500+0+0/resize/781x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fa9%2F9b%2F1e6c2e73404c8b01cb5b80d2f9d1%2Fdumb-question.jpg)
3. Asking the wrong questions
![Anxious man judged by different people. Concept of accusation of guilty guy. Negative emotions face expression feeling](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b50bbce/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5439x3730+0+0/resize/802x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F97%2F51faacb046d09fdc86adcb416f6b%2Ffingerpointing-guilt.jpg)
4. Assuming more liability than necessary
![Concerned woman reading bad news in a letter sitting on a couch in the living room at home](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1bc53ce/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5760x3840+0+0/resize/825x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fea%2F74%2F8bc886b5412481d1af39346ffaf1%2Fconcerned-woman.jpg)
5. Reimbursing tax assessments or interest
![Going solo](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/da125d8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5280x3960+0+0/resize/733x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fee%2F06%2F594d58974ab29a97ad7255866024%2Fgoing-solo.jpg)
6. Going solo with a client threat
![Angry couple claiming and shouting to an office worker](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b8e04e6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5571x3714+0+0/resize/825x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fb9%2F2d%2F27243c40419ead758162c5a4f366%2Fangry-complaint.jpg)
7. Failing to request complaints in writing
![Happy men handshaking with helpful psychologist and applauding colleagues near by](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3fe87fa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5760x3840+0+0/resize/825x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fdd%2F3d%2F94d57562458ab66ba0e12691dd7b%2Fmediation.jpg)
8. Avoiding mediation
![Shredded destroying confidential document over black background](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ea629bf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7189x4798+0+0/resize/824x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2F30%2Fc8%2F6b95346c4a60ad30e3d90f9709a0%2Fconfidential-document-shredder.jpg)
9. Withholding key information from advisors
![Judge's gavel and block with LAWSUIT inscription](https://arizent.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4e7125d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x2160+0+0/resize/978x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsource-media-brightspot.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2F25%2F4e%2F0bb7da69449a96357075b8a7ecbf%2Flawsuit.jpg)