mandatory retirement: pros and cons (and is it legal?)

it depends.

by marc rosenberg

of all the issues involved in cpa firm governance, mandatory retirement is one of the most hotly contested and debatable provisions in a partner agreement.

more: partner duties, prohibitions and grounds for expulsion | quick tip: partners investing in clients | why you might want an executive committee | buyout when a partner dies | why and how new partners buy in | a crash course in partner retirement/buyout plans
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first, let’s clarify what we mean by “mandatory retirement.”
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partner duties when things go really bad: prohibitions and grounds for expulsion

midsection of businessman moving out with cardboard box from officewhat does “all of their time and attention” mean?

by marc rosenberg

i’ve read hundreds of partner agreements over 20 years and i am unable to meaningfully distinguish between the following:

  • partner duties (what partners must do to keep their jobs)
  • partner prohibitions (what partners cannot do)
  • grounds for expulsion (what actions partners may do that are serious enough to cause their dismissal from the firm)

more: quick tip: partners investing in clients | deciding how to allocate partner income | making partner: today’s 15 essential skills and traits | how to specify managing partner duties | when votes must be taken, what are the options?
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i’ve seen countless different ways that these items are presented in partner agreements. for years i’ve asked these questions:
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quick tip: partners investing in clients

bonus: sample agreement language.

by marc rosenberg

during my career, i’ve seen partners come to blows over this.

more: deciding how to allocate partner income | principals who aren’t cpas | why non-compete and non-solicitation covenants matter | handling pay during the disability of a partner | why voting isn’t such a big deal | what’s in a (firm) name? | protect your business with a solid partner agreement
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

one partner has a non-attest client who offers an opportunity to invest in the client’s business. a very common example is a client who is a real estate syndicator. this can often be quite lucrative for the partner.
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deciding how to allocate partner income

gavel resting on $100 bills8 aspects that might fall to your compensation committee.

by marc rosenberg

cpa firms have a habit of making frequent changes – some major and some minor – to their system and methodology of allocating partner income, just as a baseball team tweaks its roster of players during a long, grueling season.

more: principals who aren’t cpas | non-equity partners: why have them? | why you might want an executive committee | buyout when a partner dies | why and how new partners buy in
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because of this, firms are advised to keep the wording on partner compensation in their partner agreements as general as possible. this avoids the need to change the agreement every time the income allocation system is modified.
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principals who aren’t cpas

businesspeople having a meeting over coffee sitting together at a table discussing a document, young man and two middle-aged women present8 points worth noting.

by marc rosenberg

for 20 years or more, the cpa profession has been expanding services beyond traditional audit, accounting and tax, supplementing its portfolio with a wide variety of consulting services. indeed, in recognition of this, most cpa firms’ logo states something to the effect of “cpas and consultants.”

more: non-equity partners: why have them? | making partner: today’s 15 essential skills and traits | how to specify managing partner duties | when votes must be taken, what are the options? | ownership percentage and capital accounts
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

some firms have cpas on board who provide consulting services. other firms hire outside, non-cpa consultants in areas such as technology, wealth management, m&a and health care.
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