congratulations to the winners of the accounting today program.
the annual survey and awards program, which accounting today conducts in partnership with best companies group, is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best employers in the accounting profession, benefiting its economy, workforce and businesses.
they are: read more →
with four steps and a sample letter.
by marc rosenberg
cpa firm mergers
in all areas of mergers and acquisitions, it’s always much more difficult to find sellers than buyers. this is certainly true in the case of cpa firms. cpa firm merger consultants and brokers can do a great job finding buyers, but they are limited in their ability to dig up sellers. this is because the vast majority of all mergers and sales take place when buyers or sellers who “know each other” get together on their own without the help of a consultant.
one way to identify sellers is to conduct a snail mail solicitation. the steps in the process are: read more →
four issues and solutions in leadership and management.
question: one of my managers is complaining that the staff don’t listen to him. the specifics are that he assigns work and it isn’t completed on time and is usually incomplete and full of errors. he says he doesn’t want to supervise people anymore. any suggestions?
answer: i have many suggestions, sorted into four general areas.
here goes: read more →
strengthen your partnership and protect minority interests.
by auqust aquila
creating the effective partnership
with busy season just around the corner, it’s a good time now to tweak your firm’s financials and partner performance.
start by reviewing your billing rates, billing and collection policies, type of work partners are doing, how you reward performers and your leadership.
more august aquila on creating the effective partnership: three ways to run a firm: but only one is sustainable • eight key goal areas for partners • 5 must-do’s for every managing partner today • are bad clients driving you crazy? • 6 steps to handle staffing problems in a merger • new times call for new cpa firm metrics • 6 reasons why cpa firms fail in innovation • when the deal is done: a 24-point checklist for the morning after •
take the time to focus on what drives the bottom line. it’s time well spent. here are eight issues you shouldn’t miss: read more →
veteran buyers say that for every firm they merge with, they had discussions with 10 others.
by marc rosenberg
cpa firm mergers
firms that are serious about merging in smaller firms on a regular basis understand that conducting mergers is all about planting seeds.
a buyer has to have this attitude:
every day of every year, at least one firm decides to test the merger waters. if our efforts to identify sellers are made continuously throughout the year, every year, sooner or later, we will find at least one interested merger candidate and probably more than one. read more →
checklist: for every step in the merger negotiations, there’s a possible misstep.
by marc rosenberg
cpa firm mergers
it’s important to understand the flow of the entire merger process.
every merger has its unique aspects. it’s impossible to choreograph, from a to z, exactly how the process for all mergers will work. most steps occur in the same order from one deal to the next. but then, all mergers are different. your mileage may vary.
still, there are at least 21 steps that need to happen. and one can’t happen without the other. take a look…
…by making people more accountable.
by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor
question: we seem to have a lot of meetings where great ideas are exchanged and then nothing is done. any suggestions?
response: a problem with many meetings is that there are no action items decided upon and assigned. a secondary problem is that many easy and quick-to-do items are assigned but they do not lead the firm toward their overall goals. read more →
and 13 potential sticking points with conflicting agendas.
by marc rosenberg
cpa firm mergers
whether you’re looking to acquire a smaller firm, merge upward into a larger one or join forces with an equal, answering this basic question honestly and objectively is key to laying the groundwork for a successful merger. read more →
prepare for the unexpected.
by marc rosenberg
cpa firm mergers
potential deal breakers in a merger negotiation can crop up at any time – and unexpectedly. but here are 15 that seem to occur more often than others. in most cases, one firm wants something, the other firm doesn’t and the two can’t agree on how to resolve the conflict. be prepared. read more →
with 5 specifics on price and 5 on compensation.
by marc rosenberg
cpa firm mergers
there can be an almost unlimited number of terms that both sides in a merger of accounting firms can haggle over. and sometimes they do.
more on cpa firm firm mergers: do cpa firm mergers really work? | 6 steps to handle staffing problems in a merger | 13 ways cpa firm mergers can go wrong | nuances and idiosyncrasies: the top 12 issues that complicate mergers | talking merger? the basic 7-item agenda for the first meeting | 10 special implementation issues in a merger of equals | in merger talks: 13 essential questions small firms must ask larger firms
but these days, only 15 really matter. get past these 15 and you’re on track to close a reasonable deal. still, be warned: the devil’s in the details. read more →
16 ways to tweak your compensation systems to get and keep the right clients.
if your partners are putting up a fight to keep clients who should be let go, take a look at your compensation system. it’s not just about billable hours.
august aquila, creating the effective partnership, suggests 16 tweaks to your firm’s compensation system. while the list is not exhaustive, it does provide criteria that firms can consider beyond revenue. read more →
eight reasons why accounting firms need to work on internal communications first. by bruce w. marcus a terrific definition of chaos is when a client asks two different people in your firm the same question – and gets two different and … continued
question: i am sure you heard this before, but i just can’t seem to get on top of my work – i am always behind and in addition, my income has been dropping.
i am a sole practitioner with no staff and don’t want any. i like what i do, but lately it seems i have been chasing my tail and losing some ground. my practice is 40% 1040s which are mainly done from mid-january to april 15. i do not file many extensions. another 40% are small businesses that i work on monthly. about half i go to and the other half send in their information or quickbooks files. 10% is payroll preparation for clients.