by ed mendlowitz
“tax season opportunity guide“
question: i have an accounting practice with three partners. we do not have a partnership buy-sell agreement and feel we need one, but cannot agree on what should be in it. none of us want to give up any independence, be locked into something or have to start being more accountable. can you offer some suggestions?
response: first, 11 not-so-simple questions for you: read more →
by bruce w. marcus the fact remains we know far less than we should about why, when or how people choose to do business with an accounting firm – or with one firm over another. but, in light of what … continued
by sandi smith leyva, cpa
accountant’s accelerator
with 2014 upon us, it’s a good time to take stock of where we stand for the year, plus regroup as needed before the busy season begins. with so many changes in software, politics, tax laws and global standards, it’s pretty easy to feel a little disorganized.
here are three steps to help us take stock of our foundational business goals, re-evaluate our big picture and get us centered as we enter this new phase. read more →
how to create a fair and effective comp plan that unites partners and pushes the firm forward.
by robert j. lees and august j. aquila
creating the effective partnership
the right partner performance bonus plan encourages and rewards partners for achieving firm, team and individual goals, enabling the partners to see a clear cause-and-effect relationship between what they do, what it means to the firm and how they get rewarded.
unfortunately, in too many firms, partners can’t see these linkages. the compensation system is a failure.
consider, for a moment, these six questions for your firm: read more →
by ed mendlowitz
“tax season opportunity guide“
question: i have a tax and small business practice and seem to spend a lot of extra time i don’t get paid for. this includes fielding phone calls about personal issues, financial planning, retirement questions and tax notices. most of my clients are on fixed or predetermined fees and don’t have room for extras. how can i get paid for some of this work? read more →
by bruce w. marcus professional services marketing 3.0 learn to question everything you do. ask yourself the question, “this is the way i did it yesterday. is it the best way to do it today?” you’ll be amazed at the … continued
by bruce w. marcus professional services marketing 3.0 i’m puzzled by the accounting firm that continues to function today as it did many decades ago – in so many areas, as if the world continues to be as it was … continued
how to learn from clients’ spoken and unspoken needs and desires.
by sandi smith leyva, cpa
accountant’s accelerator
i feel extremely fortunate to have such a wonderful set of clients that i have learned much from the last few years. here is a list of lessons learned that i hope will inspire you to work with your clients in new ways. read more →
it’s always a good time to look back and identify the improvements to be made in the year ahead. here are six questions that will get you thinking – and change the way you see your cpa firm’s marketing program.
by ed mendlowitz
“tax season opportunity guide“
question: i got a new client because of one of my employees. do i have to give her anything?
response: wrong attitude! you should want to give her something. you should be happy that a staff person was able to bring in business.
many firms offer referral fees, bonuses or commissions. i suggest paying 10% of collections for five years, as long as the employee continues to work for you.
from why and when to who and how.
by august aquila
creating the effective partnership
acquiring or merging another firm has become one of the most popular ways to grow a practice.
for seven big reasons: read more →
by ed mendlowitz
“tax season opportunity guide“
question: a former client owes me a lot of money and will not pay or even discuss a settlement. i want to sue him. what can you tell me about this?
response: i don’t know the details so cannot address your specific situation. however, i have some comments about suing that i would like to share with you. read more →
without building an entire international tax practice.
as the business tax practices of cpa firms across the united states look for ways to expand their opportunities, inbound tax services have become a lucrative niche. the complexity of u.s. corporate taxation for closely held foreign parents provides a ripe opportunity for experienced tax professionals to provide this valued service.
but firms don’t necessarily need an international tax practice to pursue global business opportunities. they simply need a focused strategy to attract companies with inbound tax compliance needs, and the relationships to support them.
here are three ways that firms can successfully build or expand a more globally aware tax practice, according to members of bkr international. read more →