succession & retirement

you need capable successors for a seamless transition

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younger businesswoman and older businessman smiling and talking in office hallway

prepare now.

by jennifer wilson

as vince lombardi said, “contrary to the opinion of many people, leaders are not born. leaders are made, and they are made by effort and hard work.”

 to experience a seamless transition as your leaders grow up, and then eventually out of your organization, identifying and developing your up-and-comers must become a core competence. without these critical abilities, there won’t be anyone to carry out the vision of your firm, serve your clients, or pay your retirement benefits and/or buyout. in this article, we’ll share ideas for developing leaders in your firm, identifying your partner potentials, and preparing them to step in and lead when the time comes.

more: generosity: the root of great leadership
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the first step is to make a cultural commitment to develop leadership skills in your people. some firms offer a leadership development program that allows people at various levels and in different roles, including administrators, to enroll in the program to enhance their ability to lead.
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ira rosenbloom: m&a money’s easy – culture fit’s hard | the disruptors

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progressive firms are the key to the future of the profession.

this is a preview. the complete 1-hour video episode, with commentary and transcript, is first available exclusively to pro members | go pro here
sponsored by “holistic guide to wealth management,” by rory henry – see today’s special offer

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the disruptors
with liz farr

the world of m&a is full of disruption, distraction, and disorientation these days, says ira rosenbloom, ceo of optimum strategies. while the headlines focus on private equity’s increasing role in cpa firm acquisitions, two new types of acquirers are playing a bigger role: family offices and wealth management.

more podcasts and videos: roman villard: ditch the suit & shine | monique swansen: align firm values with services | tina mcgill: how to create lasting client impact | stefan van duyvendijk: develop operational mindset | steve evans: why traditional hiring methods fail | roger knecht: can you be an accountrepreneur? | beth whitworth: focus on outcomes not hours |mike sylvester: learn to say no | salim omar: identify your client’s $100,000 problem | jackie meyer: earn more with fewer clients | jack fleherty: don’t be a ‘yes’ person | greg adams: from finance to storytelling | the disruptors | jody padar: make radical changes now if you want to be relevant in 2030 | rebecca driscoll: amplify reach by helping other firm owners | rory henry: create the return on relationships | mike maksymiw: be the leader you wish you had | terrell turner: build a solid business showing up as yourself | kelly mann: be the bull in the china shop | alicia katz pollock: create a human-centric business |  nancy mcclelland: be the one your clients ask first |alan whitman: stop accepting the status quo | sean duncan: discover your own genius | ingrid edstrom: true wealth is not financial |

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these different participants are disrupting “the more traditional marketplace, which for years has been driven by two cpa firms getting together that had a lot in common, except one was larger and the other one was smaller,” says rosenbloom. “i just think that what we’ve seen is there’s not one approach that works for everybody. we’re seeing dimension now. we’re seeing a whole bunch of choices.”

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what to do when a partner becomes disabled

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man seated at desk in front of empty chair

what does the partnership agreement say? oops …

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: my partner has been out sick for the past 3½ months, and he has been continuing to get his draw. it looks like he will be out for some time more, but not sure how long.

more: do as little as possible | want to merge? here are 23 things to request | i’m just starting out; why join an association? | don’t blame the client for your location | realign partners with monthly meetings | i’m 76. should i slow down? how? | who to hire when it’s time to grow | hourly billing doesn’t cover the value; now what? | ask for what you’re worth | the top tip for reviewing tax returns | you have to start somewhere | two options for collecting past due fees | you can’t win with lowballing | nine reasons not to specialize | when board service gets tricky
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he does make some calls from home, but isn’t really doing any work. is there anything i can do?
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eleven questions about kids, wealth and the family business

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three people discussing a document

cpas have a role to play.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

inheritance is notorious for ripping families apart. many manage to divvy up their parents’ wealth with the kind of mutual love and respect we expect to see in families.

but sometimes, with the smell of moolah in the air, it’s more like a knife fight.

it’s even more complicated when there’s a family business involved.

more: twelve years and out: seasoned accountants join the exodus | how accounting firms are handling the staff shortage | gen ai in accounting: epic transformation, or overheated hype? | survey shows big opportunities in small business | salary guides for accountants vary widely: whom do you believe? | are you earning what you deserve? | the slow, painful death of the 150-hour rule | partner comp earnings gap: what’s the right spread? | main street accountants see turbulence ahead for small business
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so many questions

unless there’s just one inheritor, one who wants to own and run the business, there are many complex issues – financial, legal, psychological – that need to be resolved.
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how accounting firms are dealing with retirement

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older businessman sitting at desk smiling as wall clock indicates 5 minutes to retirement

burnout is driving some increases.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

retirement’s great! long awaited, well deserved.

more: next five years are critical for accounting firms | staffing turnover’s down, but why? | what’s your firm worth? private equity wants to know | the new pipeline: outsourcing and offshoring | is this the last year of accounting’s golden age?
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but it’s not so great if you’re not the one retiring. at accounting firms, retirement often means trouble.

  • there may be no one to replace the retiree.
  • there may not be a succession plan in place.

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i’m 76. should i slow down? how?

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senior man working at desk

many considerations factor into the best time to retire.

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i am 76 and am starting to think about slowing down and selling my practice. i am a sole practitioner with three bookkeepers and a secretary/admin person working for me. i have a nice spacious office in a small building i own.

more: who to hire when it’s time to grow | hourly billing doesn’t cover the value; now what? | should you merge? here’s how to chart your path | when selling a firm to staffers is tricky | want to merge? six steps to take | courting a client? don’t give too much away for free | every accounting firm needs quality control | measure knowledge gaps (then close them) | should you offer financial services? | thirteen things to consider before you sell your practice | how much is your tax practice worth? | ready to retire? selling your practice is no strategy
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i have been approached by a larger firm that wants to buy my practice, but they want a guarantee of retention, and i was thinking of working with them for two years to ease the transition, and then sell. how do i set up the work arrangement?

also, they want me to move into their office, but then i will have to sell my office and the real estate market is soft. also, we will negotiate the price now (a percentage of gross) but how do i know they won’t change their mind, or what happens if the transition period is not good and i have to pull out? what do you suggest i do or how should i proceed?
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brannon poe: grow your business by preparing to let it go

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the two big metrics and 12 more takeaways.

this video is a preview. the complete video episode, with commentary and transcript, is first available exclusively to pro members. the podcast version is available everywhere you get your podcasts.

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the disruptors
with liz farr

after helping people buy and sell accounting firms for years, brannon poe realized he was sitting on a treasure trove of valuable information that could help firm owners who were “motivated to change their practices for the better.” he’s leveraged those insights into a coaching program for accountants (accounting practice academy) and several books. his latest book, prepare your cpa firm for sale, describes the process of transforming a firm into one that buyers willingly pay top dollar for.

more podcasts and videos: dawn brolin says grow your firm by shrinking it | jason blumer & julie shipp: move leaders out of client service | james graham: drop the billable hour and you’ll bill more | karen reyburn: fix your marketing and fix your business | giles pearson: fix the staffing crisis by swapping experience for education | jina etienne: practice fearless inclusion | bill penczak: stop forcing smart people to do stupid work | sandra wiley: staffing problem? check your culture | scott scarano: first, grow people. then firm growth can follow |

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poe recommends that firm owners start planning for an eventual sale well before they’re ready to leave. “i think the biggest mistake that i see often is they don’t do any planning,” poe says. starting the planning process three to five years ahead gives firm owners time to change things, including getting alignment on the timetable and price with other partners, which may be a tricky issue.

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help! a partner wants to retire really early

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six shocked coworkers

how big should the buyout be?

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

question from a reader: we didn’t contemplate an owner leaving before normal retirement age unless it was because of death or disability or we had to fire them. however, as we were discussing hypotheticals at a recent partner meeting, we came to the uncomfortable conclusion that, currently, there’s nothing to stop owners from accumulating large buyout balances and just walking in one day and offering up their resignation pursuant to our partner agreement, thus entitling them to receive substantial buyouts as long as they give us a one-year notice. our vesting provision has a very limited penalty for early retirement: the buyout is reduced by 2 percent a year for every year before 60 they leave.

more: thirteen traits of partners you’ll want to keep | six rules for keeping partners happy and productive | five ways to separate accounting winners from losers | core values: why your firm needs them | voting on ownership basis? three better methods | fifteen big questions for your next strategy session
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no matter what, we need to modify our agreement so that if someone wants to leave early, they can do so, but they must know there will be a stiff penalty. we don’t want our partners to see their vested buyouts as large savings accounts that can be withdrawn at any time. instead, we want them to see our buyout as a true retirement plan, one that is redeemed close to or at a normal retirement age. my current thinking is that we restrict it in a similar way to an employer-funded retirement plan. the first day you can withdraw is the day you reach 55½, subject to vesting provisions and stiff penalties for early withdrawal. we think there should be a minimum number of years as a partner in order to receive any buyout.
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thirteen things to consider before you sell your practice

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man sitting at desk, staring off thinking

are you being realistic?

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i am getting older and want to continue working at least five more years. should i merge now to anticipate and facilitate a buyout?

more: how much is your tax practice worth? | ready to retire? selling your practice is no strategy | uncooperative partner might not be the problem | merge in lower-priced work without losing out | 20 things you need for a business valuation
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response: selling means retiring. is that something you want to do? i’ve written many times about being clear about your goals and what you really want. that being said, here is a general discussion about the reality of the value of your practice.
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ready to retire? selling your practice is no strategy

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older businessman sitting at desk smiling as wall clock indicates 5 minutes to retirement

what are the guarantees?

by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice

question: i’ve heard you say that you shouldn’t count on anything from your practice when you decide to retire. are you serious?

response: i probably said that, but it was in the context of planning for guaranteed cash flow in retirement. a practice’s value is never guaranteed until the checks clear.

more:  uncooperative partner might not be the problem | merge in lower-priced work without losing out | 20 things you need for a business valuation
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i did say that it is important to create an asset base for retirement and that these can come from a number of sources – and we each need to assign an importance to each source and a probability of their providing a comfortable retirement.
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seven keys to a complete succession plan

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your client probably hasn’t considered them all.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

clients who own businesses should have a plan of succession.

one plan should be for when and how they will retire, and another for if they should die while they are in full control of the business. things happen and will happen and can be devastating to the family – financially and emotionally.

more on marketing: how to begin a business valuation | how to help a client start a new business | second opinions: an old service under a new label | help clients with employment compensation | help clients with basic budgeting | questions for after tax season | 28 data points for a financial planning discussion
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helping a client develop a succession plan can be a valuable good deed for the family as well as providing a great feeling of comfort for the business owner. advising on how to transfer stock to successors or the next generation always represents additional services.
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sandra wiley: staffing problem? check your culture

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whether it’s clients or talent, if you build a better business culture, you’ll get better results.

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with liz farr
the disruptors

as shareholder and president of boomer consulting, sandra wiley has been speaking with firm owners and leaders for nearly three decades and clearly sees the need for change in the profession.

“the business model that was built before cannot be the business model that you have going forward. it simply doesn’t work,” wiley said. “now, we’re still living in the old business model,” and we have to get out of it.

more podcasts and videos:  peter margaritis: the power skills every accountant needs | joe montgomery: find the sweet spot of the right clients, right services and right prices | marie green: your bad apples are ruining you | megan genest tarnow: hire for curiosity rather than compliance | clayton oates: one way to keep clients for life | randy crabtree: follow these three rules to keep employees happy | erik solbakken: yes, you can work less and make more | donny shimamoto: future firm growth requires a mindshift | jennifer wilson: empower young workers to build the firm everyone loves | mike whitmire: re-think your hiring and training practices | hector garcia: success strategies of a quickbooks youtube superstar | blake oliver: why tax work yearns to be free| private equity explodes in u.k. | brannon poe: the status quo must go  | accounting nerds, unlock your super powers  | disruptor: jason statts shakes up the status quo | think small to think big with matt wilkinson | when financial statements go extinct with corey schmidt | can geraldine carter save accountants from themselves? | re-inventing accounting with tyler anderson

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when she does exit interviews to find out why people are leaving a firm, she said they all say it’s because of the hours. they need to find more balance in their lives, and they need to work less. while accountants do have government-imposed deadlines for tax returns, there are ways to reduce hours, wiley explained. we can do extensions to spread the work out over time and people, and we can outsource. most importantly, we can be more selective in the clients we work with. “we don’t have to work with every client we’ve ever worked with,” wiley said. read more →

be the flywheel to increase revenue

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“this will be the largest transfer of wealth the nation has ever seen in such a short period of time.”

by rory henry, cfp®, bfa

henry

rory henry is a director at arrowroot family office and host of the wealth management forward podcast. he can be reached to discuss ways to integrate financial planning into your practice through the cpa partnership program at (310) 566-5865 or at rory@arrowrootfamilyoffice.com.

the financial advice business is undergoing significant change, particularly in the accounting and wealth management sectors. the arrival of private equity firms, combined with the rise of m&a and rapid advancements in technology, has shifted the landscape considerably. while these changes are unsettling to some practitioners, i view them as opportunities.

more: four core principles for elite wealth management | why you need a team of experts | why a virtual family office? why now? | is your client’s umbrella big enough? | your client’s instincts are wrong | preserving wealth is a different mindset | three approaches to investment consulting
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in many ways, a cpa is a flywheel at the center of the financial advisory engine. all the other providers and advisors rotate around the cpa, and together they build momentum as the firm expands its offerings and as the advice engine gains speed and confidence.

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