how to set terms and limits for goodwill payouts
and two considerations for the working partners.
by marc rosenberg
retirements & buyouts
the vast majority of firms pay retirement benefits over a 10-year period. we occasionally see five to seven years at lower payout levels.
some firms under $10 million adopt five-year payouts for goodwill, reasoning that because five-year payouts are common for the purchase of a cpa firm, the same term should apply to their own buyouts.

forget “one times fees” for goodwill.
valuing a cpa firm for partner retirement purposes is much different than a valuation for merger purposes.
9 factors that ensure retirement plans will pay off.
top trends: flexible staffing, retention challenges.
1 in 6 firms have no formal, written exit plans in place.
look at the revenue stream. goodwill is another story.
