ready to retire? selling your practice is no strategy

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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do you really want that client?

sometimes you should consider saying no.

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

we all want additional business, but sometimes the client should be vetted to determine if it is a good fit for your firm and if there are any danger signs.

more on marketing: want more tax clients? here’s how | bundle tax services with financial planning | how to begin a business valuation | how to offer conflict resolution | get your clients talking about retirement | how to assist investment clubs | when clients remarry | seven questions to suggest estate planning | four reasons to perform tax projections

following is an eight-point checklist that could help you in making a decision to accept the client.
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uncooperative partner might not be the problem

why are they unwilling to help?

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

question: my tax partner gives me a hard time when i ask her for assistance. is there anything i can do to get her to be more responsive?

more:  merge in lower-priced work without losing out | 20 things you need for a business valuation
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

response: this can apply to every research question asked by anyone in the firm. besides tax, it can be for audit, internal controls, succession planning or any other client service area.

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merge in lower-priced work without losing out

businessman sitting in office chair, covering his face with his hand

you bought a tax practice! but they charge less than you do. now what?

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

question: i bought a tax return practice in december from a person who was charging $180 per hour. my rate is $300 per hour so i did not make money and i would like to know what i could do to raise fees so i don’t continue to lose on it.

more: want more tax clients? here’s how | bundle tax services with financial planning | how to begin a business valuation | how to offer conflict resolution | get your clients talking about retirement | when clients remarry | four reasons to perform tax projections
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

answer: after a long discussion, it appears that he bought a good practice with good fees charged for the returns. his problem is that he has no employees and did all the work himself – about 750 tax returns, and was totally overwhelmed with non-stop work.
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want more tax clients? here’s how

plus 21 ways to get additional business clients.

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

a target is the result of a plan.

more on marketing: bundle tax services with financial planning | when clients haven’t filed taxes for years | 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 | four additional services to suggest
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

so, what is your plan?
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20 things you need for a business valuation

man reading in paper notebook in front of two screens

how to help a client who wants to sell their business. (hint: it’s about them, not you.)

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

question: i have a client who’s thinking of selling his business, and he asked me to recommend a consultant to help him get his business in shape to sell. i am afraid that if he finds someone on his own i’ll lose control of the client. he might end up not selling and i could lose the client. i do not know anyone to recommend. what do you suggest i do?

more: valuing a family-owned business: eight options | business valuation comes down to cash flow | 50 ways to create value for business owners and board members | what earnings mean for a business valuation | use organization charts to rewrite the future | what clients don’t know about cost variances | why and how to track payroll costs
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

ed’s response: i suggest that you decide what is best for the client and proceed that way. you can find consultants by contacting other cpas, attorneys, or business brokers that work in this area.

however, i also think that this is something where you can probably do most of the work yourself or through your firm. it is not a magic process, but a four-part process.

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bundle tax services with financial planning

businesspeople having a meeting over coffee sitting together at a table discussing a document, young man and two middle-aged women present

two sample engagement proposals.

by ed mendlowitz
how to build a stronger tax practice

following are two sample engagement proposals for tax return preparation bundled with additional financial planning and business planning services.

more on marketing: when clients haven’t filed taxes for years | seven keys to a complete succession plan | the tax effects of buying or selling a business | elder care: not sexy, but vital | how to guide clients through divorce | help clients manage their investments
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

letter 1:

dear _________________:

it was good meeting with you last week. ed and i are excited to be working with you and look forward to a long and satisfying professional relationship.
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when clients haven’t filed taxes for years

help them put a stop to this.

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

it is not unusual to meet with potential clients that have not filed tax returns for many years.

more on marketing: seven keys to a complete succession plan | how to begin a business valuation | how to offer conflict resolution | get your clients talking about retirement | when clients remarry | seven questions to suggest estate planning | four reasons to perform tax projections | four additional services to suggest
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

with these clients it is important to get them to understand the seriousness of their situation and that the sooner they comply, the greater the likelihood that the worst they would be subject to would be penalties for late filing and payment if they owe money.
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valuing a family-owned business: eight options

businesswoman working late at desk

the correct standard depends on the reason for the valuation.

by ed mendlowitz
77 ways to wow!

here are eight standards of value that a valuation analyst may need to consider and discuss with a client. each standard has a different set of rules, and the valuations can vary greatly. valuing a business is an art – not a science – even though careful calculations are made to arrive at an appraisal of the business. also provided are some insights regarding how these are used and how the valuation analyst can protect their client.

more: business valuation comes down to cash flow | 50 ways to create value for business owners and board members | what clients don’t know about cost variances | how to advise clients on allocating business resources | be wary of discounting prices | where is your firm in its lifecycle? | six kinds of loan covenants
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

valuations of closely held family businesses are confusing because of the varied reasons, uses and purposes for the valuation. there is no one “right” way, because the value arrived at is contingent on the assumption used. this is confusing to many business owners.
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ready for a buy-sell agreement?

 

make sure to consider these 20 points.

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

this service puts the accountant in the role of a mediator attempting to resolve conflicts and to serve as a facilitator to move things along to accomplish stated goals.

more on marketing: seven keys to a complete succession plan | how to begin a business valuation | how to offer conflict resolution | get your clients talking about retirement | how to assist investment clubs | when clients remarry | seven questions to suggest estate planning
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

who needs this service

many businesses do not have shareholders’ or buy-sell agreements.
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business valuation comes down to cash flow

this step needs to come before proper financial planning can occur.

by ed mendlowitz
77 ways to wow!

business owners contemplating retirement should obtain a business valuation to determine the value of the business and whether the other resources will provide financial security. the conversation and successful engagement also require that the valuation analyst understand the owner’s motivating factors, or the qualitative information.

more: 50 ways to create value for business owners and board members | what earnings mean for a business valuation | why and how to track payroll costs | use constraints to make improvements | the role of strategy in pricing | wow clients with trend analysis | 26 ways to wreck a financial projection
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

obtaining the right price is important but holding out for a larger value and deeming all other values lower than that as a “deal breaker” can be self-defeating to the owner seeking financial security. there are other ways to obtain the security. further, quibbling over a smaller amount can potentially undermine the long-term plan, which is to retire.
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seven keys to a complete succession plan

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
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

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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50 ways to create value for business owners and board members

woman interviewing another woman

why a valuation should be performed on a regular basis.

by ed mendlowitz
77 ways to wow!

here we’ll identify 50 ways that a valuation professional can provide something far more valuable than a number. while the valuation profession is under pressure to reduce costs or prepare a report, the business owner is better served in the long run retaining a valuation professional who provides greater insight to operations.

more: what earnings mean for a business valuation | use organization charts to rewrite the future | how to account for materials purchased | ten strategies for smart a/r collections | how to react to trends | trends are all around us | how to prepare business plan financial projections | the top 11 financial statement ratios
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

the true market value of a business is only determinable when it is sold to an independent buyer – and even then, it is only for that time with that buyer. however, there are many reasons for valuing a closely held business that can provide valuable insights to the owner; these same reasons also underscore how credentialed professionals add value to business owners and board of directors. these are also not commodity services that warrant a low fee.
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