13 questions between merger equals

overhead view of 4 hands putting together 4 puzzle piecesnegotiations often are more difficult.

by marc rosenberg
cpa firm mergers: your complete guide 

mergers of equals or firms close to equal (some call these sideways mergers) are much less common than mergers in which there is a clear survivor. but they do occur.

more on mergers: merging in smaller: what to ask | thinking ‘downstream’ merger? check these 25 potential problems first | 20 terms to settle when merging up | 13 questions to assess an upward merger | what to discuss at the first merger negotiation meeting | what to ponder before issuing a letter of intent

quite simply, there are two reasons mergers of equals are uncommon:
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20 questions to benchmark profitability

businessman looking at question mark sketch on the wallwarning: some of your answers may be subjective.

by marc rosenberg
cpa firm retreats

before formally beginning the discussion part of any retreat session, it’s always a good idea to begin by asking the participants what they want to cover. as issues are suggested, the facilitator should write them down on a flip chart.

more on retreats: 25 ways to turn good firms into great firms | partner buyout 101 | system vs. system: partner compensation best practices | partner accountability: how and for what? | management styles: partnership vs. corporatewhy create a marketing plan? | 12 simple rules for a retreat

1. why is this topic on our retreat agenda?

2. are there specific aspects of this topic that the firm is struggling with? read more →

merging in smaller: what to ask

businesswoman talking on phone33 questions the larger firm should ask smaller firm partners, plus a telephone screening form.

by marc rosenberg
cpa firm mergers: your complete guide

even though these questions are primarily intended for larger firms to ask smaller firms, some of the questions may be appropriate for the smaller firm to ask larger firms. these are general questions; based on your review of the other firm’s data, you will certainly have specific questions to ask in addition to those below.

more on mergers: thinking ‘downsteam’ merger? check these 25 potential problems first | 18 concerns about merging in smaller firms | what to expect when merging up | 16 reasons merging up causes anxiety | 14 provisions to include in a letter of intent | want to merge? ask for data | the merger process in 21 steps | 13 ways to screw up a merger

an important goal of these interviews is to get open, honest and brutally candid responses. at most firms, this is virtually impossible if you interview two or more partners together. only rarely, where two or three partners appear to be “joined at the hip,” is it acceptable to do group interviews.

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25 ways to turn good firms into great firms

leader addresses co-workersprofitability and benchmarking are part of it, but not all of it.

by marc rosenberg
cpa firm retreats

the 25 best practices below have been extracted from rosenberg’s work with great firms over a 20-year period. few firms do them all, but the elite firms do most of them.

more on retreats: partner buyout 101 | 27 tough questions every firm needs to address | 10 benchmarking missteps | 18 essential management questions to cover at a retreat | thinking of merging? discuss it at a retreat | retreat logistics: how long, what kind? | why do cpa firms conduct retreats?

what grade would you give your firm on each of these?
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partner buyout 101

scales, money and gavel6 ways to calculate buyout payments, 6 ways partners leave firms, how partner retirement plans have changed over the years and how to be sure yours isn’t a ponzi scheme.

by marc rosenberg
cpa firm retreats

a partner is retiring from your firm. how will you handle the financial aspects?

more: 27 tough questions every firm needs to address | make more money | system vs. system: partner compensation best practices | 10 benchmarking missteps | how to address partner compensation at a retreat | partner accountability: how and for what? | 18 essential management questions to cover at a retreat | how to decide who decides what | management styles: partnership vs. corporate | 30 marketing and growth questions to cover at a retreat | how marketing for cpa firms is different | why create a marketing plan? | thinking of merging? discuss it at a retreat | how to take action after a retreat | 12 simple rules for a retreat | leave your retreat with a to do list | every retreat needs a leader, but who? | retreats are no place for clowns | who should participate in a retreat? | retreat logistics: how long, what kind? | what should cpa firms discuss at retreats? | why do cpa firms conduct retreats?

there are six methods to calculate the buyout payments to a retiring partner. in brief, they are:
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the 3 best partner compensation formulas

two hands honing a large knife4 common carve-outs, 9 challenges and 10 complications of all compensation systems.

by marc rosenberg
partner comp: art & science

compensation formulas are the most common system for allocating partner income.

more partner compensation for pro members (go pro here): why firms use partner comp formulas|3 subjective compensation systems | 11 points in designing a partner comp system | 3 tiers of compensation | partner compensation 101|what partners earn and how they earn it | partner compensation: an art, not a science | how partners view compensation: it’s not all about the money | why most partner comp systems are performance-based

now let’s look at some of the better formula systems we’ve seen:

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27 tough questions every firm needs to address

eyeglasses resting on document labeled "retirement plan"on succession, retirement, valuation, sale or acquisition.

by marc rosenberg
cpa firm retreats

before formally beginning the discussion part of a retreat session, it’s always a good idea to begin by asking the participants what they want to cover.

more on retreats: make more money | system vs. system: partner compensation best practices | 10 benchmarking missteps | 18 essential management questions to cover at a retreat | management styles: partnership vs. corporate | why create a marketing plan?

as issues are suggested, the facilitator should write them down on a flipchart.

read more →

31 ways to make more money

businessman sitting on stacks of paper currencyyes, you can do these during busy season.

by marc rosenberg
cpa firm retreats

certainly when we consider best practices for transforming good firms into great ones, we have everything in mind from client surveys to strategic planning. but then what?

more on retreats for pro members: system vs. system: partner compensation best practices | partner accountability: how and for what? | 30 marketing and growth questions to cover at a retreat | leave your retreat with a to do list | every retreat needs a leader, but who? | retreats are no place for clowns 

here are 31 methods to achieve strong profitability:
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