why partners can’t shirk performance reviews

two men talking across a table, one holding a sheet of paper, window and brick wall in background

five types of partner evaluations. bonus: partner self-evaluation and impact form.

by marc rosenberg

the classic purposes of a performance evaluation are:

  • to improve performance.
  • to clarify what is expected of the individual and what is needed to advance.
  • to provide management with information to use in making promo-tion and compensation decisions.

more: twelve questions that prospective partners should ask | adding new partners: 19 reasons to choose between equity and non-equity | how partner buyouts work | what buying in actually means | how partner and staff actions impact profits | nuts and bolts of mentoring staff | nine ways to measure staff performance on the path to partner
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

the need for performance evaluations applies to partners as well as staff. contrary to what many partners may feel, partners can and must continually improve their performance.
read more →

twelve questions that prospective partners should ask

plus 11 questions your firm should ask prospective partners.

by marc rosenberg

this post should be read from the perspective of two different audiences: prospective partners and existing partner groups.

  • prospective partners: well before accepting a partnership offer, prospective partners should ask basic, critically important questions to help them judge whether accepting it would be a smart decision.
  • existing partner group: well before extending a partnership offer, the firm should get its house in order to avoid being embarrassed by smart questions posed by partner candidates.

more: adding new partners: 19 reasons to choose between equity and non-equity | what firms should address in partner agreements | 11 best practices for partner compensation | why buying into a firm is such a great investment | the business side of cpa firms | it shouldn’t take so long to make partner | three types of skills you need to become a partner
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

questions prospective partners should ask their firm

it’s one thing for a staff person to join a cpa firm, enjoy the job and experience success via nonstop promotions, feeling all along that the firm is a great place to work. but it’s quite another thing for a staffer to consider whether or not to accept a partnership offer that may come in the future.
read more →

adding new partners: 19 reasons to choose between equity and non-equity

the ways they differ.

by marc rosenberg

it’s worth exploring the reasons for equity partners in great detail.

here are the key points:

  1. new partners deserve the promotion to such a great extent that the firm can’t afford not to admit them to the ownership ranks.
  2. the firm needs to expand its partner ranks.
  3. the firm needs to replace a departed partner.
  4. it rewards longtime managers who have solid client service skills.

more: what firms should address in partner agreements | six systems used to determine partners’ goodwill payments | fifteen steps to new partner buy-in | four philosophies for managing a cpa firm | public accounting as a business, 101 | 16 steps to creating a partnership path | six ways new partners differ from managers | the four essentials for every new partner
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

  1. it’s part of a succession planning strategy.
  2. partner promotions send a strong message to the staff.
  3. it energizes the partner group.
  4. it’s part of a merger strategy.

read more →

what firms should address in partner agreements

businessman sitting in office and reading documents
… and what partner candidates should know before they sign.

by marc rosenberg
how to bring in new partners

what is a partner agreement?

according to nolo.com, “a partner agreement spells out the rights and responsibilities of the firm’s owners. without one, firms will be ill-equipped to settle or avoid conflicts because if certain key passages are missing or written improperly, the courts will intervene in ways that the partners may not like. a partner agreement allows the firm’s partners to structure their business relationships with each other in ways that suit their desires, needs and preferences.”

more: six systems used to determine partners’ goodwill payments | how partner buyouts work | what buying in actually means | how partner and staff actions impact profits | nuts and bolts of mentoring staff | nine ways to measure staff performance on the path to partner | sixteen duties of a partner
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

any post on partner agreements will have an obligatory paragraph like that. here is a more in-depth description that may be illuminating.
read more →

six systems used to determine partners’ goodwill payments

businesswoman using calculator while reviewing something on laptop screenalso: 28 main provisions of partner buyout plans.

by marc rosenberg
how to bring in new partners

this chart shows the different systems that firms across the country are using for partners’ goodwill payments. the data is from a recent edition of the rosenberg map survey.

more: how partner buyouts work | 11 best practices for partner compensation | why buying into a firm is such a great investment | the business side of cpa firms | it shouldn’t take so long to make partner | three types of skills you need to become a partner | seventeen basic expectations of partners
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

six systems used to determine partners’ goodwill payments

read more →

how partner buyouts work

//www.g005e.com/?p=77973three big issues must be decided.

by marc rosenberg
how to bring in new partners

one of the benefits that new partners receive in exchange for their buy-in is that they will receive a buyout when they retire. this amount can be in excess of a million dollars at many firms. receiving a retirement buyout is one of the major reasons becoming a partner is so lucrative.

more: 11 best practices for partner compensation | fifteen steps to new partner buy-in | what buying in actually means | why buying into a firm is such a great investment | four philosophies for managing a cpa firm | how partner and staff actions impact profits | the business side of cpa firms
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

the flip side of this is that new partners must agree to buy out older partners when their day comes. therefore, any plan for bringing in new partners must include a provision for a partner retirement/buyout plan.
read more →

11 best practices for partner compensation

bonus: seven systems to allocate income … and who uses them.

by marc rosenberg
how to bring in new partners

it would take a book much longer than this post to properly explain the finer points of partner compensation, especially how each of the major compensation systems works. oh, did i forget? we wrote such a book, “cpa firm partner compensation: the art and science.”

more: fifteen steps to new partner buy-in | what buying in actually means | how partner and staff actions impact profits | nuts and bolts of mentoring staff | nine ways to measure staff performance on the path to partner | sixteen duties of a partner | five people to keep out of partnership
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

best practices and key concepts

as is the case with all of my lists, no one firm incorporates all of these practices in its partner compensation policy. but i have observed all of the practices below in one or more of the best firms i’ve worked with over 20 years.

  1. performance-based. there should be a strong link between pay and performance. when it comes to cpa firm performance and profitability: as the partners go, so goes the firm. the partners have a much greater impact on the firm’s success than professional staff and other personnel. if they perform at a high level, the firm will do the same. if partner performance lags, then the firm will suffer. therefore, the firm needs to motivate the partners to produce at high levels and reward them accordingly. compensation isn’t the best way to motivate anyone’s performance, but it is effective.

read more →

fifteen steps to new partner buy-in

plus the impact of ownership percentage on partner issues.

by marc rosenberg
how to bring in new partners

let’s go over structuring a new partner buy-in step by step.

more: what buying in actually means | why buying into a firm is such a great investment | the business side of cpa firms | it shouldn’t take so long to make partner | three types of skills you need to become a partner | seventeen basic expectations of partners | nine ways to woo a prospective partner
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

1. calculate the value of a cpa firm as accrual basis capital plus goodwill. goodwill is commonly expressed as a percentage of the firm’s annual revenue. this total value should not be given away to anyone without being paid for. bringing someone in as an owner in a profitable, viable business for little or no buy-in makes no sense.
read more →