does your firm have the right partners on the bus? every cpa firm needs more than 50 percent of its partners in quartiles #1 and #2. if your firm doesn\u2019t, there is work that needs to be done before you can achieve satisfactory growth on the top and bottom lines. this is particularly true if your firm has more than 50 percent of your partners in quartiles #3 and #4 who probably don\u2019t care what your compensation model is as more compensation usually isn\u2019t much of a driver for them.<\/p>\n

if your firm doesn\u2019t have the right mix of partners, it is incumbent upon you to change the partner mix sooner rather than later. easier said than done but if you don\u2019t, it is costing you today and will continue to cost you in the future \u2013 no matter what your compensation model looks like!<\/p>\n

for purposes of this perspective, let\u2019s assume that your firm does have the right mix of partners but, nevertheless, isn\u2019t clicking on all cylinders as the market becomes tighter, competition gets more intense and billing rate pressures continue to increase. if this is the case at your firm, the year 2018 is probably the time for you to take a hard look at your compensation model to see if there is a better way to motivate your partners by getting your compensation philosophy right. this, in turn, will enable you to get partner compensation right to ensure continued financial prosperity and perpetuity.<\/p>\n

i suggest that your 2018 compensation model needs to:<\/p>\n