insights for cpa firms

CPA firms spend a great deal of time focused on growth, technology, profitability, succession, and client service. All of those issues matter but at the center of every one of them is the same question: Is the firm getting the people part of the business right? That question applies across the whole firm—from partners, managers, and staff to clients, referral sources, and others who help shape the firm’s reputation. The firms best positioned for the years ahead will be those

Now that tax season is in the rear-view mirror, many firms will think about M&A opportunities, so it’s a great time to focus on firm value. When M&A players compute value, there are several attributes that typically become either value builders or value busters. Here are 10 factors to make your firm more attractive for a transaction—as well as healthier as a business. 5 Value Builders Desirable Niches. CAS, high-net-worth tax, forensics, data intelligence, international tax,

CPAs are relentless about tracking metrics for their clients—yet many firms don’t apply that same rigor to their own operations. Billing rates, utilization, production, and realization will always matter, but they’re only part of the story. The firms that outperform their peers are the ones that look beyond the traditional dashboard and tap into deeper intelligence about how their business actually runs. Data intelligence isn’t just about numbers; it’s about uncovering the pa

Dom Piscopo interviewed Ira Rosenbloom for this episode of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, discussing the importance of strengthening firms through assessments, navigating M&A, understanding compensation dynamics, and more. Listen to the episode of the podcast.

As consolidation continues to reshape the accounting profession, the $5–10 million revenue tier has emerged as a critical inflection point. Once considered a transitional phase between small and large firm status, this segment is now recognized as a strategic stronghold — both for firms seeking sustainable independence and for those positioning themselves as attractive acquisition targets. For the Winter 2026 issue of VSCPA's Disclosures magazine, Ira Rosenbloom stresses the

The level of success of tax season can make or break the financial position of CPA firms and can be extremely influential on the terms and negotiations of a possible post-tax season merger or sale of a firm. Many firms will enter tax season knowing they want to get a deal done and others will emerge from tax season realizing that a deal is the right answer. Whether you are currently deal-minded or not, putting tax season to your best advantage is a very smart business move. A

We are living at a time when—if you are not being contacted by a PE group or broker on behalf of PE—you need to scratch your head and wonder why! PE continues to disrupt and continues to modify the scale of acquisitions. Bigger is still better; generally, firms with annual volume of $3-$5 million are at the low end of PE targets. M&A—whether PE-driven or not—is not the answer for every firm. But every firm should be ready with the right questions to properly conduct first-pha

Consolidation is reshaping the accounting firm landscape. M&A, private equity, capital investment, and other moves have led to the disappearance of many independent, local CPA firms — especially those with 20 to 50 team members or $5 million to $10 million in annual sales. Ironically, these are the firms that many acquirers seek! In a recent Accounting Today article (login required) , Ira Rosenbloom explained why being a $5 million to $10 million firm is a sweet spot not onl