In this episode, Mike Whitmore, CPA, Shareholder — HMA CPA, a member of the AICPA Tax Practice Management Committee, chats with April Walker, CPA, CGMA, Lead Manager — Tax Practice & Ethics, AICPA & CIMA, about a checklist of items to consider when in the market for acquiring a CPA firm. He highlights red flags to look out for and green lights that signal a firm is a “go” for acquisition, and what due diligence is needed to ensure the perfect fit.

What you’ll learn in this episode

The most crucial due diligence aspect when shopping for a CPA firm (2:08)
Ideal time commitment you should dedicate to the due diligence stage (7:52)
Red flags to watch out for (9:43)
Green lights to follow (13:00)
Lessons learned and a real-life example (16:07)
A page from Mike’s travel journal (18:54)

AICPA resources

Practice Management & Professional Standards — The AICPA Tax Section provides the guidance and tools you need to manage a successful tax practice and maintain the highest level of ethical standards in tax.

Keep your finger on the pulse of the dynamic and evolving tax landscape with insights from tax thought leaders in the AICPA Tax Section. The Tax Section Odyssey podcast includes a digest of tax developments, trending issues and practice management tips that you need to be aware of to elevate your professional development and your firm practices.

This resource is part of the robust tax resource library available from the AICPA Tax Section. The Tax Section is your go-to home base for staying up to date on the latest tax developments and providing the edge you need for upskilling your professional development. If you’re not already a member, consider joining this prestigious community of your tax peers. You’ll get free CPE, access to rich technical content such as our Annual Tax Compliance Kit, a weekly member newsletter and a digital subscription to The Tax Adviser.

Red flags and green lights when buying a CPA practice