CPA firms face pricing pinch

Price index declines 1.1% in latest month.

BLS CPA firms price index

After years of gains since the government started keeping track in December 2003, overall prices for CPA firm services plummeted with the onset of recession in December 2007.  Since then, firms recovered some of their losses, but now appear to be dipping again.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the price index for CPA firms declined to 113.7 in October from 115.0 in September. In the year-ago October, the index stood at 115.6, up from the October 2007 level of 113.1.

So, if you’re feeling a little squeezed on fees, you’re not alone.

Accounting Today: The 2009 Best Accounting Firms to Work For

Small firms (15-24 employees)

Rank Firm Headquarters No. of employees New hires in last year Turnover (%) % of internal promotion Avg. hours of orientation Training hours per emp. Chief executive

1 Mark Bailey & Co. Reno, Nev. 15 3 0.00 40.00 8 80 Mark Bailey

2 Johnson Jacobson Wilcox Las Vegas 24 6 1.00 18.00 70 80 Gary Johnson

3 Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd McPherson, Kan. 21 1 5.00 1.00 20 60 Kyle Hawk

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