Today's Features
PAY & COMPENSATION

The 8 Basics for Data-Based Partner Performance Evaluations

Businesswoman writing with pencil on notepad in the officePlus: 3 choices for setting the reporting year.

By Marc Rosenberg
Partner Comp: Art & Science

There is no standard list of data to review for evaluating partners.

MORE ON PARTNER COMPENSATION: 5 Types of Partner Evaluations | Should the MP Be the Highest Paid Partner? | Integrating Partner Comp with Strategic Planning | Partner Pay: The Declining Importance of Book of Business | 3 Non-Performance-Based Comp Systems | 3 Subjective Compensation Systems | What Partners Earn and How They Earn It | Why Most Partner Comp Systems Are Performance-Based

But here is a good, solid list of the eight basics:

READ MORE →

TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft Targets Consumers with ‘Modern Life Services’

Illustration of bandwidth useMaking productivity sexy ... or at least sexier.

By Rick Richardson

It's not a secret that Microsoft hasn't been winning the hearts and minds of consumers lately.

MORE TECH THIS WEEK: 7 Things Solar Panel Makers Don’t Want You to Know | Smart Cities Rely on Public Cloud and Edge Computing | Amazon Offers New Delivery Service for Buildings | EY’s ‘Day One Ready’ Creates Needed Competencies of the Future | Your Next Bank Card Might Have a Fingerprint Scanner Built In | How Blockchain Is Changing Our World
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

Killing off products like the Groove Music service, Microsoft Band fitness tracker and Windows Phone have left many questioning whether Microsoft's grand plan is to focus on business users and leave consumers to its competitors.
READ MORE →

MARKETING & SALES

12 SEO Myths

Blue pushpin in word "SEO" at center of a targetLocal? Images? Mobile? All important.

By Becky Livingston

Below is a list of SEO myths that people might still believe to be true.

MORE: 9 SEO Musts and 20 Pitfalls | Quick Tip: Link Building | How to Improve Your Mobile SEO | How to Research Keywords | How Long Does It Take to Rank?
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

  1. I must submit my site to Google and Bing for it to be indexed. What makes this a myth is the “must” part. If you’re creating a site that’s never been indexed before you can submit it to Google and Bing to be indexed, however, that doesn’t guarantee the site will be indexed or that this step will increase your search ranking. If you have an existing site, say that’s been around for a while, you don’t have to do this step even if it’s never been done before.

READ MORE →

THE PARTNERSHIP

Quick Tip: Partners Investing in Clients

BONUS: Sample agreement language.

By Marc Rosenberg

During my career, I’ve seen partners come to blows over this.

MORE: Deciding How to Allocate Partner Income | Principals Who Aren’t CPAs | Why Non-Compete and Non-Solicitation Covenants Matter | Handling Pay During the Disability of a Partner | Why Voting Isn’t Such a Big Deal | What’s in a (Firm) Name? | Protect Your Business with a Solid Partner Agreement
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

One partner has a non-attest client who offers an opportunity to invest in the client’s business. A very common example is a client who is a real estate syndicator. This can often be quite lucrative for the partner.
READ MORE →

TAX RESOLUTION SERVICES

Use 24-Hour Lines for Leads

Businesswoman using phone working on laptop in coffee shopDon't forget the test call.

By Jassen Bowman
Tax Resolution Systems

Use this checklist to make sure you have completely set up the 24-hour recorded information line for your marketing campaign.

MORE ON TAX RESOLUTION: Set Up Your Lead Followup Touch Program | Process Communications Efficiently | Suggested Tax Resolution Client Payment Guidelines | Basics of Tax Season Work Flow | When to Follow Up on Prospects | Checklists for New Lead Generation | Case Study: Building a Tax Resolution Business
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

We frequently use 24-hour recorded information lines to present specific tax information to leads. For example, we may mail a postcard offering free information about the newest changes to the Offer in Compromise program, and provide a toll-free number. I will then set up that number in CallFire to contain a 5- to 10-minute recording about the OIC program, its benefits, requirements and how to get started.
READ MORE →

MARKETING & SALES

Quick Tip: Accelerated Mobile Pages

Quick tip iconYou also can track how well they're doing.

By Becky Livingston
The Accountant’s Social Media Handbook

AMPs are for mobile devices and provide a faster website load time than more traditional pages, even ones created using a mobile-friendly template.

MORE: 9 SEO Musts and 20 Pitfalls | Quick Tip: Link Building | How to Improve Your Mobile SEO | How to Research Keywords | How Long Does It Take to Rank?
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

These pages use a stripped-down version of HTML code and Javascript to create faster loading times for pages on mobile devices. They may be used in any app, browser or web viewer.
READ MORE →

FEATURED

Fear Stifles You in Every Way

Young businessman standing on edge of rock mountain and looking across"It is as though fear is a virus, constantly coursing through our veins and waiting for the first sign of weakness so that it can instantly activate and take over."

By Bill Reeb

Fear is an important topic to me. I believe fear is often one of the greatest offenders interfering with behavior, skill development, success, satisfaction with yourself, and happiness in your life.

MORE: Being Judgmental Is Self-Destructive | You Are Right Where You Are Supposed to Be | Become Your Mind’s Lead Programmer | Stay in the Present | How ‘Take What’s Given’ Works in Business | Learn to Work ‘Better’ Instead of ‘Harder’ | Be Realistic Regarding Expectations
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

I am not just talking about fear as it would manifest in feelings of terror, but rather the entire range of fear, from being afraid of dying on one extreme through a simple negative thought wafting through your brain on the other.
READ MORE →

STAFFING & RECRUITING

SnapStat: CPA Exam Rankings from Utah to Baruch

Silhouette of graduates throwing caps into airNew stats on the CPA exam.

There must be something special in the water accounting students drink in Utah and in New York. Or so, some new statistics might suggest.

Performance metrics indicate 95,654 candidates took the exam in 2017, of which 71,199 were new candidates, with 25,834 candidates passing their fourth section of the test.

In a new report,  the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy reveals the jurisdictions with the highest pass rates and the universities with the most candidates sitting for a First-Time section.

READ MORE →

BUSY SEASON MANAGEMENT

Breaking: Brand New §199A Regs [Live 3-Hour Webinar]

Register here or click to learn more
Learn More

Game Changers, Game Limiters, and Game Expanders

The long-awaited first set of Tax Cut Jobs Act §199A Proposed Regulations have just popped.

We’ve waited oh so long to be able to plan. Now, planning to reduce income taxes via the 20% “pass-through” qualified business income deduction (QBID) may begin with some fluency.

Objectives

  1. Treasury puts the hurt on “crack and pack," but lends payroll a helping hand
  2. Grouping of businesses for computation and avoiding limits
  3. The scope of seemingly ominous “specified service business” narrowed

The hottest topic in 31 years is taking shape. Don’t miss your opportunity to sharpen the cutting edge.

Register here