Phase in so there are no surprises.
By Ed Mendlowitz
The CPA Trendlines Practice Doctor
QUESTION: Thank you for your Q&As on the death of a sole practitioner and purchase of a practice. Do you have anything about the retirement or death of a senior partner?
ANSWER: The death of a senior partner, or any partner, becomes public knowledge almost immediately with many clients attending the funeral, wake or Shiva. In those cases I have not seen any falloff of clients since there is a correct assumption by clients that
- there was backup,
- that the files are intact and will be maintained, and
- if staff was working on that client they will continue.
MORE PRACTICE DOCTOR Q&A: 7 Ways to Lose a Client’s Trust | When Fees Don’t Keep Up With Cost Increases | What Goes in a Client’s Permanent File? | When Experience Doesn’t Add Up | Making Meetings More Productive | Tax Return Reviewer Ticking and Tying 5 Time Management Tips for an Overworked Accountant | Running an Accounting Business | Pricing, Billing, Costing: Don’t Blame Clients