Here’s what you’re looking for: CPA Trendlines Research

PRICING, FEES & BILLING RATES

Where Firms Stand on Billing Rates: From $400 Returns to $2,500 CFO Packages

Pricing plans: 37% plan 5% increases (via Ignition)

Still, many fear loss of clients.

By CPA Trendlines Research

Four in five U.S. accounting firms plan to raise prices in 2026, and most are doing so confidently.

MORE Pricing, Fees & Billing Rates  | Clients Demand Niche Know-How, and They’re Willing to Pay for It | CPA Pricing Power Falters as Salaries March Upward | It’s Time to Toss Timesheets | Clients Demand Niche Know-How, and They’re Willing to Pay for It | How ‘Productizing’ Services Benefits Clients | Four Approaches to Billing

More than 80% of accounting and tax firms say they intend to increase fees next year, with 37% targeting a 5% hike and 30% aiming for 10% increases. Only 6% rule out any price changes. The shift marks a turning point for an industry long dogged by fee stagnation and underpricing. Now, driven by rising labor costs, inflation, and client demand for higher-value services, firms are becoming more assertive in charging what their work is worth.

READ MORE →

CLIENT SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Clients Demand Niche Know-How, and They’re Willing to Pay for It

Expertise is the new table stakes.
Brands matter: Clients rely on business or personal referrals to find their accountants.

By Rick Telberg
CPA Trendlines Research

U.S. business clients are willing to pay up to 25 percent more for specialized accounting services — and many are making niche expertise a non-negotiable.

MORE in Client Service Opportunities and in Advisory and Consulting, and

A TaxDome-commissioned survey of 353 small- and mid-sized business executives and owners across industries finds that as companies grow, they leave generalists behind in favor of firms that understand their vertical, speak their language and solve the high-stakes problems that come with scale.

Once they go niche, they rarely return.

READ MORE →

Cornerstone

The Exit Question: When PE Cashes Out

Private equity didn’t come to the accounting profession for the long haul. It came for the exit.

By CPA Trendlines Research
Cornerstone Reports

As the first wave of PE investments in CPA firms nears the five-year mark, sponsors are turning their attention to monetization. And with valuations rising, strategic buyers circling, and market momentum building, a new set of exit strategies is taking shape.

The exit window opens in year five, and it’s wide open now. CPAs are seeing multiple pathways—strategic sales, secondary buyouts, and even IPO talk.

The most visible exit to date came in 2025, when Blackstone acquired a majority stake in Citrin Cooperman from New Mountain Capital. The transaction, valued north of $2 billion, was a classic secondary buyout—one PE firm buying out another. But others are eyeing different routes.

MORE Private Equity

Some platforms are positioning for strategic acquisitions by global consulting or business services firms. Others are bundling assets for rollups or considering public listings, particularly in Canada and Europe, where IPO markets for professional rollups have been more receptive.

READ MORE →