CLIENT SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

How Siblings Can Derail a Family Business

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hands holding rope in tug of war

Succession plans can be tricky …  for the advisor.

By Ed Mendlowitz
Call Me Before You Do Anything: The Art of Accounting

Someone has to be the boss. When the founder is active, he or she is usually the boss. But what about parents who step aside to have their children run the business? Particularly where there is more than one child working in the business?

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I’ve seen some situations where two siblings can run the business as equals. And then, there are other situations where they can’t. What do you do?

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Art Werner: Just Don’t Call it a Trump Account | Quick Tax Tip

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Trump accounts can be “one of the best” long-term planning options, despite their name, says Werner.

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Quick Tax Tip
With Art Werner
CPE Today

More Werner on Trump accounts.

Trump accounts are “one of the best provisions that we have seen,” tax expert Art Werner says in this Quick Tax Tip.

Acknowledging that the name itself may create resistance among some taxpayers, he says that for people who are not fond of President Trump, “when they hear the name Trump account, it turns them off.” But if they dismiss the account because of its name, he adds, “they are walking away from a tremendous opportunity.”

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Werner explains that funds in a Trump Account are effectively locked away until the child reaches age 18. Once the beneficiary reaches adulthood, the money can be used for specific purposes that he describes as major life milestones, including higher education, purchasing a first home, starting a business, and ultimately retirement planning.

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Why CPAs Leave to Work for a Client

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Money tree growing in the middle of green meadow

Is that grass really greener?

By Ed Mendlowitz
Call Me Before You Do Anything: The Art of Accounting

I know many CPAs who left public accountancy to take a “better” job. For many of them this was a mistake. For some it worked out, so if you are one of the lucky few, you can stop reading what I have to say.

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There are basically three types of companies the accountant could work for – a small client that does not have an in-house controller or CFO, one whose controller will be replaced by the departing CPA, or a large company that has an entire accounting staff already in place. Let’s talk about working for the small companies that do not have a controller.
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Create ‘Family Trees’ of Referrals

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Have you taken the time to trace who sends you business?

By Ed Mendlowitz
Call Me Before You Do Anything: The Art of Accounting

For those of us in public accounting, there is a continual need to get new clients. Many times we look beyond what we have for the “new” when the growth is there for the taking.

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One of the most important ways a practice can grow is for existing clients to recommend new clients. I have always valued such referral sources, and this value surpasses the fees they pay us. They look out for us and help us grow – I owe them!
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Joe Pine: Navigating the New Transformation Economy | Holistic Guide

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From Experiences to Transformations: The Future of Value Creation.

Sponsored by The Balanced Millionaire: The Advisor Edition by Dr. Jackie Meyer | See Today’s Special Offer

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With Rory Henry
The Holistic Guide to Wealth Management

True Advisor: Buy now | Learn more

When advisors talk about differentiating themselves from the pack, the conversation often centers on providing better service models, improved technology, or more personalized experiences.

But according to Fortune 500 management advisor Joe Pine, those levers are no longer enough. The real opportunity lies one level deeper: helping clients change.

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Cofounder of Strategic Horizons LLP, Pine is the co-author of The Experience Economy and author of the newly released The Transformation Economy. He argues that the U.S. economy has continued its long arc first from commodities, then to goods, services and experiences, and now to transformations. In this next transformation phase, the customer is no longer buying a product, activity or even a memorable event. They are investing in who they want to become. READ MORE →