Practice Management

Alternative Practice Structure
Legal and ethical issues impacting firm name and type.

Technical Complexity and Staffing Dominate 2007 PCPS Top MAP Issues Survey
Dealing with technical complexity and finding and retaining qualified staff are among the top practice management issues facing CPAs in smaller firms, based on the 2007 PCPS Top MAP Issues Survey. Read the complete survey results and see where your firm ranks.

Risk Assessment Standards FAQ (SAS 104-111)
SAS’s No. 104-111, the Risk Assessment Standards will have an impact on the audits your firm performs for financial statements that begin on or after December 15, 2006. Review this FAQ sheet, a component of the PCPS members a toolkit, for implementing the Risk Assessment Standards. (PCPS)

SAS 112 FAQ
SAS No. 112 will have an impact on the audits your firm performs for financial statements that ended on or after December 15, 2006. Utilize AICPA’s PCPS toolkit for the implementation of SAS 112. (PCPS)

Podcast: Practitioner Issues
Listen to Jim Metzler, AICPA Vice President of Small Firm Issues discuss succession planning and more.

New CPA Regs Affect Form of Business & Name for Sole Practitioners

2006 National MAP Survey Results
PICPA members can access the results and see how their firm measures up.

PCPS Technical Issues Committee (TIC) Alerts
Does today's news impact your Firm? Learn more about expert practices and explore the opinions of your colleagues through leading industry and PCPS publications. You can find the latest Standards, TIC Alerts, and TIC Comment Letters right here. (PCPS)

Mortgage Broker/Lender CPA Comfort Letters
Many CPAs today are faced with a unique challenge of providing a loan broker or lender with a “comfort” letter on behalf of a client.  PCPS provides guidance for these situations. (PCPS)

Outsourcing and Privacy: 10 Critical Questions Top Management Should Ask

CPA Firm Succession Planning Resource Available Online
Free white paper from PCPS offers practitioners succession planning best practices and benchmarking guidance.(PCPS)

Professional Ethics
Documents and seminars that will provide guidance on issues like the PICPA Code of Ethics, Records Retention and How to File a Professional Ethics Complaint.

Peer Review
Resources for fulfilling the peer-review requirement for all firms in Pennsylvania that have performed audits or review engagements. Learn how to expand your firm's services by becoming a peer reviewer.

AICPA’s Private Company Practice Section
The AICPA Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) is a great investment for your firm practice management needs.  PCPS is a firm membership and provides a wealth of resources.

"Comfort Letters" Offer No Comfort to CPAs
By Jonathan S. Ziss, JD
Pennsylvania CPA Journal, Spring 2008

Accidents Happen: Know Your Responsibilities When Client Data Goes Missing
By Jonathan S. Ziss, JD
Pennsylvania CPA Journal, Spring 2008

Does Your Practice Have Its Exits Clearly Marked?
By Douglas P. Hepburn, CPA/PFS, CFP
Pennsylvania CPA Journal, Spring 2008

Extend Your Reach to Bring in New Recruits
By Joseph M. Larkin, CPA, PhD
Pennsylvania CPA Journal, Winter 2008

The Practicing CPA Newsletter
Get up-to-date information and news on the business and accounting issues and offers creative strategies and solutions for practice management. Read the latest issue of the monthly newsletter for the AICPA Private Companies Practice Section. (PCPS)

Legislative Update
Receive important legislative news via e-mail each week.

Per Diem Assistance
If you need temporary assistance, get the help you need with PICPA’s members only Per Diem Assistance Program

Attract and Retain the Best and the Brightest

Best Practices in Recruiting and Retaining Talented Staff
Read AICPA’s white paper for insight into how others are handling recruitment and retention. Read the White Paper. (PCPS)

Seven Secrets to Keeping Good Staffers

Results of AICPA Virtual Grassroots Panel on Staffing Development and Retention
Find out the important issues likely to affect your firm's ability to recruit and retain skilled and educated accounting professionals. (PCPS)

Team Recruitment Action Plan
Recruiting staff is a top priority for today’s CPA firms. Employ PCPS’s Team Recruitment Action Plan as a guide for your recruiting efforts. (PCPS)

Managing and Measuring Team Performance
Retaining staff is a main concern for today’s CPA firms. It is only logical that our profession should demand the effective management and optimal development of our greatest asset, our team members. Refer to the Performance Management Implementation Action Plan as a guide for introducing a system to measure and evaluate performance in your firm. (PCPS)

The Red Carpet Treatment
Employers are offering generous compensation and progressive benefits to entice—and keep—top accounting talent.

CPA Exam Candidate Tracking Tool
Download the Excel spreadsheet developed exclusively to help firms track employees taking the CPA Exam.

AICPA Offers Flexwise to Help Members with Flexible Work Arrangements
Response to Employee Retention Challenges

Free Brochures and Powerpoint Presentations
Promote your knowledge and services with PICPA's members-only library of marketing and presentation materials.

CPA Locator
Members list your firm on the PICPA Web site for free.

Speakers Bureau
Share you technical knowledge while building your network and enhancing your public speaking skills. Join PICPA Speakers Bureau and volunteer to speak at an event hosted by a professional, community or educational organization. It’s a great way to meet potential new clients while giving back to the community

CPA Marketing Toolkit
Take advantage of free resources to help promote your practice and services, such as press releases, presentations, ads, marketing tips, and much more.

Tips on Using Press Releases
Press releases are an effective tool for building firm recognition and credibility. Find out when and how to use this tool to publicize your firm's accomplishments and capabilities.

New Practitioners Message Board
Post or answer questions regarding marketing your firm, staffing resources, client issues, or share best practices. Postings are anonymous and e-mail addresses will be kept confidential.

Exclusive Discounts for Practitioners
PICPA Practitioner members can save on tax and accounting books from CCH, essential products from Office Depot, and more.

Practitioners and Taxation E-Mail Discussion Groups
These members-only public forums give CPAs an opportunity to share information and exchange ideas via e-mail interaction.

Consultation Resources
Check out the Peer-to-Peer directory to get or share advice with your colleagues about estate planning, marketing your firm, forensic accounting and dozens of other topics.

Get Involved in Pennsylvania Politics
Learn more about what PICPA is doing to advocate for accounting professionals. Get involved by becoming a key person contact or by donating to the CPA-PAC.

Management of an Accounting Practice Conference
Attend this conference on July 28 in Hershey to collect valuable strategies to cultivate your practice in an interactive setting featuring nationally-known industry analyst Allan D. Koltin, CPA. Register today!

PICPA Interactive Webcasts
Take advantage of quality professional education from the comfort of your desktop—it's convenient and affordable. Check out the upcoming list of hot topics!

Customized On-site Training
Choose from hundreds of top-quality seminars—nearly every course in the PICPA catalog and many more—delivered directly to your place of business.

Employee Benefits